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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Interpreting the History, Geology, and Ecology of Monterey Bay

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students explore what they know about Monterey Bay in the special topics course and share their information with K-12 grade children at local schools by participating in the Virtual Canyon Project. Students in this service learning...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Geologic TimeString

For Teachers 4th - 10th
Students create a simple tool to visualize geologic time. They create knots to represent the K/T, P/T and Precambrian boundaries in a 4.6 meter string with each millimeter representing one million years. They then refer back to this...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making The Geologic Time Scale Real

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students construct a geologic timeline the size of a football field. They work in small groups to calculate the yardage for significant events in the Earth's history and then as a class pace out all of the events.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Structural Geology Laboratory

For Teachers K - 12th
Students explore modeling of geologic structures in experiments. They study how compressive and tensile forces produce these structures. The compression makes the flatlying strata shorter and tension make the strata longer.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Map your Schoolyard

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Young scholars 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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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fossils and Geologic Time

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers explore the development of the geologic time scale. They examine the major time periods in earth's history. Students discuss the role fossils play in helping us understand history.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Antarctica

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Learners explore why Antarctica is so important to the planet. They investigate the physical characteristics. Students create their own unique treaty of governance for Antarctica and discuss how laws are enforced in Antarctica.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Three Main Rock Groups

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students are introduced to igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. They use foods to demonstrate the basic formation of each type of rock, read books about rock formation and view related videos.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Trickles Down?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers explore different levels of permeability and compare the permeabilities of several different materials. They are introduced to the basic concepts of building design, landscape architecture, and environmental pollutant...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Discovering New Mexico

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders discuss the elements of maps and using basic linear measurement. They calculate the distance between the cities and create a simulated journey around New Mexico using a road map. They write out the directions for their...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Memory Game

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Young scholars create cards for a memory game by entering data into a spreadsheet that is then merged into a word processing document. Tutorials are available through links on the activity page.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth's History

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders investigate how fossils are formed. They analyze a photo of the Grand Canyon, and create a fossil cast and mold using plaster of paris and shells.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Land Use Issues

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Learners observe and describe the properties of rocks and their significance relationship in the environment. They explain the implications of destroying habitats and the importance of rebuilding them.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How We Use Rocks: Part 1

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders read books about rocks, observe rocks and locate a special rock to observe more closely. They complete a worksheet about the chosen rock and create an art project using rocks or pebbles.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Find the Epicenter

For Teachers 8th
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.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plate Tectonics

For Teachers 3rd - 10th
Young scholars identify the three layers of the earth: core, mantle and crust. They demonstrate knowledge of the concepts of convergent and divergent motions of the earth and an understanding of plate tectonics.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Chesapeake Bay Fossils/Geology

For Teachers 5th - 10th
Students define and investigate paleontology, research geological history of the Chesapeake Bay, review geological time line, and identify fossils of the Chesapeake Bay.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Distance Between Us and Them: Sea Floor Spreading in the Atlantic Ocean

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine how geologists determine rates of sea floor spreading between two tectonic plates. They apply mathematical concepts such as the calculation and use of velocities and conversion from one set of units to another.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Modeling Geologic Time

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students design, construct and interpret a model of geologic time and investigate change through geologic time.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earthquake Depth

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students research and locate earthquake epicenters on a map using latitude and longitude. They determine if the depth of an earthquake has any relationship to the distance from a plate boundary.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Integrating Physical Science and the Geological Environment

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students undertake a series of experiments and activities related to geology, especially in Connecticut. They evaluate types of rocks, minerals, and crystals, exploring the main concepts of geology.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Inferring Ancient Environments From Fossil Foraminifera

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students use a reference diagram of fossil foraminifera with their paleo-water-depth assignments to interpret the water-depth of a particular area of California during the geologic past.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Geology Activities: Rock Making

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Young scholars create their own gems using a simple experiment and learning process in class.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ape Cave Exploration

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students simulate online the formation of Ape Cave, in order to better explain its construction. They observe, illustrate and discuss geological features of this lava tube.