NOAA
How Do We Know?: Make Additional Weather Sensors; Set Up a Home Weather Station
Viewers learn about three different weather measurement tools in installment five of the 10-part Discover Your Changing World series. They build weather vanes to collect data on wind speed, barometers to determine air pressure, and...
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Plate Tectonics: Kindergarten Lesson Plans and Activities
This unit focuses primarily on plate tectonics and plate boundaries surrounding continents. It contains pre- and post-lab sections that walk young geologists through plate movements in order to visualize what's going on inside Earth.
K12 Reader
The Grand Canyon
After reading s short description of the Grand Canyon, readers demonstrate their ability to use context to determine the meaning of words in the passage.
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Hazards: Fourth Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
Learn about damage associated with earthquakes and materials that best withstand a quake. A lab engages class members in the experimental design and construction of sturdy structures that can endure various earthquake...
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Soil Porosity, Moisture Content, pH, and Density
This lab activity does not have to be done with AP environmental scientists. It can also be done with middle to high school earth scientists. The procedures aren't complex. Learners determine the density of dry and wet sand in order to...
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Molecular Origami
Young scholars construct an origami models of different molecules. For this chemistry lesson, students explain what expansive soils are made up of. They discuss what happens when this expansive soil expands or shrinks.
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How Volcanoes Grow
Pupils study volcanoes including rock fragments, ash, aerosols and gases. For this volcano lesson students divide into groups and build models of the three major types of volcanoes.
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Baseball Challenge - Basic Geography Skills
A fabulous presentation/activity based on geography. The author has designed a "baseball game" where batters advance to the next base if they correctly answer a multiple choice question about geography. Geographic terms are used, along...
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Changing Ways
Third graders examine hard boiled eggs as possible models for the earth's layers.
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Deep Thoughts
Students examine what lies within the Earth. They research and create scale models illustrating the layers of the Earth and write skits advocating a travel plan to send a probe into the Earth's mantle.
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Introduction to Coral Reefs
Students identify locations of coral reefs, both in the water and around the globe, identify relative depth of corals in the ocean by observing behavior of cold and warm saltwater, and create models of coral reefs.
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Edible Rock Activity
Who knew Snickers® could be used to teach science? Give your budding earth scientists a chance to explore the Law of Superposition, in addition to a well-earned snack.
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Pangaea Puzzle
Learners explore plate tectonics and the formations of the Earth's surface and why maps are distorted. In this Earth's surface lesson students complete a lab and answer questions.
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Digging Into the Past
Fifth graders study fossils and how they are charted. In this fossil lesson plan, 5th graders research the excavation process of discovering fossils, and view fossils. They then do a hands on activity that involves plastic fossils that...
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Going in Cycles: The Life of an Aluminum Can
Students explore the life cycle of aluminum cans. In this recycling instructional activity, students review the manufacturing process and how to make a closed loop cycle. Students also have the opportunity to present what they've...
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Going in Cycles: The Life of an Aluminum Can
Students investigate the manufacture of aluminum cans and consider the energy and resources saved when the cans are made from recycled material. They explore the concept of closed-loop recycling using charts, worksheets and discussion.
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What Goes Around Comes Around!
Students create an ecosystem in a jar to show a model of the water, carbon, and nitrogen cycle. Working in small groups, they research and present orally the information they find on this cycle.
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Cosmic Wheels
Students build a scale model of the Solar System and determine the time other planets take to travel around the Sun in comparison to the time of the Earth's revolution. The velocity of the planets are also determined in this lesson.
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Candy Quakes
Eighth graders use candy to show the effects of deformation forces on the earth's crust. In this rock and fossil formation activity students construct models and simulations to describe and explain natural phenomena.
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Three-dimensional cooperative modeling
Young scholars explore what is present below the surface in order to drill into the ground and record the type of material that the drill brings to the surface. They discuss the benefits and drawbacks of distance communications. ...
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Processes of the Rock Cycle
Students explore, predict, and create each major rock form (sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous) with colored modeling clay, discover cycle of rock formation, and examine important relationships of heat and pressure in rock development.
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Groundwater as Part of the Water Cycle
Ninth graders study the effects of soil and rocks on filtering groundwater. In this groundwater lesson students complete a lab activity that includes sources of contamination.
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The Science of Glaciers
Students identify the contents of a glacier like those found in Patagonia. They construct a mini glacier model in class. Students compare and contrast the classroom model with Patagonian glaciers. They label specific parts of the...
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Layers of Time in the Earth
Students are introduced to the concept of stratification as a historical and geological process. Students will read about the Richard Beene archaeological site, which lies near San Antonio, Texas on the Medina River, and watch a short...