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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's in Wetland Soil?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the organic and inorganic components of soil. In this environmental science lesson, students identify the factors that influence soil formation. They collect soil samples, conduct tests, and analyze the results.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rocks, Minerals, and Erosion

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders describe the difference between minerals (composed of the same substance throughout) and rocks (composed of two or more minerals). They recognize that there are three classes of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Measuring Soil Temperatures at South Penquite Farm

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students investigate soil temperatures. In this graphing and earth science lesson, students insert temperature probes into different types of soil at varying depths. Students complete a data chart and construct a related graph...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ecology of The Sonoran Desert Soil Crusts: Biology, Geology

For Teachers 6th - 11th
This instructional activity is designed after research done on the ecology of soil lichen in the Tucson Basin area during the summers of 1997 and 1998. Its purpose is to guide learners into adopting the problem solving thinking of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Soil Isn't Dirty; It's Diverse!

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders participate in a soil activity.  In this soil lesson students complete a worksheet describing  different soil types and the organic and inorganic things found in them. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rock Your World

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Learners define soil, dirt, clay, silt, and sand. They conduct an online scavenger hunt, answer pre-written online questions on a piece of paper, and play the Earth Materials Game after completing the scavenger hunt.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What are Rocks and Minerals? How can they help us?

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders investigate the difference between rocks and minerals. They name the three kinds of rocks (sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic) and know the differences between them.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What on Earth is in the Earth?

For Teachers K
Students explore the physical properties of sand, soil, and rocks and sort, classify, compare, and contrast the materials found in the soil. The differences between the living and non-living parts of the soil is discussed.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What is Soil?

For Teachers K - 1st
Students study living and non-living materials that are found in soil. They study the things required by plants and animals to remain healthy. They design a collage of sand, stones, leaves and other natural items.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Soil Erosion

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine how erosion is affected by the composition of the soil and the slope of the land. They look at plant roots, rocks and land slope as experimental factors. They complete the associated worksheets before discussing their...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Our Earth

For Teachers 8th - 10th
In this Earth's environment worksheet, students complete a crossword puzzle given 35 clues about a variety of topics related to our Earth. Topics include ecosystems, precipitation, biomes, energy transfer, soil, weathering and rocks.
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Lesson Plan
Science Friday

How Boulders Are Born

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Want your class to rock? Then try this boulder activity. Pupils learn about a specific boulder field and use edible materials to demonstrate the geological processes that formed this unique feature. Weathering, erosion, and mass wasting...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

SOIL

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders name the various materials that comprise soil, including weathered rock and other organic matter; and explain that soils differ in their color, texture, capacity to retain water, and ability to support the growth of many...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Soil

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders name the various materials that comprise soil, including weathered rock and other organic matter. They explain that soils differ in their color, texture, capacity to retain water, and ability to support the growth of many...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rocks

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Learners use their five senses to experience different types of rocks. In groups, they compare and contrast the information they collected. They observe rocks in their local community and describe their uses to the class.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Take a Stab!

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Your geology class practices taking core samples of a potato to examine the stratigraphy. This is a terrific modeling lesson that helps youngsters visualize strata that cannot be seen from the surface of the ground. The directions...
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Lesson Plan
National Park Service

Glaciers and Water

For Teachers 4th - 8th Standards
Explore the amazing power of glaciers with a hands-on earth science experiment! After first learning basic background information, learners go on to create their very own chunks of frozen water and gravel in order to observe first-hand...
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Lesson Plan
Scholastic

Lesson Four: The Earth, Layers of Earth

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Get your hands dirty with a set of earth science activities! Class members delve into a hard-boiled egg to find the similarities to the earth's layers, create a papier-mâché model of the earth, craft a simulation of the earth's...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

COMPARE SOILS BY GROWING PLANTS

For Teachers 6th - 8th
The student will identify the difference in the rate of plant growth in three soils that vary in organic matter.1. Obtain three to four flowerpots, different types of soil, a record chart, three to five beans for each pot, and water....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Can You Test Your Soil?

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students investigate chemicals in soil samples. For this soil science lesson, students test local soil to measure the pH, nitrate, phosphate, and potassium content.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earthquake Science Project

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Young scholars simulate the Earth's plates moving like an earthquake by using newspaper and soil. In this earthquake lesson plan, students push and pull the newspaper together that has soil on top and observe what happens.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

once and future MOON

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Beyond the phases of the moon, this comprehensive lesson plan covers geologic history and geology. Amateur astronauts examine photos of the lunar landscape, experiment with the creation of craters, and delve into information about the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

SCRUMPTIOUS SOIL

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Young scholars engage in investigations that lead to the discovery that earth materials consist of rocks, soils, water, and air. They build models of soil profiles, using breakfast cereal and other edible materials. They observe how...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Science in the Garden

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students examine soil from their local environment.  In this garden activity, students recognize the importance of soil in the garden. Students explore the contents of the local soil.