Students discuss the different kinds of faults in the earth's crust and examine photos of the San Adreas Fault. Working in groups, they experiment with fault making by placing fabric in a pan and filling the inside with wet dirt. When...

Students replicate a volcanic eruption. In this volcanoes lesson, students follow the provided procedures to show and describe how the inflation of a bulge led to the eruption of Mount St. Helens.

Students explore the Earth and its ability to support life. They discuss the geosphere and the water cycle and complete the Water Wonders activity. After completing the activity, they respond in their journals and reflect upon the...

Students investigate water as an agent of change. They conduct an experiment involving a mound of soil, observe and record any changes that occur when ice melts on the mound of dirt, and create a drawing of the changes that take place...

Learners work together to create a model of the Earth. They label and identify each layer and describing its properties. They discover how engineers use models to test different concepts.

Eighth graders identify the different layers of the earth. In this earth science lesson, 8th graders choose a project to do from a given list according to their learning style. They present their finished project in class.

First graders study ways in which the earth changes due to erosion and weathering in this series of lessons.

Students identify the layers of the Earth. They discover the properties and minerals in each layer. They answer questions about the minerals found to end the lesson.

Scientists noticed animals with backbones share similar bone structure despite having different forms, such as fins, arms, and wings. Young scientists gain an appreciation for evolution by understanding the history of the theory. They...

Discover how rocks are formed from volcanoes during a geology pre-lab activity. Third graders describe the volcanic rock samples and creating a model of Mt. Lassen, located in California. The lesson culminates in...

A set of first grade geology lessons focuses on plate tectonics and movement of plate boundaries. During the pre-lab, learners experience three types of plate movement through a kinesthetic demonstration. The lab...

A remotely operated vehicle approaching a volcano was engulfed by molten sulfur where the plumes of fluids contained the highest concentrations of aluminum ever recorded. This isn't science fiction or an April fools joke, though it did...

This science assignment produced by NASA teaches inquiring minds the distribution of Earth's water. Learners will appreciate and understand the importance of fresh water and how weather and climate affects everything.

Examine the environmental hazards associated with volcanoes with a three-part science lesson. In the pre-lab, first graders learn that gas, landslides, ash, and lava are all hazards that come from volcanoes. They then explore...

Learners consider four diagrams of the Earth's crust, and decide which diagram best fits with the four descriptions on the worksheet. A simple, yet effective teaching tool.

Eighth graders use candy to show the effects of deformation forces on the earth's crust.  In this rock and fossil formation lesson students construct models and simulations to describe and explain natural phenomena.

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

Young oceanographers study the Submarine Ring of Fire, which is a series of deep-water volcanic vents that come up from the ocean floor. Learners take a close look at the unique ecosystems that are associated with these areas, how these...

Learners sample goodies from an unseen ocean floor and try to accurately describe their composition. This simulation helps students explain the limitations of sampling and the problem of obtaining representative samples of sea floor...

Learners complete a data sheet. In this Earth composition lesson, students learn what happens when the Earth's plates push against each other. They watch a teacher demonstration and complete a data sheet.

Learners examine how there are three layers inside the Earth. They design their own model of the layers of the Earth with a Styrofoam ball. They illustrate the layers inside the Earth with crayons.

Fifth graders explore the causes of earthquakes and the various types of fault lines through a variety of hands-on demonstrations using prepared cakes. They record their observations in their science journals.

Fourth graders discuss the different interactions of plates and the ways mountains are created.  In this plate tectonics instructional activity students complete an activity in groups.

In this quartz learning exercise, students read about the chemical structure and properties of quartz and its commercial applications. Then, students complete 7 short answer questions.