Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mud Fossils

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students create their own fossils in an activity using plaster of paris and a variety of objects which can be fossils, e.g. chicken bones, twigs, shells, etc. After making their fossils, they allow them to dry and discuss time and its...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hudson Valley Rocks

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students identify each of the rocks provided and locate where in the valley they are found. They explain why the rocks came to be as they are in each location. In addition, they relate the exercise to how the Hudson Valley's geologic...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Causes and Effects of Earthquakes and Volcanoes

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders discuss the techniques and tools scientists use to study about the earth, including techniques used to determine geological time scales. They share their personal experiences of earthquakes and volcanoes.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Building a Better Sentence

For Teachers 1st
Sentence construction is both a science and an art. This bare bones lesson ties an analysis of earth's geology to sentence formation. Although referenced as a major part of the activity, there are no links to the technology or resources...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Gifts of the Nile

For Teachers 6th
Get your class thinking about the geography that shaped the Egyptian landscape and culture. They compare ancient climate zones and geogrpahical fetures, locate evidence of plate tectonics, take and quiz, and write a short essay. The...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Eureka! You've Struck

For Teachers 4th
While incomplete, this lesson plan could provide ideas for a lesson plan on the California gold rush. Learners look at a chart to analyze population growth in San Francisco after the discovery of gold, analyze political changes that...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Time and Cycles - Dendrochronology

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars investigate the lives of trees by examining ring cycles.  In this plant life lesson, students identify the field of study known as dendrochronology and discover its history.  Young scholars investigate a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Modeling Earthquake Data

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students evalute evolutionary theories and processe of Geology. They examine evidence that the movement of continents has had signicicant global impact, major geological events. Students evaluate the forces which shape the lithosphere...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth Forces

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners use geological techniques such as plate tectonics, mountain building, earthquakes, and volcanoes, in order to explain the earth.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earthquakes And Fault Lines

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students discuss major causes of earthquakes and identify famous fault lines, access and map information about ten largest earthquakes in world from 1989 to 1998, and theorize about location of these earthquakes as they relate to Earth's...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth's History

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders study the law of superposition by creating models of fossils in layers of rock. They examine how fossils are usually found in sedimentary rock which leads to the study of geologic history in those rocks.
Worksheet
Curated OER

The Earliest Primates

For Students 7th - 12th
In this early primate worksheet, students will read information about the fossil evidence of the earliest primates. Students will complete 3 short answer questions based on their reading.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Big Burp: Where's the Proof.

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the Cambrian explosion and Paleocene extinction events. In this climate change instructional activity, students read articles to link evidence they find to extinction and climate change.  Links to the articles are...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fossils: The Eras of the Earth's History

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Young scholars research the four geologic eras of Earth's history. In this extension on a fossils lesson, students research the different eras of Earth's history. Young scholars use AppleWorks to create a bar graph containing information...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Scientific Method

For Students 4th - 5th
In this scientific method worksheet, students read and discuss a 2 page article on the scientific method, match 3 founders of the scientific method with what they found or produced, answer 4 statements as true or false, list 3 crucial...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Law of Superposition

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Learners identify the law of superposition and it states that beds of rock in a series are laid down with the oldest at the bottom and younger layers on the top. They construct a legen for a block diagram and construct a block diagram...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Stick-Slip Movement

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders operate a model to observe the type of motion that occurs at a fault during an earthquake. They explore the effects of several variables. Students measure movement, calculate averages and plot and graph information.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Fossils

For Students 7th - 9th
In this earth science worksheet, students use the clues given at the bottom of the sheet to solve the crossword puzzle on fossils. They identify specific names of fossils and how to make a mold of one.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Physiological Adaptations

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate the concepts of genetics and how it is tied to the variations found within different species and how it is tied to adaptations. They review the theory of evolution and factors found to help create variation. The...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lord of the Rings - A Study of Tree Rings

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students examine trees and discuss how the environment effected the tree. They also predict what the area look like in fifty years.
Lesson Plan
Virginia Department of Education

Weathering of Limestone

For Teachers 9th - 12th
We all know limestone weathers, but what affects the rate of weathering? Young scientists investigate the physical and chemical weathering of limestone (chalk) through experimentation. First, they conduct trials with different-size...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring Mars

For Teachers 4th - 10th
Students, working in small groups construct scale models of the planets and solar system. They examine images of Mars and discuss what might have caused the features. They record facts about their planetary research in their journals and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Do New Species Form?

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Learners read an article by Niles Eldridge about species and the environment and break into small groups to discuss it. They write essays noting strengths and weaknesses of punctuated equilibrium and gradualism, or other topics listed.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Half Life Lab

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders model radioactive decay using pennies, collect data from their model, apply scientific visualization techniques to their data and create animated models explaining the concept of radioactive half-life.