Mid-ocean ridges, rift valleys, island arcs, mountain ranges, earthquakes, volcanoes ... there are so many features associated with plate tectonics. The 14th installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography...

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.

Students investigate the earth's structural layers by participating in hands-on activities. They identify the earth's structure and investigate earthquakes.

Every living creature can leave a fossil record, yet most fossils belong to extinct organisms rather than ones currently living. Scholars learn about dating rock layers, fossils, and the environment of the past. Pupils understand that...

Air, air, everywhere, but what's in it, and what makes Earth's air so unique and special? Journey through the layers above us to uncover our atmosphere's composition and how it works to make life possible below. Pupils conduct...

Fifth graders continue their investigation of the plate tectonics cycle with an exploration of the movement of Earth's crust. During the lab, young geologists conduct an experiment to discover the result of different types of...

Students study the makeup of the earth, including the core, the mantle and the crust. They compare the temperatures and thicknesses of each layer. In pairs, they make a model of a cross-section of the earth out of modeling clay.

Students investigate how changes occur on the surface of the earth through erosion and glaciation. They observe what happens to salt and iron after they interact with water and vinegar, and analyze what occurs when water is sprinkled on...

In these earth science worksheets student complete this project to model activity in the mantle, one Earth's four layers. The project includes liquid and powder materials in addition to several measuring components. Students must then...

Modeling dough and paper cutouts in science class? Learn about how relative age dating concepts, like the Law of Superposition and cross-cutting relationships, can be used to describe the formation of sedimentary layers.

Students construct a fault model using the Fault Model Sheet imbedded in this plan. They create a 3 dimensional model of the Earth, and use dashed lines to illustrate where the fault lies. A discussion of faults follows the completion of...

The tectonic processes that have resulted in the formation of the Marianas Arc, and the Marianas Trench are explored. Groups of pupils access websites that give them a wealth of information about these formations. Each group must prepare...

How can nanoparticles be used in the battle against skin cancer. Class members take on the question as they gather information about electromagnetic radiation, specifically ultraviolet radiation. Pupils learn about the mathematical...

Examine earthquake intensities and ways to measure an earthquake through the comparison of the Mercalli and Richter scales. After completing the pre-lab worksheet, fourth graders compare high and low intensity quakes by testing...

Fourth graders graph the percentages of the materials that make up the Earth and complete computations based on their results.  In this topsoil lesson, 4th graders diagram the different layers of Earth's composition.

Individuals create a GIS data layer in Google Earth that displays information about where one might find seven different cryptids. The class members research to find data on cryptid sightings they can include in their data...

Sixth graders examine the layers of the Earth and the changes that take place on a daily basis. They look at the layers of a boiled egg to relate them to the layers of the Earth.

Young scholars create a scale model of the different eras, periods, and epochs of Earth's 4.6 billion year history. In addition to different time periods, other major events will also be added to the model from fabricated radioactive...

Students investigate the composition of the interior of the Earth through a teacher lead instructional activity. They study the theory of plate tectonics before creating a model of the earth's interior. They use a hard boiled egg to...

Students are introduced to the various layers of the Earth. Using fruit, they discover each layer and discover the use of similies in describing it. They watch a video to better describe each layer of the Earth and its purpose.

Students study plate tectonics.  In this plate tectonics lesson students build a cutaway scale model of the Earth. 

Amazing high-quality satellite imagery, photos, informational graphs, and detailed diagrams comprise this presentation on the movement of estuaries and the continental shelf. Data used as an example is from The Chesapeake Bay and because...

When middle school earth science classes are covering volcanoes, they can cut out and construct a miniature model of a stratovolcano and its surrounding town. From the town side, the external features of the volcano appear. On the...

Third graders relate that the quality of their drinking water is subject to the condition of the environment and water found in streams and creeks in their community. They track the travel of a wad of paper from a student's desk to a...