Students define vocabulary words associated with lithospheric plate motions. They create and write down a motion to act out each vocabulary word, and participate in a game of demonstrating the actions associated with each word.

Students examine the Earth's crust or lithosphere, mantle and core. They complete research using assigned web sites before designing a model of the Earth using items such as Play-Doh, peaches and apples.

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...

Young scholars 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...

Students study hurricanes and research the damage done by hurricane Katrina.  For this environment investigative lesson students divide into groups and complete a given assignment. 

Yum! Using graham crackers, dried fruit sheets, and frosting, tectonics technicians demonstrate the different types of plate boundaries. If you want to encourage youngsters with an activity that is both educational and edible, then this...

Questions that can be used in a activity on Earth's radiation balance are suggested in this resource. It is not a lesson plan, per se, but it is a list of questions for stations within a "Gallery Walk" activity. The link to how Gallery...

After learning about P waves and S waves, fifth graders view the intensity of earthquakes by examining seismographs and images of earthquake damage. Young scientists then forecasting future quakes by analyzing data about...

Humans can have a big impact on the environment, specifically the influence they have on the carbon cycle. First, the class will define and discuss each of the earths four major spheres, the biosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and...

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...

Eighth graders study the earth's surface.  In this planet structure lesson students view a PowerPoint presentation then draw and label the earths layers. 

Students discover that volcanic eruptions are geologic events that take place within the upper part and on the surface of the Earth's lithosphere. They explain how volcanoes are related to the Earth's lithosphere. They focus on the May...

We can't dig a hole through the Earth, so how do we know about the layers beneath our feet? Scholars learn about layering through hands-on exploration of common materials. They study the characteristics of each layer and apply their...

Demonstrate the movement of lithospheric plates due to convection in Earth's mantle. Learners then model the movements that occur along plate boundaries using colored clay. 

Students locate some of the 1,500 active volcanoes on a world map. Then by comparing their maps with a map of the world's tectonic plates, they discover that volcanoes occur because of the dynamic nature of the Earth's lithosphere.

Students describe the positive impacts of volcanic activity on marine ecosystems. In this volcano lesson students explore the process that causes volcanic activity along the Mariana and Kermadec Island Arcs.

A remotely operated vehicle approaching a volcano was engulfed by molten sulfur where the plumes of fluids contained the highest concentrations of aluminum ever recorded. This isn't science fiction or an April fools joke, though it did...

Ecosystem, human body system, weather system. We hear the word system a lot, but what does it really mean? In the activity, pairs or groups of learners discuss how a bicycle is a system and then analyze objects in their classroom and...

Young geologists get a glimpse beneath the earth's surface in this plate tectonics investigation. After first learning about the different layers of the earth and the constant movement of its plates, young...

Water is essential for life—and understanding the importance of clean drinking water is essential in understanding sustainability! Show your environmental science class the basics of water testing and treatment through a week-long...

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.

Ninth graders differentiate between energy waves transmitted from a quarry or mine as opposed to energy waves transmitted by an earthquake. They analyze seismograms of blast events from at least two quarries or mines. The energy waves...

Eighth graders are able to evaluate the forces that shape the lithosphere. They explore background information on hurricanes by completing a webquest and answering questions. Students present their reports to the class. The class...

Young scholars develop a sense of geologic ("deep") time and the ways in which Earth scientists construct the geologic time scale. They study he major events that shaped Earth, including the origin and evolution of its lithosphere,...