Young scholars investigate wind driven surface currents and prevailing winds by playing a card game. The cards are sorted by north or south and Atlantic or Pacific. They then predict where the two currents are found and what their...

Students identify major changes in ocean temperatures during an El Nino season.  In this climate lesson students complete an Internet assignment using datasets to determine periods of El Nino.

Students are introduced to the geography of the Columbia River basin and its history. Using the internet, they research the relationships between the Native Americans and the Hudson Bay Company. They also discuss the effects on the...

High schoolers describe chemical changes occurring in hydrothermal circulation systems. They make inferences about the significance of these systems to ocean chemical balance compared to terrestrial runoff.

Third graders become familiar with names of the different parts of a river, define and locate drainage basins, locate six of the continents and explore the major rivers on each one, conduct research on a river of their choice.

Students discover that pressure increases the deeper the ocean becomes. They determine how water pressure differs at various depths by observing water flow.

In this seafloor worksheet, students review the terms associated with formations found on the seafloor including sea mounts and seafloor spreading. This worksheet has 8 fill in the blank questions.

Plumb the depths of the Submarine Ring of Fire and explore seismic waves with this lesson plan. Junior geologists simulate s-waves and p-waves, calculate their speeds, and then apply the data to discover the material that makes up inner...

El Niño sure creates a stir when it comes around! Why not stir up your earth science class with this data analysis activity that examines the temperature and precipitation over the 2002-2003 water year. A tracking chart is provided...

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...

View a video presentation comparing chemosynthesis to photosynthesis. Review the findings of the 2004 Ring of Fire Expedition that studied biological communities around the hydrothermal vents of the Mariana Arc. In...

The best part about teaching guides is all the great information you can use to inform your class. They infer what type of boundary exists between two tectonic plates. Then, using given information on earthquakes and volcanism they'll...

Placing a thermometer and a glass tube into a flask of cold water and sealing it, you can expose it to heat and very visually demonstrate thermal expansion to your earth science class. Follow it with a discussion about how the increasing...

Young scholars record hourly reading for water height for 24 hours and determine whether a location experiences diurnal, semi-diurnal or mixed tides. Links are present for the information. Students predict high and low tide, and answer a...

Students complete a worksheet while viewing a video about the oceans. They locate the oceans on a map and identify positive and negative ways in which humans have impacted them. They discuss any questions at the end of the lesson.

Students participate in an online whale watching game. They identify the reasons for migration and describe the route. They make predictions on what would happen if the ways did not migrate.

In this plate tectonics worksheet, students review concepts such as the types of plate boundaries, the concept of continental drift, sea-floor spreading, earthquakes, and plate tectonics. They match 30 terms with their definitions.

Students compare and contrast submarine volcanoes at convergent and divergent plate boundaries, infer kinds of living organisms that may be found around hydrothermal vents, and describe ways in which scientists may prepare to explore...

Students discover the major characteristics of volcanoes on the Pacific Ring of Fire. They describe the processes that produce the "Submarine Ring of Fire." students explain the factors that contribute to explosive volcanic eruptions.

In this geologic history of Long Island Sound worksheet, learners read about how the Long Island sound was formed through rivers and glaciers advancing and retreating. Students answer 5 questions about the reading and the formation of...

Students examine the process of tectonic plates and why the Mariana Arc is active with volcanoes. They create a model of the Mariana Arc out of clay.

Students discuss the benefits of volcanic activity on marine life. They explain the process of tectonic plates.

The concept of a how pesticides and other chemicals pass through a watershed can be difficult for younger learners to grasp without a concrete example. In the activity here, some blank paper, markers, and a spray bottle are all you need...

General facts about Earth's water sources, human use, and the water cycle are outlined by this presentation. Slide three has a grammatical error and slide nine refers to the local watershed of the author, so you will need to make a few...