CK-12 Foundation
Mineral Formation: Evaporating Lake
Get crazy for crystals! Junior geologists learn the secrets of crystal formation through lecture, reading, and examples. Other topics include common ionic compounds found in fresh and salt water, the effects of location on forming...
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Geologist and Core Sampling
Third graders observe a cupcake and attempt to answer each question on the observation page. They write three sentences that explains how a geologist takes core samples of the earth's surface. Students make sketches and write...
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Mineral or Maceral Mosaic
Learners study about geologists and their job. They also study that rocks are made up of minerals and organic material by conducting an experiment where they create their own "granite" or "coal".
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Groundwater Pollution Site Assessment
Students study how a geologist examines a hazardous waste spill using an actual site. They use site data to map the spill, find its source and determine how fast the spill is spreading.
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How is Gold Found in the Ground?
Fourth graders participate in a series of activities designed to simulate mining for gold. They pan for "gold" and create a safe tunnel.
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Rocks and Minerals
Take young geologists on an exploration of the collection of rocks and minerals that we call Earth with an upper-elementary science lesson. Through a series of class discussion and hands-on investigations, young scholars learn about...
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The Blast Furnace
The eight slides here progress through the stages of the extraction of iron from its ore. They include the reasons for the process, method overview, and reactions. A slide show produced by students, it is a good example of correct...
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Hill of Fire
Students examine Paricutin eruptions. In this science lesson, students locate Paricutin on a map and take a virtual tour of volcanoes around the world. Students email questions to a geologist and create a news report on the original...
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Interplanetary Travel Guide
In groups of six, middle school space scientists create an imaginative travel brochure for attracting visitors to the planet Mars. Information must include surface features and atmospheric conditions. Although time-consuming, this is a...
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Build Illinois
Learners examine the history of the formation of Illinois. Traveling virtually between time periods, they describe each period and compare them with how Illinois is now. They work together to complete an activity and worksheet.
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Roger the Rock
Here is a creative way to assess your geologists' grasp of the rock cycle: have them write and illustrate a children's book in which the main character journeys though his life, i.e. the rock cycle! A brief student instruction sheet and...
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Rocks Worksheet #3
Here is a worksheet in which junior geologists determine where the igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks might be found on a diagram of rock layers in Earth.s crust. They show what they know through a series of five multiple choice...
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Map your Schoolyard
Learners practice their mapping skills by creating an accurate map of their schoolyard using an aerial photo from the National Map web site. Students include legends, a scale, and a north arrow on their maps.
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Bellwork for Week 4-Geology and the Periodic Table
For this geology and the periodic table worksheet, students answer nine questions about specific minerals, the patterns in the periodic table, and properties of rocks and minerals.
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Three-dimensional cooperative modeling
Students explore what is present below the surface in order to drill into the ground and record the type of material that the drill brings to the surface. They discuss the benefits and drawbacks of distance communications. Students...
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Working With Electronic Topography Maps
Junior geologists examine topographic maps online and learn how to read them. they answer seven associated follow-up questions. This lesson plan is only a general outline and does not provide the details or the websites that you...
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What are Rocks and Minerals? How can they help us?
Sixth graders investigate the difference between rocks and minerals. They name the three kinds of rocks (sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic) and know the differences between them.
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Mount Everest
Young scholars brainstorm about what different professions roles are and what skills they obtain. In this critical thinking lesson, students discuss reasons of why different people would want and need to climb Mount...
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The Same But Different
In this rock comparison worksheet, young scholars read an information chart about common igneous rocks. Then students answer 7 questions about what they've read.
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Fossils
In this fossils activity, students will read 15 statements and determine if it is describing a fossil or not. If it does describe a fossil, students must identify what type of fossil it is. Then students will complete 3 short answer...
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Rock Cycle Activity
A few of the components of this lesson are not possible to carry out because the rock cycle diagram and challenge handouts are not included. Hopefully, you already have your own rock cycle diagram or worksheet to use as a concept...
K12 Reader
The Grand Canyon
After reading s short description of the Grand Canyon, readers demonstrate their ability to use context to determine the meaning of words in the passage.
Teach Engineering
Earthquakes Living Lab: Geology and the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake
We can learn from the past to protect the future. Pairs look at two historical earthquakes: San Francisco, Calif., and Kobe, Japan. Pupils compare the two earthquakes and their impacts, then determine how engineers may use the...
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Find the Epicenter
Eighth graders visit the Virtual Earthquake Web site and complete activities that demonstrate how geologists locate the epicenters of earthquakes. The site uses actual data from historic earthquakes.