Pupils investigate how to read topographic maps.  In this map reading lesson students complete a topographic map activity. 

Fourth graders study the Grand Canyon. They research the Grand Canyon and locate the Colorado River on the map of Arizona. They discuss erosion and read how sedimentary rock was formed. They view photographs of the Grand Canyon and...

Students learn in cooperative learning groups to determine how the equator and the Prime Meridian divide the earth into hemispheres and use Venn diagrams. Students will locate and label the hemispheres, continents, and oceans.

Students complete activities to examine the properties of water. In this water science lesson, students read a book about water's forms and study a map or globe of the Earth to investigate water. Students discuss living things that need...

Middle schoolers develop their globe skills. In this geography skills lesson, students use a globe and a softball to replicate distance between the earth and its moon.

Students use geographic information to make an outline map of Africa, then demonstrate their understanding of the physical landscape of Africa by using a variety of materials to create a physical map of Africa

Reinforce the use of an atlas and reference materials with writers. They discover how geographic location can make living easier or harder. They draw an assigned journey on a map, categorize survival needs, and prioritize options during...

Young scholars explore landscapes and create their own in a creative project.

Students study the time period after the Revolutionary War when people were striving to move away from the coastal areas and look for pathways to the west. Westerward expansion is a central theme and students use a variety of resources...

Students investigate a variety of maps to explain what each one is used for.

Most of this lesson is spent working on the "Bathymetry Worksheet." It includes a graph of the changes in sea level over the past 150,000 years and a bathymetric map of changes in an imaginary coastline over time. Participants answer...

First graders discuss what part of the world their ancestors came from. They locate the locations on a map and discuss the differences and similarities of each continent and their people. They become familiar with the traditional...

Connect the geography and history of Illinois using an art-centered lesson on the railroads. The railroad connected once-distant places, particularly in the Midwest. Using research, class members create postcards of fictional cross-state...

Students discuss the importance of "land." They review the four types of land classification--urban, rural, agricultural and conservation--and participate in an activity involving an apple that demonstrates the use of land in Hawaii....

Seventh graders examine the Tennessee River to see why it is still a major transportation artery in lieu of the age of modern transportation such as interstate highways, air cargo, and elaborate railway systems.

El Nino, and the climate changes that go along with it, are the focus of this Earth Science lesson. Learners pay particular attention to the wind patterns that are established on Earth, and look at weather maps to see how El Nino can...

Students discuss the history of cacao and its use in the production of chocolate. They analyze actual cacao pods and record their observations. Finally they create a five minute contour drawing of the cacao pod and seeds.

Students become aware of the history behind pizza and how it was adapted to the economic and geographic conditions of the United States. They have a basic understanding of the concepts of supply and demand.

High schoolers use the internet to gather information on the Japanese Gardens. They discuss topics with a horticulturist and build a replica of the gardens at their school. They work together to identify different types of plants.

Students communicate via e-mail with other students to learn about pets, animals of interest , and geography from different parts of the world. Vocabulary focuses on rural, urban, and suburban areas.

It's a shame that there are no photographs in this presentation because the information is fascinating! Each identically fashioned slide contains bullet points of information about Antarctica that will enhance an earth science...

Students create a scale model time linen of the Earth's 4.6 billion year history. They calculate a scale that can fit on a very long register tape then label each geologic era. They use text books to annotate each era with major geologic...

Begin by showing a six-minute video, Changing Planet: Rising Sea Level as an anticipatory set. Pupils draw a topographic map of a potato continent. Finally, they will visit NOAA's sea levels online map and NASA's carbon dioxide...

See how estimation is essential to making temperature weather maps. Scholars use ratios and rates of change to estimate temperatures at locations where temperature readings have not been made. They connect this idea to linear functions.