Curated OER
Spaceship Earth
Students consider the earth and its problems as a system. They examine the fragility of that system when population, pollution, 1st world verse 3rd world, terrorism, etc., are considered as interactive parts of a spaceship earth.
Curated OER
Earth Day...Comin Atcha!!!
Students explore the idea of consequence that every individual leaves a daily environmental footprint. They read articles about creative solutions to solid waste issues and then create an artwork from household trash.
University of Colorado
Terra Bagga
Earth's magnetic poles switch positions about every 200,000—300,000 years. In the activity, groups create a planet with a magnetic field. Once made, they use a magnetometer to determine the orientation of the planet's magnetic field....
University of Colorado
Terra Bagga
One way to identify possible volcanic activity on other planets is by testing the planet for magnetism. A science lesson begins with pupils constructing their own planet from a dead battery, magnets, paper, and tape before labeling the...
Curated OER
SCHOOLYARD SUNDIAL
Young scholars study the apparent motion of the Sun in the sky over the course of a day and a year, and analyze what causes seasons on Earth. They participate in a project that has both a science as well as an art component.
Curated OER
Creatasaurus
Upper elementary children still are intrigued by dinosaurs. Here is a dinosaur lesson that is geared toward their age group! The learners consider a list of prefixes and suffixes. Using the list, they can analyze the names of their...
Curated OER
Leadership Qualities: Ender's Game
What are the important character traits of a good military leader? Individuals ponder this question before reading Orson Scott Card's science fiction novel, Ender's Game. After individuals rank a series of qualities, groups meet, compare...
Curated OER
Crowley's Ridge: An Upland in the Lowlands
This clever lesson combines elements of geography, art, literature, and storytelling. Pupils take a close look at the six geographical regions of Arkansas, and pay close attention to Crowley's Ridge - which is one of the six. In groups,...
Curated OER
Save the Earth: It's Everyone's Home!
Students create artwork to remind them to conserve the Earth. In this conservation lesson plan, students discuss the Earth's conservation and then create an art project representing what they can do to conserve.
Curated OER
Great Explorations: To the End of the Earth and Beyond
Students analyze the factors that affect exploration such as religion, trade, territorial expansion, and science. In this Great Explorations lesson plan, students determine the names of famous explorers as well as their routes and...
Curated OER
Environmental Art
Students create their own environmental art after the teacher shows them a variety of example and has a discussion about it. They then write an initial personal definition of environmental art.
Curated OER
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Learners participate in a recycling campaign. In this recycling lesson, students create an Earth Day display for a local store. Learners design a mural as a reminder to people of ways to reduce, reuse and recycle.
Curated OER
Planet Interiors
Learners view cut-away images of the planets' interiors, comparing and contrasting them with the Earth's in written form. Students also classify each planet as "terrestrial" or "Jovian". The Planet Interiors applet on the CSA website...
Curated OER
The Reasons for the Season
Learners explain the reason for the changes in season. In this lesson examining the relationship between the Earth and the Sun, students use an applet to discover how the alignment of the Earth and the Sun cause the change in seasons.
Smithsonian Institution
Watching Crystals Grow
Amazing science can sometimes happen right before your eyes! The class gets cozy as they watch crystals grow. They use Epsom salts, rocks, and food coloring to create crystals. They'll observe the entire process, documenting every step...
Curated OER
Food for Spaceflight
When astronauts get hungry in outer space, they can't just call and have a pizza delivered. In order to gain an appreciation for the challenges associated with space travel, young learners are given the task of selecting, testing, and...
Curated OER
The Impact
Learn about the destruction of the rainforest by analyzing statistics. Young learners make an original line graph showing destruction in the rainforest. Additional activities include making a collage, sequencing Dr. Seuss' The Lorax,...
Curated OER
Birthstone Project With a Multimedia Twist
Students research and discover their birthstones, studying the stones within the context of earth science. They examine the mineral industry, their own birthstones, and create multimedia presentations.
Curated OER
The Dynamic Earth
Young scholars use the Internet to investigate earthquakes and plate tectonics. In this plate tectonics instructional activity, students complete a web quest with multiple links and activity types relating to earthquakes and volcanoes....
Curated OER
Save the Earth: It's Everyone's Home!
Students organize a donation drive based on the concept of reusing items for an animal shelter. In this reusing items lesson plan, students distinguish between reusable and non reusable items, have a donation drive, and use the...
Curated OER
Rockin? Chalk (Integrating science - make own chalk)
Students use plaster of Paris, talc, and cornstarch to create their own chalk. They hypothesize what mixture of ingredients produce the "best" chalk. Students discuss what they think are the characteristics of the "best" chalk.
Curated OER
Save the Earth, it's Everyone's Home!
Students examine trash for items to recycle and reuse. In this trash lesson, students explore how people in the community can use recycled and reused items as they play a recycling game.
Curated OER
The Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change
Students analyze the impact of climate variability and change utilizing a broad span of topics over a wide range of grade levels. This three lesson unit is easily adapted for the various instructional levels listed.
Curated OER
Puzzle it Out
Students study the Earth's climatic system and construct a puzzle that names all of the pieces of the components involved. In this Climate lesson plan, students draw a picture on a puzzle piece depicting a specific component. Students...