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Fossil Fuels (Part III), The Geology of Coal
Do not overlook this set of lessons just because your school does not have a data analysis system. There is plenty of material here to administer a complete mini unit on the formation, distribution, and properties of coal. Since it...
Texas State University
Earth: Deposition and Lithification
Geology geniuses analyze sediment samples with a hand lens and sort according to physical characteristics. They also learn about the processes of cementation, compaction, and lithification within the rock cycle. The lesson plan is...
Curated OER
Longshore Drift
This almost qualifies as an animation. The slides create a step-by-step demonstration of how longshore drift carries sediment along a beach. Arrows appear to show the movement of the waves and a single rock is transported along the way....
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Coasts and Reefs: Shallow Marine Processes
A more thorough presentation on coastal systems would be difficult to find! Detailed diagrams illuminate the offshore, shoreface, foreshore, and backshore zones of beach. The sources and movement of sediments along the coastline are...
Curated OER
Oceanography Worksheet #1
If you are teaching physical oceanography to middle school earth scientists, here is a terrific multiple choice worksheet. Learners look at a diagram of a landscape created by glacial sediment deposition and the resulting ocean floor....
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Sand Shakes & Mud Pies: Investigating Sediment
Take a field trip to a location where water and land meet to study patterns of sediment organization in wet habitats: river or ocean beaches, sand dunes, tidal marshes, the edge of a pond, or a woodland stream. Small groups collect pairs...
Curated OER
Earth Materials - Geology and Plate Tectonics
Not going into depth on any one topic, this Earth science presentation skims the crust. It touches on the materials that construct the crust and then moves into plate tectonics. This is a useful and colorful note-taking guide for your...
Curated OER
Coastal Processes
Hold onto your hats for an in-depth look at erosion and sediment deposition along ocean shores! It begins with four pages of vocabulary definitions and describes the coastal profile. It delves into the different ways that sediments are...
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Deep Sea Vents
Students study the vent and non vent deep sea and see the differences in habitats. In this investigative lesson students complete a worksheet and work in groups.
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"What If The Earth Were Made Of Sand
Students 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 through...
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Soil Composition
Students examine soil. In this soil composition lesson students participate in soil sedimentation and filtration activities. The students discuss what non-living and living things are in soil and why it is so important.
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Let the River Run
Pupils examine deposits found in a river in this science lesson. They collect data of sediment deposit found in the Mississippi river, then graph and analyze their data using the TI.
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A Model of the Rock Cycle
In this rock cycle worksheet, students use different colored crayons to represent different types of rocks. They follow step by step procedures to model the rock cycle with the crayons. Students draw the rock cycle, show weathering,...
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Geologic History PowerPoint Follow Sheet-The Rules of the Game
In this geologic history worksheet, students answer questions about the earth's history, about dating fossils, about layers of rocks and about unconformity.
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How Does Vegetation Decrease Erosion?
In this erosion instructional activity, students will compare what happens to soil when water flows over soil with no vegetation and soil with vegetation. Then, students will complete four short answer questions.
Curated OER
Erosion: Slip Sliding Away
Fourth graders investigate the causes of erosion. Through several demonstrations including one using sugar cubes and warm water, they observe the effects of erosion. In groups, 4th graders conduct similar experiments and record their...
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Geography: examining the Glacial Features of Cape Cod
Students examine satellite images of the glacial features of Cape Cod. They analyze where human activity is located in terms of those features. Students make models of the features, including kettle holes. They also use contour maps...
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Panning for Gold and Magnetite
Students pan for minerals in a stream and discover why magnets attract magenitite but not nonmagnetic grains. They participate in the actual panning process and bag samples to be examined in class. Students recognize minerals by color...
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Science: Making Trace Fossils
Students explore types of fossils and discover how sediment affects fossil preservation. They focus their study on trace fossils and create their own using sediment, water, and a small organism such as a snail or lizard. Students use...
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Erosion Patterns
Fifth graders explore erosion and the different types of sediment. In this erosion patterns lesson students complete an activity and divide into groups and conduct an experiment.
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Metamorphic Rocks and the Rock Cycle
In this rock cycle instructional activity, students will match 7 words to their definitions relating to the rock cycle and metamorphic rocks. Then students will complete 5 short answer questions about the differences between foliated and...
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Shaping the Land
In this shaping the land activity, learners will match 7 vocabulary words relating to the movement of sediments to its definition. Students will read 10 statements about how water and glaciers impact sediment movement and answer true or...
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Wind
In this wind worksheet, students fill in 15 different question blanks that related to wind. First, they define wind erosion and what it picks up and why. Then, students determine the most common form of wind deposit and what type of...
Curated OER
Gravity
In this gravity worksheet, 8th graders complete 4 different questions related to defining gravity. First, they identify the various types of mass movement that is described in each. Then, students explain what each of the 4 types of...