High schoolers describe the changes that have affected the Missouri River over the past 200 years by identifying transformations in this area's atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere. They research online in groups assigned...

Focusing on the quality of our water sources, these slides are full of information about the aspects of our soil and groundwater that may affect pollution.  The leaching of pollutants and their impact on health is explained. ...

Students explore changes in the Missouri River. In this Missouri River lesson, students discover that changes in the atmosphere cause changes in the river. Students search the Internet for information about the Missouri River and its...

Learners read about Alaska's physical systems and determine how Alaska's physical makeup has impacted its history. They create timelines of their particular physical system.

Pupils identify that most of mountain ranges found on all major land masses and in the oceans are external reflections of tectonic movements within the earth. They identify that earthquakes and related phenomena are caused by the...

The best part about teaching guides is all the great information you can use to inform your class. They infer what type of boundary exists between two tectonic plates. Then, using given information on earthquakes and volcanism they'll...

Learners take a virtual field trip around California using Google Earth. In this geology field trip lesson, students explore landforms and a variety of rocks located in California.  Learners compare environments where rocks are...

Young scholars examine and describe the four physical systems of the Earth. Using two of the systems, they practice their writing skills and use vocabulary associated with the different types of landforms. They predict the types of...

Students use raw data to make a climatograph; they explain the process of orographic precipitation and the concept of a rain shadow.

Have your class supplement their knowledge on the Himalaya mountain range. In a brief handout, they read about the land masses that collided to form the Himalayas and other mountain ranges. It  also touches briefly on the Earth's...

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...

Though the format of this ELL lesson is confusing (the standards listed are for plate tectonics, yet the objectives are for American geography and holidays), a teacher could glean some ideas from the main idea. Here, pupils complete a...

Students explore the distribution of two ecosystems on a global scale; and map the distribution of tropical and temperate rain forests throughout the world. They use a Venn Diagram to describe these ecosystems and the differences between...

High schoolers are able to discuss the theory of climate change. They identify examples of how climate change impacts the earth's geo-spheres. Students are able to use the example of climate change to describe the interdependence of...

Sixth graders view an animated program showing how the continents fit together millions of years ago. In groups, they compare and contrast the distribution of rocks and fossils based on how the continents fit together. After reading a...

Students gain an understanding of earthquakes. They examine vocabulary associated with earthquakes, how earthquakes happen, and preventive measures taken to diminish damage or harm in the event that an earthquake should happen.

Students use cardboard models of the North American and Pacific plates and sand to investigate what happens when there is an earthquake or movement along the boundaries of the plates.

Students explore the definitions relevant to Karst topography. They develop a Bryant Watershed Dictionary of the special words and terms that are used to talk about the topography and hydrology of the area they live in.

Learn about the lithosphere, the different types, continental drift, and the major plates.

A slideshow and a short multiple-choice quiz on the rock surface of the Earth, its water, and the gas layers that surround it.

At this site from the NASA Classroom of the Future, you can learn about the many different layers of the earth and see what the earth would look like cut in half.

The Earth has been in a state of continual change since its formation. The major part of this change, involving volcanism and tectonics, has been driven by heat produced from the decay of radioactive elements within the Earth. The other...

Everything in Earth's system can be placed into one of four major subsystems: land, water, living things, or air. These four subsystems are called "spheres." Specifically, they are the "lithosphere" (land), "hydrosphere" (water),...

Understand Earth's biosphere which contains the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere.