Curated OER
Contour Map Worksheet #2
Following a contour map of a hill, a stream, and the ocean, are five multiple choice questions. Earth science enthusiasts determine elevation, direction of water flow, distance, and steepness. They also match the map to a selection of...
NOAA
The Biggest Plates on Earth
The deepest part of the ocean is the Marianas trench where two tectonic plates meet. Scholars explore plate tectonics and their boundary types by completing hands-on activities throughout the lesson. Specific areas, such as the Galapagos...
Curated OER
Worksheet 3: Earth's Climate System II
A diagram of a mountain range and the prevailing winds is shown at the top of the page. Meteorology pupils describe the weather conditions at different points on the diagram. They explain the El Nino effect and why evaporation and...
Curated OER
Our Poetic Planet - Writing Poems about the Earth
As a way to combine language arts and science, try this lesson on writing cloud poetry. Begin by showing a PowerPoint presentation and images of cloud types. Take meteorology masters outdoors to explore the sky using the provided "Cloud...
Curated OER
How Much is Dirt Worth?
Dirt is worthless, isn't it? Find out the true value of dirt, and by dirt I mean soil. The class explores what makes soil, the types of soil, and what happens when soil becomes void of its nutrients. There are several great activities,...
Royal Society of Chemistry
Separating Mixtures: How We Concentrate Natural Materials
Have your class look at a granite specimen and describe what they see. They should note three distinct components. Discuss mixtures with them and how they might be separated, then send them to the lab to figure out how to take apart five...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Solar Structures
It's time to soak up the sun! Youngsters read about active and passive solar heating systems, then they collaborate to create a miniature solar-heated building. Provide a variety of materials for them to incorporate and watch their...
Curated OER
What on Earth is Matter?
A somewhat strangely formatted slide show that contains multiple examples of matter types. The classification and state explanations given would be useful as practice of substance identification and the heating curve may prove to be...
Curated OER
The Garbage Patch: Two Earth day Lessons
Students view a seven minute video called Gorilla in the Greenhouse. In this Earth day lesson, students review the history of Earth day. Students work in groups to describe the life cycle of a plastic bag. Students understand that...
Curated OER
Antarctica’s Melting and the Affect it has on the Ocean
Students calculate how much mass is lost and gained by Antarctica yearly. In this earth science lesson, students graph and analyze data from the given handout. They explain how this affects the world climate.
Curated OER
Watershed Protection
Students explore environmental care by participating in an Earth science activity. In this clean water instructional activity, students discuss what a watershed is, how they become polluted, and how it affects the overall quality of...
NOAA
Wooly Magma
Model the earth's core with a neat activity that uses science as an inquiry and step-by-step procedures. The activity acquires a lot of assistance from the teacher or volunteer helpers.
K12 Reader
Why Does the Moon Orbit Earth?
Have you ever looked up at the moon and wondered why it looks different every night? Learn about the moon's orbit and the lunar cycle with a reading comprehension exercise. Using context clues, kids find the definitions of unfamiliar...
Curated OER
Sun and Shadows
Why do shadows look different in the summer than in the winter? What causes day and night? How can a sundial be used to tell time? Answer these questions and more through two engaging lessons about light and shadows. Fourth and fifth...
World Wildlife Fund
Land of the Midnight Sun
From days of 24 hour sunlight, to endless nights that last for days, the Arctic is a very unique place to live. Examine the seasonal changes that occur in the northern-most reaches of the globe and the impact they have on the plants and...
Core Knowledge Foundation
A Time for All Seasons - Summer
The sun is shining and the birds are singing, what better time to teach young learners about the fun season of summer. In this week-long science series, children learn how the rotation and orbit of the earth influence...
Columbus City Schools
Moon Phase Mania
Now you see it, now you don't. Our moon seems to pull a disappearing act from time to time—but why? Take your seventh grade scientists above and beyond to discover the truth about the moon and the role it plays in Earth's little...
Curated OER
Earthquakes: Second Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
What causes earthquakes? Second graders learn about stresses from plate movement with a set of hands-on activities. After tracing fault lines on a map with yarn, class members create a paper plate model of Earth to show its layers...
Space Awareness
Climate Zones
The climate at the equator is hotter than the climate at the poles, but why? The instructional activity goes in depth, explaining how the angles of illumination relate to the heating rate at different latitudes and seasons. Scholars use...
Curated OER
The Greenhouse Effect
For this Earth Science worksheet, students read about the Greenhouse Effect and the difference between natural and amplified warming. Following, they answer ten short answer questions related to what they read about global climate issues.
Core Knowledge Foundation
A Time for All Seasons - Winter
As the days get shorter and a chill enters the air, it's time to start teaching your little ones about the wondrous winter season. Through a series of teacher demonstrations, whole-class read alouds and discussions, and hands-on...
NOAA
Why Should I Care?: Show How Increased Carbon Dioxide Makes the Ocean More Acidic
How does a change in pH affect the ocean ecosystem? Scholars explore the idea by making an acid-base indicator in part seven of the 10-installment Discover Your Changing World series. First, they explore impacts of carbon dioxide in...
Curated OER
Apparent Motion of the Sun
Demonstrate the path of the sun across the sky at different times of the year with an engaging science lesson. Learners use a series of questions and diagrams to examine the movement of the sun and appearance of the sky around...
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics: Fifth Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
Fifth graders continue their investigation of the plate tectonics cycle with an exploration of the movement of Earth's crust. During the lab, young geologists conduct an experiment to discover the result of different types of...