The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has developed a tremendous library of ocean-themed lessons that can be used in a variety of science settings. "Feeding in the Flow" is one of those activities; Its focus is on...

Pupils discuss Landsat Satellites and the use of the images they provide as well as the purpose of keeping records of the information from the satellites. The class works in groups to complete a worksheet on short term and long term...

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...

Students define a word from the natural disaster list, find a location in the world where this type of disaster has occurred and discuss what they have identified. They design a crossword puzzle of natural disaster words or check a...

Students discover the causes of tsunamis in oceans and fjords. They perform an experiment to discover how calving icebergs can create different wave patterns in the ocean and in a fjord. In addition, they draw a diagram to illustrate the...

A thorough description of volcanoes appears in this Earth science activity. Students read facts about volcanoes and answer 20 multiple choice comprehension questions. The answers appear at the end of the activity.

Middle schoolers examine how sedimentary rocks are formed.  In this rock lesson students research different rock formations and different types of rock. 

Young scholars read first hand accounts of earthquake survivors in order to begin the describe the different types of earthquake waves and the order in which they arrive. They engage in using earthquake waves as a means to indirectly...

Students access information from the United States Geological Survey's Web site This Dynamic Earth to research the Ring of Fire. They answer four questions and then apply what they have learned to create a bulletin board display.

Students begin the lesson by locating Tanzania on a world map. While reading an article, they note what the author's opinion is of the people who live there and discover the connection the people have with the land. They examine the...

Students explore volcanoes. In this science instructional activity, students discuss the characteristics of volcanoes and view a video segment about a volcano. Students examine plate tectonics.

Students give examples of erosion and weathering processes. They determine causes of America's Dust Bowl phenomena.Students define erosion as the condition in which the earth's surface is worn away by the action of water and wind.

Young scholars 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.

In this earthquakes worksheet, learners create a brochure, poster, or other form of presentation to show what they know about earthquakes. Students complete 4 sections.

Students observe, measure, and graph a model of slow down slope movement representing soil creep. This task assesses students' abilities to collect, record, and organize data, set up graph axes, plot data points, draw line graphs, apply...

Eighth graders use a measuring stick to determine the shape of the inside of the bottom of a box, then apply their knowledge to an additional situation. This task assesses students' abilities to make simple observations, collect and...

Students analyze NASA data from the Multi-angle Imaging Spectroradiometer. In this NASA data lesson plan, students access an assigned website to examine information from the MISR on the Terra Satellite. They determine how desert dust...

Learners use the Internet and other sources to investigate tsunamis. They construct books listing several tsunami facts and cite their sources. They read their books to another class.

Eighth graders examine the forces that are constantly acting on the Earth. They describe the theory of tectonic plates and demonstrate the two kinds of earthquake waves. They also examine the role of volcanoes in the structure of the...

Young scholars understand the destructive force of a tornado. They learn the role of a thunderstorm in the creation of a tornado.

Eighth graders research the connection between the convection currents within the mantle of the earth and the moving of Earth's plates. A connection to lessons at previous grade levels on the rock cycle and important background...

Learners participate in a whole class discussion of ocean-floor structures and plate tectonics. They respond to prompts in a structured sequence that lead them to conclusions about the role of plate tectonics in the creation of sea-floor...

Students study the different types of weather and how storms form.  In this weather lesson students make their own "tornado in a bottle" and create brochures.

For this geology exploration worksheet, students complete 27 short answer questions about the properties and locations of igneous rocks. Teacher must provide text or internet link.