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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Summer Water & Sand Activity: Mud Pies and More

For Teachers Pre-K - K
In this lesson plan, Summer Water & Sand Activity: Mud Pies and More, young scholars investigate mud while playing and creating with it. Students understand mud, what it is, and how it is formed. Young scholars develop their...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sinkholes in a Cup

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Young scholars create sinkholes and learn about the formation of sinkholes by using water, a foam cup, sugar, sand, and a sponge. In this sinkholes lesson plan, students also answer short answer questions.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Geography Action! Rivers 2001- Stream Table

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students use a stream table to simulate river and watershed systems. The affect of gradient on stream flow as well as erosion and deposition are two items that students examine.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Groundwater as Part of the Water Cycle

For Teachers 9th
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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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Summer Water & Sand Activity: Go with the Flow

For Teachers Pre-K - K
Students discover different materials that help to transport water in order to develop their observation and problem solving science skills. In this water activity, students first brainstorm about different ways that water can be moved;...
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Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

Oceans as a Heat Reservoir

For Teachers 7th - 11th Standards
Oceans absorb half of the carbon dioxide and 80 percent of the greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. Scholars learn how and why the oceans store heat more effectively than land and how they help mitigate global warming. Pupils...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Stream Table

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students build and erode a hillside. In this earth science activity, students build a five inch hillside in a paint pan using sand, soil, and pebbles. They pour water over the hillside to monitor the erosion and how it is affected by the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Archaeology 101

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
Let's go on an archaeological dig! Here is a lesson that allows your young scientists to do just that! You fill up an empty water table or tray with sand, and bury miscellaneous objects. Pupils use spoons, sifters, and brushes to find...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ground Surfaces and Infiltration

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students study permeability and apply the concept to different types of ground materials.  In this ground surfaces instructional activity students complete a lab and fill out a table of their results. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plotting the Petroleum Plume

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders examine the difference between confining layers and aquifers in a basic water table aquifer scenario. They contour groundwater elevation and petroleum product thickness data.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dolphins

For Teachers Pre-K - K
Students explore sea life. In this cross curriculum fine arts, science, and P.E. "dolphins" lesson, students sing songs and play games about dolphins, perform water experiments, create mosaics, and use their five senses to explore sand...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Matter: Build a Word

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders examine matter and the periodic table of elements. In this matter lesson, 4th graders discuss atoms and their composition. Students explore the periodic table of elements and use it to spell words out of the elements.
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Lesson Plan
University of Southern California

Wave Erosion Lab

For Teachers 4th - 8th Standards
Using a stream table, erosion enthusiasts examine how the density of sediment and how the slope of land contribute to the amount moved by waves. You will not be able to use this entire resource as is; there are teachers' names and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Barrier Islands

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders explore how barrier islands work. In this erosion lesson, 3rd graders create barrier islands in stream tables and simulate wave action to see how it affects their island.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making a Water Filter

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders draw a plan that they think will clean the sludge in a jar. Students construct the treatment system they designed, take a bottle of sludge to the system and try it out, writing down what happened.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Erosion Lab

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders explore variables that influence the rate of erosion due to the 4 major agents. They work as a group and practice conducting experiments according to the scientific method. Students comprehend that communicating ideas...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Groundwater Flow Demonstration Model

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students investigate the concept of groundwater that includes aquifers, groundwater flow, and the water table. They participate in activities using a flow demonstration model. Its use engages all types of learners because of its hands on...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

LEAGUE: Into the Desert: Lesson 1

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students discover the human and physical characteristics of desert regions. For this regions lesson, students describe deserts around the world, discuss animals, vegetation, water conservation, and how humans can care for the land.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rock of Ages

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students are given a classification table and samples from their location. They locate their samples on the classification table using the characteristics used in rock identification.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Capillary Action and Adhesion

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars perform classroom experiments to observe adhesion. They perform a second experiment using sand, salt, water, and a heat lamp to observe the principle of capillary action. They also experiment with adhesion in plants.
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Lesson Plan
Virginia Department of Education

Permeability and Porosity

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Covering both permeability and porosity, scholars perform a hands-on experiment testing various soil types. The material includes a pre-lesson worksheet to help focus pupils on the task at hand. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The River Ran Through It

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students identify the processes that shape our rivers and form our lakes. They participate in hands-on and multimedia activities as they discover and apply the river-cutting processes of water.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Special Present

For Teachers K - 8th
Students conduct an experiment to create a special gift. In this special gift lesson, students make a gift for someone using water, Epsom salt, essential oil and food coloring. Students can create a card to go with their present.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Soil Properties

For Teachers 5th - 10th
Students explore the porosity of soil. In this soil lesson, students conduct an experiment which shows the porosity of different types of soil. They use sand, silt, and clay to see how soil particles are more or less aerated and thus...