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Lesson Plan
Science Matters

Wattsville and Mercalli Booklet

For Teachers 6th Standards
There has been an earthquake! Can you listen to the description of damage given by callers in order to determine the epicenter? The 11th of 20 lessons has pupils read a script of one emergency caller. The class records the information on...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Erosion in Different Soils [Erosion Races]

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders review how erosion can happen by wind, water, and gravity which they studied in previous lesson. They attempt to discover if all soils erode at the same rate. In small groups, 4th graders experiment with three different...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Protecting Habitats and Species

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Pupils recognize that scientists continuously gather and interpret data to understand and predict relationships among natural phenomena. They research various volcanoes and plot the volcano locations on a world map.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Unexplored!

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students explore volcanoes.  In this deep sea volcano lesson students complete a worksheet and various activities.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Survival Experts

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Young scholars take on the role of survival experts as they research and produce brochures or guides to educate others about what to do in the event of a natural disaster.
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Lesson Plan
Science Matters

Up and Down Fault Blocks

For Teachers 6th Standards
The Sierra Mountains in Nevada and the Tetons in Wyoming originally formed as fault block mountains. In order to visualize these fault blocks, pupils use construction paper to create layers of earth. They cut the paper models and form...
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Lesson Plan
Science Matters

Fault Formations

For Teachers 6th Standards
The San Andreas Fault moves about two inches a year, approximately the same rate fingernails grow—crazy! The third lesson in the series allows for hands-on exploration of various fault formations. Through the use of a Popsicle stick,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Building for the Big One

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students build and test structures that can best withstand earthquakes. They create their structures from playdough, cornstarch, grape-nuts and popsicle sticks and place their structures on a "shake table."
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rock Families

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students study the three types of rock characteristics; igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. They are divided into three groups and each group takes one of the rock characteristics. They then act out the characteristics of their rock...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Observing, Describing, And Identifying Contrails

For Teachers 4th - 10th
Students compare the three types of contrails that are produced by aircraft exhaust. They examine pictures of contrails on the internet to classify each as short lived, persistent or persistent spreading. They then sketch examples in...
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Lesson Plan
Science Matters

Spaghetti Fault Model

For Teachers 6th Standards
Does increasing the pressure between two moving plates provide a stabilizing force or create more destruction? The hands-on lesson encourages exploration of strike-split fault models. The sixth lesson in a 20-part series asks scholars to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Shake, Rattle, and Roll: Mt. St. Helens - Lesson Plan 2

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students compile information on volcanic activity at Mount St. Helens.  In this earth science lesson plan, students use the information they gathered on Mount St. Helens to answer questions and create charts in Excel.  Then students...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Biggest Plates on Earth

For Teachers 5th - 6th
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...
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Lesson Plan
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NOAA

Plate Tectonics II

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Mid-ocean ridges, rift valleys, island arcs, mountain ranges, earthquakes, volcanoes ... there are so many features associated with plate tectonics. The 14th installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth's Plate Tectonics

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students identify the different layers of the Earth. In this earth science lesson plan, students create a model of the crusts and continents. They explain how plates movement cause earthquakes and volcanoes.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Creating a Disaster

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students construct a volcano model. In this earth science lesson, students determine the structure and build of their volcano. They explain the danger of volcanic eruptions.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Friend, Foe, or . . .

For Teachers 5th - 6th
As a result of this lesson, upper elementary ocean explorers will be able to describe several interrelationships: symbiosis, mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism. They learn that the biological richness is increased near seamounts and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Geology Rocks

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers discuss information relating to Illinois geology. They examine top mineral resources in Illinois to find detailed information about geodes and where they can be found. Students complete geode lab to explore external...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Our Savage Planet in the News

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students explore extreme earth phenomenons. In this savage planet lesson, students explore and report on various types of severe weather and earth phenomenons using the Internet, a word processor, or other multimedia device.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cruising the Mantle

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students explore the plate boundaries of the earth. Through the use of video, internet and hands-on activities, students examine the types of plate boundaries. They create a model to illustrate the movement and interaction of the...
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Lesson Plan
Science Matters

Wave Watching

For Teachers 6th Standards
Seismologists use the direction and arrival times of p waves and s waves to determine the distance to the source of an earthquake. The engaging lesson plan has students line up to form human waves. Through different movements when...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Volcano Under the City

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students examine the different flow rates of liquids and how lava's viscosity influences flow.  In this liquids lesson students complete several handouts and a lab activity.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Coasts

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners explain the different types of marine coasts and where they are located in the United States and its territories. They explain and identify some of the life forms that inhabit different marine coastal regions.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Integrating Physical Science and the Geological Environment

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students undertake a series of experiments and activities related to geology, especially in Connecticut. They evaluate types of rocks, minerals, and crystals, exploring the main concepts of geology.