Lesson Plan
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Rock Cycles, Crayon Cycles

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine the rock cycle and the path that rocks go through to rearranged in different ways. They define key vocabulary terms, then in small groups conduct a variety of experiments using crayon shavings as simulated rocks and...
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What's in the Water?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students make a water sampler and use proper techniques to collect water.They write a essay explaining the inter-relationship of factors such as temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrates, and phosphates in a lake that might cause a...
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A Basin Filled With Time

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners use fossil leaves and a mathematical formula to study climate change. In this climate change and fossil lesson plan, students determine the differences in temperatures during two different times during the Cenozoic era using...
Lesson Plan
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Identifying Watersheds with Topographic Maps

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students model a watershed and delineate one using topographic maps. In this hydrology lesson plan, students use aluminum foil to model a landscape and observe how water moves on it. They also observe the features of a topographic map...
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Surveying the Land

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students explore the different kinds of maps and the purpose of each.  In this Geography lesson, students work in small groups to create a map which includes the use of a map key.
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Carbon Monoxide and Population Density

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders investigate the carbon monoxide level at a fixed latitude to determine if there is a relationship to population density. They download data sets and generate a graph, and find locations using the Earth's coordinate system....
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Deep Time

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners compare geologic time periods to the calendar year. They set up a live-action student timeline in the classroom.
Lesson Plan
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Do You Have a Sinking Feeling

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students determine how marine archaeologists use historical and archaeological data to draw inferences about shipwrecks. Students plot the position of a shipwrecked vessel, and draw inferences about the shipwreck from artifacts that have...
Lesson Plan
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Science: Making Trace Fossils

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore types of fossils and discover how sediment affects fossil preservation. They focus their study on trace fossils and create their own using sediment, water, and a small organism such as a snail or lizard. Students use...
Lesson Plan
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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...
Lesson Plan
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Special Edition: World Space Congress 2002: The New Face of Space

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students experience and study how space offers expanding resources for commerce, science, technology and education. They view how advances in space can and do improve life on Earth. Each student views a geological exploration within this...
Worksheet
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The Carbon Cycle

For Students 5th - 12th
In this carbon cycle instructional activity, students will read about the carbon cycle and study a diagram showing what creates carbon dioxide and what uses carbon dioxide. Students will then complete 4 short answer questions.
Worksheet
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Advanced Matching--Land Formations Part 1

For Students 4th - Higher Ed
Using this activity, learners could review information they have covered about land forms, such as hills, mountains and plateaus. This 17 question activity could be used with upper elementary or ESL students to test or review information...
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Planet Earth in Cross Section

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Young scholars will examine the layers of the Earth. In this geology lesson plan, students create a scale model of the Earth's interior using cash register tape. They will determine the percentage of error in the scale compared to the...
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You're as Cold as Ice!

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study the movement of glaciers and how they have affected the Earth.  In this geology instructional activity students simulate the effects glaciers have on landscape and watch video segments. 
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At The Site Of The Quake

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students research and design an educational earthquake Web site, using the current disaster in Afghanistan as a starting point. They begin by reading and discussing As Many as 2,000 Feared Dead in Afghan Earthquakes which is imbedded in...
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Geography: examining the Glacial Features of Cape Cod

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students examine satellite images of the glacial features of Cape Cod. They analyze where human activity is located in terms of those features. Students make models of the features, including kettle holes. They also use contour maps...
Lesson Plan
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Tetonic Plates and Faults

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students understand the basic properties of plate motion. They demonstrate what happens to a plate while faulting while using manipulatives. They demonstrate the Nature of Scientific Inquiry to solve scientific issues.
Lesson Plan
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Make it a habitat

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students consider the adaptation of life forms through natural selection to fill various niches and accommodate changing environmental conditions. They select an ecosystem and conduct research to provide as much detailed information as...
Worksheet
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Mineral Mixtures

For Students 6th - 8th
In this science worksheet, learners use basic scientific concepts to complete the series of puzzles that are intended to increase science literacy for classifying types of rocks and minerals.
Lesson Plan
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How Are Rocks Formed?

For Teachers 1st - 6th
Students identify types of rocks. In this geology lesson plan, students view animated graphics to identify how sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks are formed. Students take a rock quiz to show how different rocks are...
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Volcanic Clouds and the Atmosphere

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine how scientists monitor volcanoes.  In this volcano lesson students complete several activities including why we see things when using satellites.
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Building a Better Sentence

For Teachers 1st
Sentence construction is both a science and an art. This bare bones instructional activity ties an analysis of earth's geology to sentence formation. Although referenced as a major part of the activity, there are no links to the...
Lesson Plan
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Layers Of The Earth

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students examine the layers of the earth and the basic composition and thickness of each. Using construction paper, each student models the layers of the earth.