Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cities and Seasons

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students explore how satellite images show seasonal changes in seven cities in North and South America. Through a sequence of images, they study the green-up and brown-down of the seasons and how seasons change over time. Afterwards,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Analyzing Meteorological Data From Mars

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students compare real-time Earth and Mars measurements for temperature, wind speed, humidity and atmospheric pressure by accessing Internet-data resources from NASA. They access real-time weather data and maps for their school location.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lord of the Rings - A Study of Tree Rings

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students examine trees and discuss how the environment effected the tree. They also predict what the area look like in fifty years.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Recent Volcanoes And Earthquakes:

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students investigate the current model for the structure of the Earth. On a world map, they mark areas where they think earthquakes and volcanoes occur and compare those areas with earthquake and volcano location patterns.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sunspots

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students examine what a sunspot is and how it is produced.  In this sun instructional activity students locate and measure sunspots then view them through a camera.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Modeling the Rock Cycle

For Teachers 7th - 9th
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Follow the Sun

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students use a simple model of the Earth and Sun as seen from space to explore the sun's apparent movement across the sky over the course of a day and year. They consider the apparent direction of movement and changes in the sun's angle.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Weathering and Erosion

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students perform experiments to simulate weathering and erosion. In this earth science lesson, students view a PowerPoint presentation that includes weathering, erosion, and the Dust Bowl. Students conduct a series of experiments to...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Earthquakes

For Students 5th - 6th
After reading an article on earthquakes and tsunamis, students answer a series of multiple choice questions about what they have learned. All answers can be found within the article, making this a good way to prepare for reading...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Exploring Plate Tectonics

For Students 7th - 9th
In this plate tectonics worksheet, students answer questions about plate movement, the types of boundaries, the history of Earth's crusts and plate tectonics. They use an on line source to get their answers.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Soil Composition

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Young scholars examine soil. In this soil composition instructional activity students participate in soil sedimentation and filtration activities. The young scholars discuss what non-living and living things are in soil and why it is so...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Watch Out for Landslides

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students conduct an experiment.  In this landslides lesson, students learn about landslides and discuss how they could minimize the risk of landslides.  Students complete an experiment to see if changing the slope of the land...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Cosmic Rays and Solar Cells

For Students 7th - 9th
In this cosmic rays and solar cells worksheet, students read about how cosmic rays damage the electrical output of solar cells over time on satellites. Students use a graph of the solar power output compared to the year for the SOHO...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Beyond the Blue Horizon...Advanced

For Students 9th - 12th
In this calculating the horizon instructional activity, students solve 6 problems using algebra, derivatives and calculus to find the formula for the line-of-sight horizon, the distance along a planet, the horizon distance and the rates...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Size Shapes Animals

For Teachers Pre-K - 3rd
Students investigate how size affects large and small animals differently. In this animal lesson plan, students determine how size affects different animals by constructing their own animal out of marshmallows. Once students create...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Effects Of Weathering

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders simulate weathering and erosion using sand and soil. They define weathering and the ways in which surfaces become weathered. Working as a class, 3rd graders complete various activities that demonstrate physical and...
PPT
Curated OER

The Atmosphere

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Here is a suitable set of slides to use when teaching about the layers of the atmosphere, climate, global winds, and types of clouds. These slides will support a few different lectures. You will probably want to replace the diagrams with...
Lesson Plan
Pennsylvania State University

Learn, Protect, and Promote Water

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
A hands-on activity helps learners explore the water cycle. After discussing how they use water, classes discuss water pollution and then move into a simulation where 20 pupils move through the water cycle based on description cards. 
Lesson Plan
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Teach Engineering

The Amazing Red Planet

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Introduce your class to Mars with a resource that provides information about its size, location, length of day, length of year, number of moons, and average temperature. Also includes is information about the lans for past...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Measuring Distance and Area in Satellite Images (College Level)

For Teachers Higher Ed
Pupils are able to download, install, and use Image J image analysis software to quantify change over time in satellite images. They access and download satellite images for specific locations and times. Students set a scale (spatial...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Weather and Climate

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students identify the words plain and climate and discuss what would happen if it never rained. Students identify and interpret the weather in Poland and create a web illustrating various weather patterns. Students write a 4-line poem...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ancient Cultures

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Learners develop archeological skills in order to explain how scientists determine what ancient cultures were like. They develop an appreciation of the work that is involved in finding out about our past.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Birth of a Rocky Mountain City and Railroad: Georgetown and the Loop Railroad

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students explore the evolution of a town. In this social studies lesson, students discuss why Georgetown and the Georgetown Loop Railroad were developed and discuss life as a prospector. Students write a letter explaining what life is...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Hurricane Predictions

For Students 6th - 9th
In this hurricane activity, students analyze and interpret a hurricane graph. They complete 5 short answer questions that follow.