Curated OER
The Earth's Crust
Students use clay to form models of the different landforms and then complete a data table using a map, atlas, or the Internet to locate famous landforms in the United States. Students complete various activities, writing down their...
It's About Time
Effects of Plate Tectonics
Explore our world from within as you lead young scientists on a thrilling adventure. Pupils examine the location of plate boundaries to determine earthquake and volcano distribution around the globe and explore the cause of hot spots in...
Curated OER
Layer By Layer
Have your class learn about the formation of the Grand Canyon using this lesson. After listening to a variety of stories about the Grand Canyon and erosion, learners complete worksheets related to the geology of this area. What a...
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Plate Tectonics & Land Forms
Fourth graders discuss the different interactions of plates and the ways mountains are created. For this plate tectonics lesson students complete an activity in groups.
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The 1927 Flood
Upper elementary and middle schoolers examine the Great Flood of 1927 in the state of Arkansas. They each prepare an oral report about this flood and the huge impact it had on the economics of that time. Additionally, learners research...
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Glaciers Leave Their Imprint
Students study various types of glaciers and the landforms they create. Working in pairs, they research a type of glacial landform and construct a calendar page illustrating and describing it. The pages be compiled to create a class...
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Volcanoes: Mount Vesuvius
Students explain how volcanoes form. In this earth science lesson plan, students identify the different types of volcanoes. They create brochures about Mt. Vesuvius before and after the eruption.
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Earthquakes on the Surface
Students view topographic or relief maps of Southern California and discuss what they see. They make predictions based on the topography of the region.
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Deforestation
Students identify the different tropical rainforests in the world using a map. In this ecology instructional activity, students describe the different methods of deforestation. They create a memo and present it to class.
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Tic-Tac-Toe for Layers of the Earth
Eighth graders identify the different layers of the earth. In this earth science instructional activity, 8th graders choose a project to do from a given list according to their learning style. They present their finished project in class.
California Polytechnic State University
Australian Geography Unit
At the heart of this resource is a beautifully detailed PowerPoint presentation (provided in PDF form) on the overall physical geography of Australia, basic facts about the country, Aboriginal history, and Australia culture and lifestyle.
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Is There Liquid Water on Mars?
Students assess whether there is liquid water on Mars by analyzing images and data. In this planetary lesson students analyze temperature and pressure graphs and hypothesize about how water could have flowed on Mars.
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Topography of Africa
Young scholars study Africa's diverse landscape and investigate how these features impact the available water supply, food sources, and population distribution of the continent. They compare topographical features and
their affect on...
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Landscapes
Learners explore landforms and landscapes. They demonstrate an appreciation for and examine how to recognize the attributes of landforms and landscapes. Students create a landscape and reflect on their painting.
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SUBMARINE MOUNTAINS
Students create a two-dimensional contour map of a submerged area from a simulated survey using sounding techniques.
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Postcards from California: A Unit on Geography, Social Studies, History and California's Resources
Fourth graders examine patterns that influence population density in the various regions of California. The unit's three lessons utilize graphic organizers for the interpretation and presentation of data.
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Carving Mountains
Students explore geography by participating in an illustration activity. In this land-form lesson, students define vocabulary terms associated with glaciers and forests. Students utilize pens, cardboard and pottery clay to draw and...
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Planets
In this planets worksheet, students read about Mercury, Venus, and Earth and then complete 21 multiple choice, 2 true or false, and 1 short answer question.
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Living in a Watershed
Fourth graders examine watersheds. In this ecosystem lesson, 4th graders discover what a watershed is and identify the local watershed they live in. Students investigate the attributes of a watershed as well.
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Plate Tectonics
Students identify that most of mountain ranges found on all major land masses and in the oceans are external reflections of tectonic movements within the earth. They identify that earthquakes and related phenomena are caused by the...
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The Tilting Earth
Fourth graders use a styrofoam ball on a stick to represent earth and a light bulb in the center of the room to represent the sun. They walk around the light, holding their sticks at an angle to show the tilt of the earth's axis. They...
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Alaska's Physical Systems and History
Students read about Alaska's physical systems and determine how Alaska's physical makeup has impacted its history. They create timelines of their particular physical system.
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Mississippi Gulf Coast Islands
Fourth graders complete a variety of exercises as they study the creation, history, and geography of the Mississippi coastal islands. They discover the natuaral forces that act on the islands and how these forces affect the habitats and...