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Solar System Lab
In this solar system instructional activity, 8th graders make a scale model of the solar system, answer 5 questions and write a conclusion.
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Do The Research!: Earth
Students are given "High's and Low's" as a topic to research about the Earth. They must answer 3 questions according to their research. This would be a great instructional activity to complete in the computer lab or library.
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Reading Comprehension Worksheet: Planet Earth
After reading five short paragraphs about planet earth, students must answer 4 comprehension questions about the topic. This worksheet provides great practice for state testing in language arts.
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Forces That Shape the Earth: Wind, Water and Erosion
In this forces of nature worksheet, students read a 2 page article on the forces of nature and answer 4 detailed comprehension questions about the forces of nature on Earth.
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Moon Crash
In this moon crash worksheet, students research information about the moon. In a given scenario, students decide which emergency supplies to take in order to survive on the moon.
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The Inner Planets
In this inner planets worksheet, students will list the four inner planets on a chart. Then students will write in information for each of these planets including size and composition, atmosphere, temperatures, surface features, moons,...
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Earth: Mini Book/KWL graphic organizer
In this Earth mini book learning exercise, 1st graders will fold their paper to make a KWL mini book. Students will then write a sentence or two about what they know, want to know and learned about Earth.
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Advanced Reading Comprehension Skills and Earth Literacy
Students brainstorm a list of behaviors they exhibit towards different life forms on Earth. In groups, they categorize organisms into living and non-living components. To end the lesson, they identify ethical elements in their own human...
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Earth is Round?
Third graders discuss how Aristotle concluded that the Earth was round. As a class, they review theories about the Earth's shape and describe how life on Earth would be different if it were flat. Individually, they make a moon book in...
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Life on Earth and Beyond, Our Search for Answers
Students in a special education classroom are introduced to how the universe and solar system was formed. Using the internet, they research the characteristics of Earth that support human life. In groups, they compare and contrast...
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Origins: Earth Is Born
Students develop a timeline of all the major events involved in the formation of the Earth and the emergence of humans. In groups, they focus on a specific topic by watching a PBS program and taking notes. After the video, they list...
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Fueling Around with Energy: A Comparative Study of Conventional and Renewable Energy Use Among Nations
Ninth graders examine the relationship between energy and society. In groups, they define energy sources as renewable or conventional and research how each method contributes to the world's energy. They write about how the patterns of...
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Path to Mars
Students compare Earth and Mars to find similarities between the two planets using given websites. They collect and download pictures of geological features of both planets from print and non-print sources. Descriptions of the...
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The Living Earth
Students discuss glaciers and write a definition for a glacier as a class. After discussion, they participate in an activity that demonstrates how glaciers can cause dramatic changes and create new landforms. Groups discuss their...
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Discover Magazine: Size and Scale
High schoolers research measurements of the moon and Earth as well as the distance between the two in order to create scale models of the Earth-moon system. With a marble to be used as the moon, they must determine how large to make...
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Layers of the Earth: Plate Tectonics
Sixth graders participate in a lesson that is about investigating the different layers of the earth and defining how the plates move over the mantle. They engage in a variety of activities and use mathematics to create projects to...
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Paper Towers
Students have the opportunity to use model-building as a way to help comprehend the forces and phenomena at work in the world around them. They describe gravity as a universal force that pulls everything toward the center of the earth....
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A View Of Home From The Front Door and From Space
Learners discover how distance can change how our view of an object. Students build a representative model of where their home is located from different distances. They create three drawn models of their home from various elevations as...
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Earth System Science
Students investigate the age of the earth by using accepted scientific methods. They conduct research about the use of radioactive dating and there is a simulation activity of the process. Finally, students measure the radioactive decay...
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Voyage: A Journey through our Solar System
Students build the Voyage scale model of the Solar System on a playground and "travel" to each planet. They recognize that the Sun and planets are tiny worlds in a vast space, giving them a new perspective on the Solar System, and...
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Earth Rotation
High schoolers examine the rotation of the Earth as it occurs in the 24 hour cycle. They use models of planets and the globe to make observations of movements made. Students brainstorm prior knowledge and then participate in a...
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Teaching About the Hydrosphere
Eighth graders are introduced to the Earth's hydrologic system including the cycling of water in the atmosphere and the movement of water on the surface of the planet using the Great Lakes watershed as an example.
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Recycling!
The students recall events from Dr. Seuss' story The Lorax and make connections to environmental issues affecting their lives. They are expected to reflect on the facts of the story and respond verbally stating the inferences they made...
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Rocks and Minerals
Students 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, faults,...