Lesson Plan
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Soil Investigations

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers examine the basics about soil.  In this soil lesson students describe the physical properties of soil and explain what soil profile is. 
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Making & Breaking : The Rock Cycle

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the rock cycle and how rocks can change over time.  In this geotechnical engineering lesson students draw a diagram of the rock cycle.
Lesson Plan
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Rock Cycle SIOP Unit

For Teachers 5th - 10th
Pupils collect rocks, identify them, classify them, investigate their properties, and more. In this rocks lesson plan, students also experiment with soil and erosion and weather.
Lesson Plan
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Rocks and Minerals

For Teachers 1st
First graders examine different types of rocks and minerals. They create models of the rocks and minerals they find interesting. They discuss and explain three ways in which the earth changes.
Lesson Plan
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Water Cycle

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders investigate the water cycle. In this water cycle lesson, 2nd graders discover how the water cycle effects erosion and weathering. Students create their own terrariums to view the water cycle. Students illustrate their...
Lesson Plan
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The Earth Around Us: Air, Water & Soil

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders explore erosion and find the factors effecting erosion of hillsides.   In this erosion lesson plan, 2nd graders experiment by creating a hillside and simulating rain.  Students discuss and record their...
Lesson Plan
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Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students explore erosion. Through multi-media and hands-on activities, students identify the effects of wave erosion and hurricanes on a barrier island. Students watch a video and create a cause and effect chart of their observations. ...
Lesson Plan
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Forest as a Filter

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students experiment using soil and water. In this forest as a filter instructional activity, students identify the role of forest cover, vegetation, and foliage impacts erosion and evaporation. Students conduct a simple experiment, form...
Lesson Plan
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Rocks and Minerals: Sedimentary Rocks

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students explore the concept of rock formation. In this sedimentary rocks lesson, students observe and record their findings about sedimentary rocks. Students then create limestone, coal, and sandstone models and write reports...
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A Rocky Situation

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders conduct experiments with rocks to observe weathering. They read books, examine websites and watch a video to examine how rocks break down into soil.
Lesson Plan
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Forces of Change

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders discuss various ways in which landforms change over time. They, in groups, research and create a reference book about landform change including tsunamis, earthquakes, weathering, erosion and volcanic eruptions.
PPT
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Chalkboard Challenge: Science Vocabulary

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students play a Jeopary-style game in this engaging PowerPoint. The scientific categories are the solar system, planet, weather, cells, and rocks. These types of interactive games are an excellent way to reinforce the important...
Lesson Plan
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The Earth's Crust

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students use clay to form models of the different landforms and then complete a data table using a map, atlas, or the Internet to locate famous landforms in the United States. Students complete various activities, writing down their...
Lesson Plan
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Unit Lesson Plan Template

For Teachers 1st
First graders listen to the book The Story of Sand and make predictions about an investigation based on soil, sand, and silt. In this sand lesson, 1st graders work in groups to discuss their observations about sand and answer higher...
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Barrier Islands

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders explore how barrier islands work. In this erosion lesson, 3rd graders create barrier islands in stream tables and simulate wave action to see how it affects their island.
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Tissue Paper Geography

For Teachers 2nd - 12th
Students explore geographic features of the desert and apply their understanding of the topography of the desert by creating a tissue paper painting.
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Rocks and Their Properties: Day 5

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students demonstrate their knowledge of rock formation processes in varied ways by sharing their cooperative research projects with the class. They generate well-framed questions in response to each presentation.
Unit Plan
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Ocean Life

For Teachers 6th
Students explore the topics of ocean water salinity, ocean life zones, marine life classification, and ocean food chains. They observe demonstrations, conduct experiments, complete quizzes and handouts, and analyze key vocabulary.
Lesson Plan
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Boston Harbor Cruise: A Shoreline Survey

For Teachers K - 6th
The young scholars take a harbor cruise, photograph, and draw shore line features attending to evidence of human impact/consequences, and its cost on marine/land animal habitats vegetation, weather patterns, signs of erosion, and the...
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Twister Season Springs into Action

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners discover how weather conditions can give rise to severe storms and tornadoes. They study the different types of severe weather, how they can track conditions in their own neighborhood, and how to prepare for the worst.
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Impact Craters

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students investigate the factors affecting the size of a crater. In this space science lesson, students collect data from the activity and graph them. They explain how velocity of impact relate to crater size.
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Pass the Plate

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students define constructive forces. They describe how landforms are created as a result of constructive forces. Students recognize active volcano areas in the United States. They demonstrate an understanding of Panagea.
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The Grand Canyon

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders study the Grand Canyon. They research the Grand Canyon and locate the Colorado River on the map of Arizona. They discuss erosion and read how sedimentary rock was formed. They view photographs of the Grand Canyon and...
Lesson Plan
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Our Ever Changing Earth

For Teachers 1st
First graders discover plate tectonics. They observe the forces of erosion. They observe the forces of weathering. They state three ways the earth changes. They record observations and make conclusions about their observations.