Lesson Plan
Center Science Education

Model a Moving Glacier

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Glaciologists in your class make models of glaciers to simulate how they move down a valley, and then they use it to test any aspect of glacier movement. Not only is this a vivid visual of how these monsters of ice flow, but it is also...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Comparison of Cloud Coverage Over Africa

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students use a NASA satellite data to contrast amounts of cloud coverage over different climate regions in Africa. They explore how Earth's major air circulations affect global weather patterns, and relate to local weather patterns.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Atmospheric Pressure

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Push the envelope with this lesson on atmospheric pressure! Your physics or geology juniors will be amazed at your super-human ability as you demonstrate the breaking of a stick using a newspaper! They also work with peers to construct a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sandwich Stratigraphy

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Two activities are included in this resource. In the first, junior geologists model sedimentary rock layers, apply the Law of Superposition, and demonstrate folding and faulting of the Earth's crust. The model is technically a sandwich....
Unit Plan
Curated OER

Watershed Works: Unit 2

For Teachers 5th - 8th
The second of a three-unit lesson plan, this focuses on how human-made structures affect watersheds. Using watershed models that were built during the first unit, junior geologists now place buildings, dams, or levees into the models and...
PPT
Curated OER

Minerals

For Teachers 4th - 8th
A must-have for your geology library of resources, this PowerPoint walks viewers through the characteristics of minerals and each test used to help identify them. As you present this collection of slides, stop to demonstrate each quality...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Volcano Factory

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Collaborative groups work together to report on the volcanic activity leading to island formation and construct models to demonstrate the process. Consider having each group present their project to the rest of the class. There are many...
Lesson Plan
California Academy of Science

Human Evolution

For Teachers 9th - 12th
As the great and hilarious Tim Minchin once said, "Science is simply the word we use to describe a method of organizing our curiosity." Science is more than just a guess; it is based on questions, observations, and evidence. High...
Lesson Plan
Journey Through the Universe

Impact Craters: A Look at the Past

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
The Galle crater on Mars is also known as the Happy Face crater because of its appearance. First, scholars use pebbles and flour to simulate craters and study their properties. They then apply this knowledge to help decipher the history...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Relative Ages of Rocks

For Students 7th - 12th
In this ages of rock worksheet, students will review the processes and techniques of determine the age of rocks. Then students will use a rock layer diagram to determine what rock materials are older or younger. This worksheet has 16...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Time Line Reporters

For Teachers 8th - 9th
Individuals in your class research the origin of an animal and present their discoveries to the class. The first appearance of the animal and its date of extinction are indicated on a class time line. 
Assessment
Concord Consortium

Look High and Low

For Students 7th - 12th
From the highest high to the lowest low here's a resource that won't fall flat. Given data on the area and the highest and lowest elevations of each of the 50 states, learners decide which states are the least flat and the most flat. Of...
Lesson Plan
National Park Service

Living & Non-Living Interactions

For Teachers 2nd - 6th Standards
What better way to learn about ecosystems than by getting outside and observing them first hand? Accompanying a field trip to a local park or outdoor space, this series of collaborative activities engages children in...
Interactive
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Deep History of Life on Earth

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Take it all the way back! Young scientists discover the changes that took place from the time Earth became solid to present day through an interesting interactive. The resource guides users through key events that have shaped our world...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Surface Water/Groundwater

For Students 5th - 8th
Water wizards write short answers and fill in the blanks about Earth's surface water and groundwater. They also identify the condition of the soil in a diagram. Use these two worksheets as a reading comprehension assignment if your...
Lesson Plan
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Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi

Find the Most Spectacular Volcanoes in the World!

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
Heat things up in your earth science class with this collaborative lesson on volcanoes. After first being introduced to the different types of volcanoes and how they are formed, young geologists work in small groups to...
Interactive
Biology in Motion

Organize-It

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Many pupils struggle to categorize and organize related content. Multiple quizzes on a variety of topics offer practice for these specific skills. Scholars move items around until they think each is placed in the proper position....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring For Copper Deposits

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers examine ore deposits and identify factors in their origin. They analyze geologic maps, and locate porphyry copper deposits on a sediment geochemistry map.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rock Hunters

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students observe rocks of various types and sizes and record these observations through drawings. They gather rocks, measure, classify, observe, describe and record their collection.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Great Fossil Find - Reconstructing the Pieces

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars go on an imaginary fossil hunt. They follow a script read by the teacher, students "find" (remove from envelope) paper "fossils" of some unknown creature. They attempt to reconstruct fossil pieces into an animal.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

History of Rock

For Teachers 5th - 10th
Students study a specific type of rock then share that expertise with other students in small groups. They view a rock and write observations about the rock to form small groups. In addition, they present their rocks an obervations to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The New Madrid Earthquakes of 1811-1812: Shaking Our Misconceptions about Earthquakes in United States History

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Young scholars Examine how earthquakes work and what plate tectonics and fault lines are.  For this earthquake lesson students complete an earthquake scavenger hunt.
Organizer
Curated OER

Identifying Metamorphic Rocks

For Students 7th
In this earth science learning exercise, 7th graders classify rock samples according to chart provided and physical properties of the rocks. They answer 2 analysis questions and formulate a conclusion.
Interactive
Curated OER

Anatomy of an Earthquake

For Students 6th - 8th
In this earthquake worksheet, students read and study earthquake maps and statistics. They complete 8 short answer questions that follow.