Curated OER
Biomes: Extreme Climate
Learners create a web connecting global warming, the Arctic, and wold climate. They write a paragraph explaining the role of the Arctic in world climate.
Curated OER
Ecology
Students identify and describe three states of water. They predict how water will change states.
Curated OER
The Wind & Sun: Powerful Alternatives
Students examine the power that is possible from the sun through an interactive program. They also analyze how energy turns into different forms in different parts of the human body. They finally explore how wind is created and how wind...
Curated OER
Real Ice Ages Longer Than Movie Ice Ages
If your class's knowledge of the Ice Age is limited to animated movies, use this lesson plan to strengthen their knowledge. After sharing what they know about the Ice Age, young readers explore a news article seeking to dispel...
National Wildlife Federation
Quantifying Land Changes Over Time Using Landsat
"Humans have become a geologic agent comparable to erosion and [volcanic] eruptions ..." Paul J. Crutzen, a Nobel Prize-winning atmospheric chemist. Using Landsat imagery, scholars create a grid showing land use type, such as urban,...
Global Oneness Project
Witnessing Icebergs
Camille Seaman's photoessay, "Witnessing Icebergs" documents just a tip of the problem of climate change through images of icebergs in both the Arctic and Antarctic polar regions. After viewing the haunting images, viewers respond...
Curated OER
Observing Sea Ice
Students study and observe types of sea ice found in Alaska. In this sea ice lesson, students use the student network for observing weather to study the different types of sea ice. Students study sea ice depicted in Alaskan art.
Curated OER
March of the Polar Bears: Global Change, Sea Ice, and Wildlife Migration
Students study global change and how these changes impact wildlife. In this polar bears lesson students analyze maps and data to understand climate change.
Curated OER
Mapping Ancient Coastlines
Most of this lesson plan is spent working on the "Bathymetry Worksheet." It includes a graph of the changes in sea level over the past 150,000 years and a bathymetric map of changes in an imaginary coastline over time. Participants...
Curated OER
Earth and Space Science: Let it Flow
Students engage in a activity in which volcanoes be explored and examined. After watching a video, students create volcanoes out of clay.
Curated OER
Geography: examining the Glacial Features of Cape Cod
Students examine satellite images of the glacial features of Cape Cod. They analyze where human activity is located in terms of those features. Students make models of the features, including kettle holes. They also use contour maps...
Curated OER
River System
Fifth graders explore the parts of a river system and understand the importance of each part. In this river system lesson, 5th graders diagram a river system and write a paragraph explaining its parts.
Curated OER
Go Glacier Go!
Learners create a model of a glacier and observe how it moves. In this landforms lesson, students learn what a glacier is, build a model glacier and observe how it moves in a manner that more closely resembles a liquid than a solid.
Curated OER
Volcanoes and Urban Planning
Learners analyze satellite image data of Volcan Villarica. In this earth science lesson, students identify dangerous areas surrounding the volcano. They propose a new safe location for the town.
Curated OER
Could a World of Swimmers Raise Sea Level?
Students determine the volume of water they displace. In this earth science lesson, students calculate the total water displaced by the world's population. They evaluate whether or not this value is enough to raise the sea level...
Curated OER
Modeling Plate Tectonics
Students investigate the four different ways tectonic plates interact at their boundaries. Using simple available materials, they create models to simulate these interactions present at plate boundaries.
Curated OER
Plop! Plop! Fizz! Fizz!
Fourth graders study physical and chemical weathering. They explain how the processes of weathering and erosion change and move materials that become soil. They create a K-W-L chart to show what they know and list what else they would...
Curated OER
Exploring Marine Ecosystems in the Caribbean and Maine
Students compare the marine habitats of Maine and the Caribbean using temperature, tides, ocean currents, latitude and longitude. In this marine ecosystems lesson, students analyze maps to complete graphic organizers that evaluate the...
Curated OER
The Ice Age
Students study the ice age and the causes of it. In this Ice Age lesson students examine why those animals became extinct and complete activity sheets.
National Earth Science Teachers Association
Windows to the Universe: Changing Planet: Melting Glaciers
Students sort photographs of glaciers and measure glacial retreat to observe how alpine glaciers have retreated over the past century. Includes a printable worksheet, links to relevant materials, and extension activities.
Discovery Education
Discovery Education: Glaciers and Icebergs
A lesson plan for simulating glacial scraping with extensions that investigate iceberg towing and iceberg melting.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Mn Step: Sinking Water: Glaciers, Ocean Currents and Weather Patterns
A lesson where students learn how warm water is less dense than cold water, and what this means for global climate change as ice from the polar regions melts. Students will do experiments in buoyancy and water density when hot or cold,...
PBS
Nova: Extreme Ice
Students study how scientists monitor changes in Earth's glaciers, ice caps, and ice sheets. They investigate about glacier locations, glacial movement, and impacts of climate change on glaciers depending on the depth of research.
Climate Literacy
Clean: Sea Level Rise
Students will learn the difference between sea ice and glaciers in relation to sea level rise using topographic maps.