Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Images of Our Changing Earth

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students identify and explain that remote sensing can detect changes on the Earth's surface that occur over time, and name at least three: urbanization, deforestation, and succession. They select a global change issue to investigate and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Planets or Not, Here We Come!

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students, working in groups, research planets in terms of the size, temperature, number of moons, and potential for life. They use packets and worksheets as guides for their research. Students may role-play as aliens visiting their...
Worksheet
Curated OER

ISS-Orbit Altitude Changes

For Students 10th - 12th
For this ISS-Orbit worksheet, students read about the International Space Station and determine the altitude of the station on April 2009 given the re-boosting necessary to prevent the Space Station from burning up in the atmosphere.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Weather Patterns

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Pupils collect weather data over a thirty day period to gain an increased understanding of the weather patterns in their area. Once the data is collected, students post their finding online using a web tool. Finally, pupils attempt to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Discovering the Physical Geography of Washington

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students develop a mental map of the state of Washington and draw it on paper. Using the Virtual Atlas, they identify the physical features of the state and draw them on their map. They also examine the populations and diversity of the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Strawkets and Control

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students investigate the effect that fins have on rocket flight. They construct two paper rockets that they can launch by blowing through a straw, one with fins and one with wings, and observe and record the results of the rocket flights.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's in My Water, and How Did it Get There?

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Learners analyze water samples to see the contaminants and then use the Internet to find the sources of the contamination.  In this investigative water lesson students analyze water and work together to solve the mystery of...
Organizer
Curated OER

Earth's Atmosphere

For Students 7th - 12th
In this atmosphere worksheet, students will fill in information about each of the earth's atmospheric layers, including the troposphere, stratosphere, and mesosphere.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Jupiter - King of the Planets

For Students 5th - 6th
In this Jupiter worksheet, students read a passage about the environment and atmosphere of Jupiter. Students then answer several multiple choice questions about the passage.
Lesson Plan
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Physical Characteristics of the Troposphere

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students examine troposphere graphs and mcompare their hypotheses with data collected by weather balloons launched from the NOAA ship, Ronald H. Brown. they write summaries about the physical properties of the troposphere.
Lesson Plan
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Drip... Drop... Raindrops

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students demonstrate the steps of evaporation, cloud formation, and precipitation within the water cycle. They make and demonstrate how to use a hygrometer to record daily humidity and describe how rain, snow, and sleet form.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Pollution Disrupts Our Natural Environment

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students conduct experiments to illustrate global warming. For this air pollution lesson, students first examine how a layer of greenhouse gasses might impact the earth's atmospheric temperature, then evaluate how the layer of gasses...
Lesson Plan
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Rust Never Sleeps

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate oxidation-reduction reactions involving iron by conducting an experiment in which they expose iron filings to different atmospheric and ocean conditions. They relate the results to the oxidation banding patterns seen...
Lesson Plan
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How Does Your Garden Grow? Discovering How Weather Patterns Affect Natural Cycles

For Teachers 7th - 12th
For the warm-up in this cool climate lesson, you will need to click on "Mapping" and then "US Mapping" once you arrive at NOAA's "US Climate at a Glance" page. Earth science explorers realize that 2012 was a warm winter for us. They read...
Activity
American Museum of Natural History

Make Your Own Weather Station

For Students 6th - 12th
Scholars build a weather station equipped with a wind vane, rain gauge, and barometer. Following an informative page about the weather, learners follow steps to build their pieces then turn into meteorologists to chart the weather they...
Lesson Plan
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Space Science: Adventure is Waiting

For Teachers 4th - 6th
These full-color handouts feature two activities. The first is a reading on comets, meteors, and meteoroids. Your space science learners will examine ten phrases and determine which of the three each characterizes. The second activity...
Lesson Plan
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Geologic Sequestration

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students investigate how geologic sequestration reduces carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere. In this earth science lesson, students simulate oil mining in the lab. They write down their observations and complete the lab report...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Environmental Issues

For Students 8th - 10th
In this environmental issues worksheet, learners are given 10 current topics that are problems in our environment today. They complete sentences about each topic by filling in the blanks with the appropriate terms. Some of the issues...
Lesson Plan
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Let's Heat Things Up!

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Young scholars build and evaluate simple models to understand the greenhouse effect. They explore the role of increased greenhouse gas concentration in global warming, and the implications of global warming theory for engineers,...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Planets Worksheet

For Students 4th - 5th
In this planets worksheet, students use Internet research to complete 5 pages about solar system facts. Students answer 25 essay questions and label a diagram of the solar system.
Worksheet
NASA

Auroras

For Students 7th - 9th
In this auroras worksheet, students define 11 terms related to space phenomena such as auroras, coronal mass ejections and auroral ovals. Students use a given website to help them define the terms and they write a 500 word essay about...
Lesson Plan
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Natural Disaster

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Describe how plate tectonics account for various land formations. Learners discuss different marine sanctuaries and create a poster about tectonic activity in these areas. They share their posters with the class.
Lesson Plan
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World In Motion Curriculum

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore the night sky and its solar system. Using a Digitarium planetarium system, students observe four constellations. They discover the phases of the moon and eclipses. Students recognize the difference between normal and...
Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

Investigating the Hydrosphere

For Teachers 4th - 8th
No matter the scientific discipline, your students can benefit from a study of water.