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Soil Investigations
Young scholars examine the basics about soil. In this soil instructional activity students describe the physical properties of soil and explain what soil profile is.
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The Earth's Crust
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...
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Barrier Islands
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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Modeling the Rock Cycle
In this modeling the rock cycle worksheet, students use a sugar cube to show the phases and changes in the rock cycle as represented by the changes in the sugar cube. For each step of the experiment students indicate the part of the rock...
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Microbes in Long Island Sound
Students discover the harm and benefits of microbes. In this biology lesson, students explore water, nitrogen and carbon cycles. They investigate the factors affecting bacteria growth.
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Decision Making
Students study weather patterns and learn to make decisions based on the weather. In this weather instructional activity, students plan a potluck based on the weather. Students use a decision tree to brainstorm about the activity....
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Where's the Beach?
Young scholars use beach profile data to analyze how erosion and sediment transport changed seashore slopes. In this geology lesson, students plot the data provided and analyze erosion patterns. They also assess coastal erosion...
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The Formation of Soil
Young scholars identify the different components that make up soil. In this earth science lesson, students create a pamphlet for next year's class. They analyze how erosion and weathering shape the Earth.
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TRB 5:2 - Activity 3: Earthquakes
Learners watch a classroom demonstration, and experiment to discover the five ways that Earth's crust shifts along a fault.
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Hos Do the Jaguar and Howler Monkeys in Belize Depend on Us?
First graders access the internet and use the sites provided to research Belize, and in particular, the Howler Monkey and Jaguar. Students participate in activities/centers utilizing the information they discovered.
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Seed to Soup Organic Garden
Have your young biologists visit decomposition stations as they explore the process of organic material. This activity involves some set-up as kids will be visiting 13 desks to collect colored paper each representing a different element...
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Constructive and Destructive forces
Young scholars explore constructive and destructive forces. In this constructive and destructive forces instructional activity, students complete a WebQuest. Young scholars explore the different types of forces and their effect on the...
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Water: Naturally Cleaned
Students use stream trays covered in different types of rocks or soil to investigate infiltrates and runoff. In this water pollution lesson, students work in groups with stream trays that have different substrates. They write a paragraph...
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Mars Geologic Mapping
Students identify and interpret photographic details of a Martian surface image, design, and create a simple features map. They identify and interpret the geologic history of a part of Mars' surface and then, analyze and discuss the...
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Cruising the Mantle
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...
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Impact Craters: Holes in the Ground!
Students simulate crater formation through a lab activity. In this space science lesson, students calculate how much energy is transferred during meteorite impact. They identify different factors affecting the size and depth of craters...
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You're as Cold as Ice!
Learners study the movement of glaciers and how they have affected the Earth. In this geology lesson students simulate the effects glaciers have on landscape and watch video segments.
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Physical Science Fun
Fifth graders explain how the land changes by developing some "land dances." Working in cooperative groups, each group develops a movement sequence that depicts the vocabulary word they are given. They teach dance to other classmates.
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World's Most Dynamic Force
Students explore the Earth's forces. They review an assessment task and its accompanying rubric. They classify ten items as long-term or short-term interactions of the Earth's components and rank the destructive impact of the forces. ...
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Name that Wind
Young scholars study wind and the direction terms related to wind. In this meteorology lesson, students learn about the wind directions by completing a wind direction activity where kids locate cones marked with the specific wind...
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Impact Craters
Students investigate the factors affecting the size of a crater. In this space science instructional activity, students collect data from the activity and graph them. They explain how velocity of impact relate to crater size.
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Space Science: A Scoop of Moon Dirt
Students discover soil characteristics and how it is formed on Earth and the Moon by examining local samples to a lunar simulant. They replicate the effects of wind erosion by scraping dry bread with sandpaper. Students use rocks and...
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Pebbles Sand and Silt
First graders investigate soil, sand and silt. In this environment lesson, 1st graders discuss how changes occur in the environment and the effects of weather. Students perform their own investigation and record their predictions,...
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Unit Lesson Plan Template
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 instructional activity, 1st graders work in groups to discuss their observations about sand and...