Curated OER
Ping!
Seventh graders study side-scan sonar and discover how it can be used to locate objects underwater. They complete a sonar simulation activity in which they create and map mystery landscapes inside shoeboxes.
Curated OER
The Atmosphere Then and Now
Students recall details about the formation of the earth and early atmosphere. They name the layers of the atmosphere and compare amounts of atmospheric nitrogen, oxygen, and argon. Formulate questions about global warming.
Curated OER
The 50 States and its Holidays
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...
Curated OER
Map Making
Students use a tennis ball and paper to construct a student-made globe. They sketch in continents and major map features and then compare a flat map to a globe.
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The Grand Canyon
Fourth graders study the Grand Canyon. They research the Grand Canyon and locate the Colorado River on the map of Arizona. They discuss erosion and read how sedimentary rock was formed. They view photographs of the Grand Canyon and...
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Science: Hurricanes As Heat Engines
Learners conduct Internet research to track the path of Hurricane Rita. They record the sea surface temperature of the Gulf of Mexico during and after the hurricane and draw conclusions about how hurricanes extract heat energy from the...
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Coral Bleaching in the Caribbean
Students use authentic satellite data on the NASA website to determine when the sea surface temperature meets the criteria to induce coral bleaching.
Geography for Geographers
Five Themes of Iceland
How do the five themes of geography relate to the country of Iceland? Pupils learn about everything from the differences between relative and absolute location to how humans both adapt and change the environment. The presentation...
NOAA
Currents
Learn how ocean currents are vital to humans and marine life. The eighth installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program, focuses on ocean currents and how they affect global climate. The...
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics: First Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
A set of first grade geology lessons focuses on plate tectonics and movement of plate boundaries. During the pre-lab, learners experience three types of plate movement through a kinesthetic demonstration. The lab...
Forest Foundation
Forest Watersheds
Where does the water we use come from? To understand the concept of a watershed, class members study the water cycle and then engage in an activity that simulates a watershed.
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Earthquake Depth
Students research and locate earthquake epicenters on a map using latitude and longitude. They determine if the depth of an earthquake has any relationship to the distance from a plate boundary.
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And the Rains Came Down: A South American Rainforest
Learners examine the characteristics of a South American tropical rainforest. They analyze maps, develop graphs, listen to the book, The Great Kapok Tree, and create a rainforest mural.
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Hurricanes and Climate
Students investigate maps and data to learn about the connections between hurricanes and climate. In this exploratory activity students describe and graph the 6 regions where hurricanes happen and discuss how hurricanes have changed over...
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Reindeer Herders
Students examine the life of of nomadic herders in Siberia. They read and discuss an article and maps from National Geographic, identify threats to this way of life, and write a letter to the Russian government identifying ways to...
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Idaho Earthquakes
High schoolers examine the types of earthquakes that occur in Idaho. In groups, they compare and contrast the types of energy released and how they affect the movement of the Earth. To end the lesson, they analyze a map showing the...
Curated OER
PLATE MOVEMENTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Young scholars label three geological maps with continents provided to analyze the relationships between the movement of tectonic plates and the changes in the climate. In small groups, they discuss their findings and form hypotheses...
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Maize to Maquiladoras: Movement from Mexico to Arizona
Students label maps of Arizona and Mexico of the products that moved from one place to another. In this Arizona and Mexico lesson plan, students also summarize the effects of the movement on life in Arizona.
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Weather Predictions
Students record weather data and create a five day forecast. Students investigate the roles of meteorologists and identify symbols used on a weather map. After gathering weather data for a week, students will create a five day forecast...
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Time Zones
Third graders have a greater understanding of time zones, explain the basic history and purpose in the creation of time zones, and use time zone maps to calculate the time/day in a certain area.
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Louisiana Purchase
Learners use maps to locate and describe the area purchased by the Louisiana Purchase. In groups, they write a letter to Thomas Jefferson in which they evaluate the topography, climate and geography of the land. They determine the land's...
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Population Change in Vermont, 1990-2000
Students improve their mapping skills and knowledge about population distribution and change in Vermont at the county level. They are divided into groups of two or four. Each group is given two county base maps and the population...
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Wet Water, Dry Land
Pupils observe and examine relationship between landforms and bodies of water, recognizing differences between them. Students then define island, peninsula, isthmus, archipelago, lake, bay, straight, system of lakes, and identify land...
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Wetlands: Pave or Save?
Young scholars discuss the characteristics of wetlands and how to make them more productive. Using a map, they locate the major wetlands in the United States and color them using a key. They read an article and in groups answer...