Curated OER
Why Do We Have Seasons?
First graders watch a video about the seasons. They role play with the teacher the sun and earth. The student's heads are the earth, their foreheads are the Northern Hemisphere. The teacher shines a flashlight on them to simulate the sun...
Polar Trec
Polar Detectives: Using Ice Core Data to Decode Past Climate Mysteries
How does examining an ice core tell us about weather? Learners set up and explore fake ice cores made of sugar, salt, and ash to represent historical snowfall and volcanic eruptions. From their setups, scholars determine what caused the...
Curated OER
Does Santa Claus use the Coriolis Force to Travel East?
Students are given a visual demonstration of the Coriolis Force in the Northern Hemisphere. They are encouraged to find locations around the globe and try to predict what the weather circulation patterns might be like.
NOAA
Graphing Temperatures
Battle of the hemispheres? In the fourth installment of a five-part series, young oceanographers use the NOAA website to collect temperature data from drifters (buoys), one in the Northern Hemisphere and one in the Southern Hemisphere....
Curated OER
Constellations
Students explore constellations. They read trade books about constellations and write notes including their locations, origins, and names. They research and report on one constellation in the Northern Hemisphere and share their report...
Curated OER
Reason for the Seasons
Students study the seasons of the Earth. In this seasons lesson, students study the science of the seasons on Earth by studying the tilt and axis of the Earth's orbit. Students read background information and four experimental activities...
Curated OER
Surfin' Santa Card
Students explore December climates in Southern and Northern Hemispheres, including areas close to the equator. In this surfin' Santa card lesson, students research how Christmas is celebrated in warm climates and create greeting cards to...
Curated OER
Transatlantic Travel
Students design an interactive map with modes of transportation that actually move across the ocean. They construct transatlantic maps of the northern hemisphere and imagine what it would be like to operate various modes of...
Curated OER
Twisting the Air Away - The Coriolis Effect
Pupils examine the Coriolis Effect and its effects on the different hemispheres. In this Earth science lesson students divide into groups to they make predictions. Pupils then complete an activity to explore movement as it relates to...
Institute for Geophysics
Understanding Maps of Earth
Here is your go-to student resource on primary geography concepts, including facts about the surface of the earth and its hemispheres, latitude and longitude, globes, types of maps, and identifying continents and oceans.
Curated OER
Learning About the Globe
Students examine the following terms to increase their geography skills: globe, equator, prime median, Western Hemisphere, Eastern Hemisphere, Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and The United States.
Curated OER
Weather, Sea Level Rise and Climate Change
Students differentiate weather and climate. In this earth science lesson plan, students compare weather and climate in different regions of the world. They interpret weather graphs and compare isotherm lines of northern and southern...
Curated OER
The Coriolis Effect
Learners will determine the direction of Earth's rotation as viewed from the north and south if they were suspended out in space. They will model how the rotation of the Earth causes currents to be deflected in different directions for...
Curated OER
Aurora Borealis
Students read background information about the Aurora Borealis and complete a science experiment based on the lights. In this Aurora Borealis lesson, students read information about the formation and background of the Aurora Borealis....
Curated OER
Weather / Seasons
Third graders hear and use the terms: el verano, la primavera, el invierno y el oto¿¿o. They review particular months in Spanish. Students explore the difference in connections between months and seasons in northern and southern...
Curated OER
Rolling Around the Continents
Students practice throwing skills by rolling a ball at a target, and practice the location of the seven continents, the equator, and the northern and southern hemispheres.
Curated OER
Birds on the Move
Students observe the migrational path of the Swainson's Hawk from northern Minnesota to the southern portion of South America. They study the migratory path of the hawk and observe how the vegetation in a particular region of the earth...
Curated OER
Earth's Tilt Creates Seasons
Learners examine how the Earth's tilt creates the seasons. In this seasons lesson, students study a diagram that shows the rotation of the earth around the sun and how it tilts during the rotation. They answer 4 discussion questions and...
Alabama Learning Exchange
The Sun and the Earth
Third graders study and diagram the positions of the Earth and sun during the four seasons. They predict weather for cities in the northern and southern hemispheres.
Curated OER
"Yarning" About Latitude and Longitude
Students identify various locations using latitude and longitude. In this map skills lesson, students use yarn and labels to create a "human globe." Students identify the Prime Meridian, the Equator, and Northern and Southern Hemisphere.
Curated OER
Is it Really Winter in Australia? It is June!
The purpose of this activity is to determine how the location of a place on the Earth (hemisphere) determines what season that place is experiencing relative to the Sun's rays. Day one the pupils will be introduced to the terms equator,...
Curated OER
Learning Lesson: How it is Currently Done
Students create their own ocean currents by using everyday items. They examine the constant pushing of molecules that makes us feel wind. They discuss how the water moves in the Southern Hemisphere.
University of Arizona
The Exotic Vacation
Students explain the concepts and vocabulary of Earth's rotation. They plan imaginary vacations based on the seasons in different locations. This is a very creative lesson plan, which students enjoy.
Curated OER
Chart the Weather for Cities Around the World
Students orally describe Northern and Southern hemispheres, identify 7 continents, and point out specific countries and cities. They locate and record weather information.