Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Round and Round-The Water Cycle

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students explore the water cycle. In this earth science lesson, students work in small groups to read various books on the water cycle and take notes on chart paper. Students share their notes and teach a younger audience what they have...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Kids Conserve? Water Preserved

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders review the steps of the water cycle. Individually, they calculate the amount of water they use in a day and identify ways they can conserve. As a class, they discuss how conserving water today helps future generations and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Kids Conserve? Water Preserved

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars study conservation and how cities obtain their water.  For this water lesson students view a PowerPoint presentation and draw a picture of the water cycle.
Lesson Plan
US Environmental Protection Agency

Sea Level: On the Rise

For Teachers 6th - 10th
With the global temperature on the rise, the effects of climate change are starting to be seen. However, many people have a difficult time conceptualizing the long-term effects, such as sea levels rising. Given an easy and effective...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Follow the Water Cycle

For Teachers K
Students explore the stages in the water cycle, evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. They hypothesize about the source of rain and search for forms of water on Earth.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Where in the World Is All the Water?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate the distribution of the earth's water. They conduct a demonstration of water distribution, and create a pie graph to display the results.
Lesson Plan
National Wildlife Federation

The Tide is High, but I’m Holding On… Using ICESat Data to Investigate Sea Level Rise

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Based on the rate of melting observed from 2003-2007 in Greenland, it would take less than 10 minutes to fill the Dallas Cowboys' Stadium. The 17th lesson in a series of 21 has scholars use the ICESat data to understand the ice mass...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water, Water Everywhere

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students recognize that all of the water on earth cannot be used for drinking and that the percentage of ground and surface water is a small percentage.  In this water lesson students identify ways to conserve water. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Water Cycle

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students develop a better understanding of the need to conserve our renewable resources.  In this water cycle lesson students take notes, complete a guide sheet and illustrate the water cycle. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's in the Water?

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders use the dots to simulate water pollutants in a lake. They use cups to collect a sample of "water." Students sort the dots by color and record the number of each dot color under the correct pollutant name in the Lake Water...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Water Cycle

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students are introduced to the components and importance of the water cycle. They are shown how groundwater moves using a model. Students list 9 places on earth where water is found. They define the terms cycle and water cycle.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Science of Glaciers

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students identify the contents of a glacier like those found in Patagonia. They construct a mini glacier model in class. Students compare and contrast the classroom model with Patagonian glaciers. They label specific parts of the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Great Glaciers!

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders study the earths surface and how changes happen to it.  In this glacier lesson students complete a lab activity to see how glaciers form.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Are You Thirsty? The Effects of Pollution on Drinking Water

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Discuss the availability of clean, plentiful water and the causes of water pollution. In groups, sixth graders discuss problem-solving methods for keeping water clean. They explore the function of water treatment plants and perform...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Weathering Rocks

For Teachers 3rd
Here is a geology lesson that is sure to get your charges excited. It's all about the process of weathering of rocks. Learners study natural events that can cause rocks to break apart. Some of these events are: ice wedging, plant...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water and Dams in Today's World

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students examine the importance of dams. In this water and dams lesson, students watch a video that details historical and current information about dams and global water resources. They study how engineers design dams, how they...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

When Floating Ice Melts in the Sea

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
With this simple inquiry exercise young scientists observe the effects of melting ice on water level. Set up an easy experiment with floating ice cubes in a dish of water then have your pupils make and record their observations of the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Creates a Cave

For Teachers K - 3rd
Pupils study the role of water in limestone cave formation and create a cave on karst-like grid on paper.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Thermal Expansion

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners examine how thermal expansion of water can affect sea level. They conduct an experiment that demonstrates what happens to water levels when exposed to heat, record the results on a data sheet, and discuss the results.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Creeping Sheets of Ice

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students conduct scientific investigation in which they observe glacial effects on landscape, develop and explain their own theories of how glaciers change land, and demonstrate understanding and explain basic motion and force principles.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Is Cool!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore the importance of water. For this water lesson, students view a table to determine the amount of water found in the oceans, lakes, atmosphere, and streams. Students discuss ways to be a good steward of water.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Growth of a River

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students evaluate geography by drawing an image in class. In this river lesson, students identify a list of vocabulary terms associated with bodies of water. Students identify how a river is formed and draw a picture of one including the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

On the Rise . . . Sea Level and Global Warming

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders conduct an experiment to determine how melting sea ice affect sea level. In this earth science lesson, 9th graders explain the environmental consequences of rising sea level. They relate this lesson to global warming.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth System Science: Hydrosphere

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students identify the major Earth systems, and describe at least ten major uses of water on planet earth. They research major sources of earth's water, and describe general aspects of the hydrosphere.