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Weathering and Erosion Splashdown
Fourth graders investigate how plants and their roots help slow the erosion process.
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Change Agents
Third graders experiment with three erosive change agents. They do an observation log, which they present to the class through a song, poem or skit.
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Environment: Erosion Boxes
Fourth graders discover how the processes of erosion and weathering alter the physical characteristics of the environment. In a student log,they record the various types of erosion and list ways to prevent it. Using clear, plastic...
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Landforms in a Tub
Fifth graders use common household items to build landforms and simulate weathering and erosion.
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Geological Features: How Weathering & Erosion Help Create Landforms
Students explore how the Earth's surface changes resulting in geological features and landforms. They perform a read-a-loud on Thomas
Locker's Mountain Dance, complete a KWL chart, and create a
landform using plaster of paris.
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Early Explorers
Fifth graders study early explorers. In this World history lesson, 5th graders draw an outline of a map labeling each part, build geographical features out of dough, and paint each of the land and water features.
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Cracked Marbles
Fourth graders determine how weathering, specifically ice, snow, and freezing water change the Earth's surface and rocks. After completing the investigations, they explain how heating and cooling expand and contract marbles until cracks...
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Glaciers and Ice Wedging
Fourth graders observe buckling sidewalks and potholes before attempting to determine how these things are caused. They freeze water filled plastic cups that have been covered. As the water freezes, the students observe what happens to...
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Constructive and Destructive forces
Young scholars explore constructive and destructive forces. In this constructive and destructive forces instructional activity, students complete a WebQuest. Young scholars explore the different types of forces and their effect on the...
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Biomes: Extreme Climate
Students create a web connecting global warming, the Arctic, and wold climate. They write a paragraph explaining the role of the Arctic in world climate.
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Space Science: A Scoop of Moon Dirt
Students discover soil characteristics and how it is formed on Earth and the Moon by examining local samples to a lunar simulant. They replicate the effects of wind erosion by scraping dry bread with sandpaper. Students use rocks and...
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Franklin Mountains
Middle schoolers review the steps of the rock cycle. In groups, they identify the natural forces that cause weathering and erosion. They describe how sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks might be formed in nature to end the lesson.
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Bhutan, the Last Shangri-La: Sandwich Squash: How the Himalayas Were Formed
Middle schoolers create and record a model of mountain formation. They identify major mountain building formations. Students understand how the Himalaya Mountains were formed, why they are located near Bhutan, and why they are becoming...
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Rock Cycle
Fourth graders participate in a Rock Cycle game to gain an understanding of the cycles that form metamorphic, sedimentary and igneous rocks.
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Seed to Soup Organic Garden
Have your young biologists visit decomposition stations as they explore the process of organic material. This activity involves some set-up as kids will be visiting 13 desks to collect colored paper each representing a different element...
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TRB 5:2 - Activity 3: Earthquakes
Learners watch a classroom demonstration, and experiment to discover the five ways that Earth's crust shifts along a fault.
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FOLLOW THAT WATER
Young scholars build simple stream tables and vary the angle of the stream tables in order to simulate different flow rates and compare the results. They observe various features formed in a stream table by flowing water and compare...
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The Effects of Volcanoes
Students use the internet to research the effects of volcanoes. They create a chart showing the negative and positive aspects that a volcanoe can bring to an area. Using PowerPoint, they create a presentation showing the negative and...
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Extreme Climate
Middle schoolers discuss global warming, greenhouse effect, permafrost and other key words. In this climate lesson students create a web that connects global warming, the Arctic and world climate then write a paragraph explaining the...
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Natural Inquirer
Students interview wildlife experts to gain information needed to research and write a report about an aquatic plant or animal affected by climate change.