Curated OER
Is There Water on Mars?
Students decide whether or not there is or has even been water on Mars. They analyze temperature and pressure data from the Pathfinder mission to Mars, and then they analyze images of Mars, interpreting the landforms they see and...
Curated OER
"What If The Earth Were Made Of Sand
Young scholars examine the most common characteristics of clay and sand, and to understand how the properties of these materials affect the erosion of the landscape and the formation of the many landforms. They explore clay and sand...
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Landforms of Illinois
Fifth and sixth graders are introduced to the primary landforms of Illinois and discover how they were created. Landform cards are made for each pupil. They use the twenty-questions format until they have identified each one. Then,...
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Geological Features: How Weathering & Erosion Help Create Landforms
Students explore how the Earth's surface changes resulting in geological features and landforms. They perform a read-a-loud on Thomas
Locker's Mountain Dance, complete a KWL chart, and create a
landform using plaster of paris.
Curated OER
Slip Slidin' Away
Students investigate mechanical weathering as a form of erosion. In this erosion lesson, students, define weathering and erosion before determining how the Earth's surface is in a constant state of change. They watch a video, access...
National Park Service
Glaciers and Water
Explore the amazing power of glaciers with a hands-on earth science experiment! After first learning basic background information, learners go on to create their very own chunks of frozen water and gravel in order to observe first-hand...
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Weathering Landforms
Fifth graders brainstorm a list of ways the Earth's surface can change. As a class, they are introduced to the concepts of erosion and weathering and discover how wind and water cause changes to the surface of the Earth. To end the...
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Weathering Landforms
Stduents create and color plaster landforms, and describe how weathering and erosion change the Earth's surface.
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The Living Earth-Glaciers
Students investigate glaciers. In this earth science lesson, students use sandy ice cubes to observe how glaciers change the land. Students list forces that cause changes in the Earth's surface.
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Earth Surface Socratic Questions
Students explore the ways Earth's surface is shaped by hydrologic, climate and tectonic forces by participating in a whole class discussion. They respond to prompts that lead them to conclusions about the relationships between landforms...
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Earth System Science
Learners explore the Earth and its ability to support life. They discuss the geosphere and the water cycle and complete the Water Wonders activity. After completing the activity, they respond in their journals and reflect upon the...
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Our Ever Changing Earth
First graders study ways in which the earth changes due to erosion and weathering in this series of lessons.
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Gelatin Volcanoes
Students investigate magma flow using gelatin volcano models. In this earth science lesson, students sketch the magma bodies as observed from the top of their model. They explain why magma moves that way.
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How Does Flowing Water Shape a Planet's Surface?
Students investigate how flowing water influence landforms. In this earth science lesson, students observe water behavior as it flows from the stream table at various inclinations. They discuss whether water shaped Mars landforms or not.
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Landforms of Illinois
Students discover the primary landforms of Illinois. They examine how those landforms were formed as well. In groups, they research one of the landforms from their vocabulary list. They create their landform in a shoebox and present it...
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Is There Liquid Water on Mars?
Students assess whether there is liquid water on Mars by analyzing images and data. In this planetary lesson students analyze temperature and pressure graphs and hypothesize about how water could have flowed on Mars.
Curated OER
Rocks and Minerals
Young scholars are able to describe earth processes (e.g., rusting, weathering, erosion) that have affected selected physical features in students, neighborhoods. They are able to identify various earth structures (e.g., mountains,...
NOAA
Currents
A deep ocean current circles the globe at a force that is greater than 16 times all the world's rivers combined. Groups analyze the effects of submarine topography on deep ocean current speed. They then determine how this speed affects...
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Earthquakes on the Surface
Students view topographic or relief maps of Southern California and discuss what they see. They make predictions based on the topography of the region.
Space Awareness
Valleys Deep and Mountains High
Sometimes the best view is from the farthest distance. Satellite imaging makes it possible to create altitude maps from far above the earth. A three-part activity has your young scientists play the role of the satellite and then use...
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Greeks Around the World: A Case Study on Greek Diaspora
Students gain an understanding of the concept of Diaspora relating to Greeks. They use guided discovery to apply the geographic inquiry model to an examination of the reasons for Greek Diaspora.
Curated OER
What is a Karst
Students investigate landforms by holding a class experiment. In this topography lesson, students define the word "karst" and discover why sinkholes are created on the surface of the Earth by completing worksheets. Students create a...
Curated OER
Cold As Ice
Fourth graders investigate how glaciers cause the weathering of landforms. They observe a brick that has been placed on a frozen slab of ice, and discuss the results, comparing them to the movements of a glacier. In small groups, they...
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Sandscapes to Landscapes
Students explore landscapes and create their own in a creative project.