Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Comparing Cities

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students research the characteristics of cities in two different geographical areas. Using the internet, they take notes on the information they collect and record their observations on the two cities. They discover how the location...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rain Forests: A Disappearing Act?

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students examine and locate rainforests on maps, and research the patterns of their destruction. They develop a bar graph of rainfall and temperature data, write a journal entry, and research the people, animals, and plants/products of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Location of Cities 201

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Pupils work in pairs to locate the ancient cities on a world atlas using the longitude and latitude measurements. They examine the physical and human futures that explain their locations.
Lesson Plan
National Park Service

Glaciers and Water

For Teachers 4th - 8th Standards
Explore the amazing power of glaciers with a hands-on earth science experiment! After first learning basic background information, learners go on to create their very own chunks of frozen water and gravel in order to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Should Soil Be Sterile?

For Teachers 2nd - 12th
Students determine if the sterilization of topsoil is beneficial to seed germination and plant growth. They grow plants alongside control groups, make and record observations of plant growth and measure plant biomass.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Does the Earth's Energy Budget Relate to Polar Ice?

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students use satellite data to see how radiation budget relates to the ice that is present in the North.  In this energy lesson students correlate data to see a relationship. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Real Eve

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students research about human migration during a specific time period. In this physical science instructional activity, students watch a video about human evolution. They prepare a presentation on human migration and share it with the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Desert Dwellers

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars study deserts and how they occur.  In this desert lesson students research deserts and desertification then divide into groups and come up with an action plan to help rehabilitate these areas. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Affects of Environment on Native American Culture

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students research the culture of the Native Americans.  In this U.S. History lesson, students are given the major geological areas where the Indians lived prior to the arrival of the Europeans, then they create a notebook that...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cloud Reading

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students identify the biomes of the Earth and their characteristics. They discuss their favorite seasons and the weather. They share their favorites with the class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hawk in Flight

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Learners use information gathered by satellites to explore the migration of the Swainson's hawk from the western border of Minnesota to the southern portion of South America.
Lesson Plan
National Park Service

Living & Non-Living Interactions

For Teachers 2nd - 6th Standards
What better way to learn about ecosystems than by getting outside and observing them first hand? Accompanying a field trip to a local park or outdoor space, this series of collaborative activities engages children in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

THE GULF STREAM

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students explore how to describe the Gulf Stream, how Benjamin Franklin charted it, and correctly plot it on a map.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

NIGHT AND DAY: DAILY CYCLES IN SOLAR RADIATION

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine how Earth's rotation causes daily cycles in solar energy using a microset of satellite data to investigate the Earth's daily radiation budget and locating map locations using latitude and longitude coordinates.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Dust Bowl

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders develop an understanding of the Dust Bowl. In this 1930's America lesson, 11th graders respond to questions regarding the songs and literature about the era. The primary sources should be gathered by the instructor.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Population and Population Density

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students read and interpret graphs. For this population lesson, students explore population and population density as they read several data graphs and respond to questions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sea Scape

For Teachers K - 4th
Students learn about and make models of coral reefs. In this reef ecosystem lesson, the class locates a number of coral reefs on a map. They learn how a coral reef is a balanced ecosystem that depends upon all of it's plant and animal...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Materials: Hidden Costs, Mapping the Source and Cost of Raw Materials.

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students map connections among raw materials. In this environmental stewardship lesson, students design strategies to minimize the use of raw materials and discuss how to use more sustainable materials.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cartographer on Assignment: Creating a Physical Map of Africa

For Teachers 2nd - 12th
Learners use geographic information to make an outline map of Africa, then demonstrate their understanding of the physical landscape of Africa by using a variety of materials to create a physical map of Africa
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sandscapes to Landscapes

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore landscapes and create their own in a creative project.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Location, Location, Location: Civilization's Ultimate Advantage

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars discover how geographical advantages, locational and regional, ultimately led to western Eurasian societies' disproportionate accounting of world power and innovation. They utilize a workbook which can be downloaded within...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

To Dam or Not to Dam

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Young ecologists explore the Aswan Dam in Egypt via the internet. Each collaborative group is assigned a specific article about the ecological impact of the dam. Then they prepare a presentation to share with the rest of the class. Some...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fantasy / Art Maps

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders analyze a fantasy art map by Jeremy Anderson, paying careful attention to the way the topographic features of the land are represented. They create a similar map of Sacramento that includes topographical features as well as...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Regional Landforms and Native People

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders study the Native American tribes of Maidu and Miwok by studying Internet artifacts, culture, language, music, storytelling, architecture, food, clothing, crafts and geology.