Virginia Department of Education
Mineral Identification
What's the difference between a rock and a mineral? And what properties are used to identify minerals? The first installment of a five-part series on earth materials and processes prompts young scientists to identify a set of...
Serendip
Evolution of Fur Color in Mice – Mutation, Environment and Natural Selection
Most species of animals include a variety of fur or hair color, but why? Scholars watch a video about a changing environment for mice. As the rocks around them change hues, different colors of mice begin to thrive. Discussion questions...
Teach Engineering
Strong-Arm Tactics
Experience collecting rock samples using a robotic arm with an activity that has pairs work together to operate a robotic arm. One pupil serves as the eyes and the other operates the controller. The objective is to be the fastest pair to...
Indian Land Tenure Foundation
A Sense of Belonging
In order to understand how the land changes over time because of the people who live there, learners interview an elderly person about the past. Children ask an older family member to describe what the local area was like when they were...
August House
The Ogre Bully
English language arts, math, science, dramatic arts, and cooking; this instructional activity has it all! In this multidisciplinary resource, your scholars will take part in a read aloud of The Ogre Bully by A.B. Hoffmire and have a...
Cyberwise
Good Digital Citizenship Outdoors
It's easy to miss the beauty of nature when one's focus is on technology. Don't make that mistake with help from a two-page reference sheet that provides eight tips for staying present when exploring the world around you.
Park City Historical Society & Museum
Mining and Milling: The Story of Park City
Study the chemistry of mining! Through nine lessons in the unit, learners explore different concepts related to mining. Their study ranges from rock and mineral analysis to the environmental impact of dynamite and the chemical reaction...
Boston University
South African Short Stories: Apartheid, Civil Rights, and You
How are short stories from South Africa connected to issues of civil rights in the United States? A unit plan uses South African short stories to discuss issues such as apartheid, colonization, and civil rights. Questions and activities...
Curated OER
Listen Up: Antigone Rising
Upper graders listen to and watch a documentary about an all female group Antigone Rising. They discuss how females are portrayed in the rock world, the type of music they play, their song lyrics, and what they note in the documentary....
Carnegie Mellon University
Understanding Electricity Mix Tradeoffs
Use the accompanying presentation and colorful technology sheets to introduce your class to the 10 different energy technologies. Connect kids to an interactive computer tool that allows them to combine different types of power...
Curated OER
3rd Rock from the Sun's Baby Rock
Seventh graders have a chance to actively see each phase of the moon and make connections to what they see in the sky when you show how the moon goes through each of the phases.
Curated OER
Building Materials
Fifth graders are presented with three rocks and a variety of tools and are asked to investigate the properties of the rocks to see which rock is best for building tables and benches for a museum picnic area.
Curated OER
Classification Introduction
Young scholars simulate classifying rocks using different colored skittles. For this earth science lesson, students create a Venn diagram according to their compiled information. They share this diagram in the class.
Curated OER
What's down there?
students analyze how oil is formed and where in the Earth we find it. Students take a core sample to look for oil in a model of the Earth. They analyze their sample and make an informed decision as to whether or not they should "drill...
Curated OER
Geologic Mapping I
Students create a geologic map and cross-section of an area of horizontal sedimentary rocks, exposed in several locations. Map must include a complete key or legend with rock descriptions of the various formations.
Curated OER
Bedrock Learning
Young scholars test and identify soil and rock samples. In this rock and soil lesson, students video themselves gathering samples. Young scholars test the samples and create graphs showing the results.
Curated OER
Schoolyard Geology
Students learn that a rock's properties tell stories about where it came from and where it has been. The lesson illustrates how to make geologic observations and gives background about the important properties of rocks to observe....
Curated OER
Good Readers Visualize
Students explore reading. In this visualization lesson, students practice, creating images in their minds while listening to the story The Vegetables Go To Bed, by Christopher King. They listen to the story and then draw what they...
Science 4 Inquiry
Carbon and Climate
The carbon cycle is natural and has happened for millions of years, so can humans change it? Young scientists play the role of carbon as they travel through the carbon cycle. They complete two rounds, once before the industrial...
Curated OER
Rock and Poetry: A Thematic Project
Students explore poetry. In this literature activity, students examine music and lyrics by Natalie Merchant in order to make the transition to analyzing poetry by Keats and Wordsworth.
Captain Planet Foundation
Sorting Out Soils
Sift through soil and learn about why it's important for organic processes. After discussing what makes up soil, such as the living organisms and what types of soil have more nutrients, kids sample layers of mulch and deeper soil to...
August House
The Clever Monkey Rides Again
How very clever. No need to monkey around with this resource. Rob Cleveland's version of the West African tale, "The Clever Monkey Rides Again," is used as the basis for multiple of cross-curricular activities including exercises...
Curated OER
Out of this World: Inquiry-Based Teaching
Connect classroom learning with real-life experiences by using photographs and data taken by the Mars Pathfinder.
Mathematics Vision Project
Module 6: Congruence, Construction, and Proof
Trace the links between a variety of math concepts in this far-reaching unit. Ideas that seem very different on the outset (like the distance formula and rigid transformations) come together in very natural and logical ways. This unit...