Curated OER
Runaway Greenhouse Effect Exercise
Students role-play biologists, coal geologists, space warfare experts, astronomers, pollution-control scientists, and hydrophysicists as they answer the question, "Why is Venus so much hotter than the Earth?"
Curated OER
Snowman Lesson Plans
Snow and snowmen lesson plans can be studied no matter where you reside.
Curated OER
It's All in the Rocks
Young scholars think critically to determine fact or inference when examining sedimentary layers with embedded fossils. They are being introduced to geology as well as evolutionary biology.
Curated OER
Eye on the Storm
Young scholars discover the way geologists collect information about past hurricanes to determine patterns that may help with storm prediction. They then research the history of natural disasters in different regions of the United States...
Curated OER
Working With Electronic Topography Maps
Junior geologists examine topographic maps online and learn how to read them. they answer seven associated follow-up questions. This lesson plan is only a general outline and does not provide the details or the websites that you would...
Curated OER
Rock Cycle Activity
A few of the components of this lesson are not possible to carry out because the rock cycle diagram and challenge handouts are not included. Hopefully, you already have your own rock cycle diagram or worksheet to use as a concept...
It's About Time
Volcanic History of Your Community
Did you know there are 20 volcanoes erupting at any given time? Pupils look at various igneous rocks, read local geologic maps, and determine if their area has a history of volcanic activity. A reading passage and analysis questions...
K12 Reader
The Grand Canyon
After reading s short description of the Grand Canyon, readers demonstrate their ability to use context to determine the meaning of words in the passage.
University of Southern Indiana
Manifest Density
There's a lot content packed into the four lessons of this physical science unit on density. From salad dressing to the water cycle and hot air balloons, these lessons engage students in hands-on activities that explore real-world...
Curated OER
The Geologists' Dilemma
Learners search in groups of five for colored beads that have been scattered over the classroom. They will search for one of our energy resources represented by one color bead to determine that resources are limited.
Curated OER
Dating Popcorn
Students simulate the dating process with popcorn. In this geology lesson, students discuss how geologist find the age of rocks by gauging the amount of decay of radioactive elements. They have 6 bags of popcorn and each group microwaves...
Curated OER
Find the Epicenter
Eighth graders visit the Virtual Earthquake Web site and complete activities that demonstrate how geologists locate the epicenters of earthquakes. The site uses actual data from historic earthquakes.
Curated OER
Plates on the Move
Students explore how Africa appears to be tearing apart from Asia and tha the other continents are moving and oceans are changing size.
Curated OER
Mineral Exploration Using Remote Sensing
Students use quantitative data that they gather to figure out where there is an ore body in their model. They describe how geologists could use similar information in order to figure geologic patterns and geologic history for a specific...
Project SMART
Rocks and Minerals: Touch the Earth
Students complete a unit of lessons on rocks and minerals. They conduct research, write e-mail questions to geologists, write daily journal entries, label maps demonstrating types of rocks/minerals found, and create a web page that...
Curated OER
Minerals vs. Rocks
Fourth graders are introduced to the characteristics of a variety of minerals and rocks. As a class, they are shown rocks and minerals and asked to describe them as a geologist would. They work together to measure and record their...
Curated OER
Understanding the Geologic Timescale
Learners identify and analyze how the geologic time scale was developed by investigating 11 periods of time and the vast expanse of time of the Earth's existence. They study their period, determine the important factors indicative to...
Curated OER
The Great Continental Drift Mystery
Students stud the concept of Pangaea by using Wegener's clues to construct a map of the continents joined together. They determine how fossil distribution can be used to enhance the study of continental drift. They locate the...
Curated OER
Fossil Hunters!
Students explore the various ways in which geologists create fossil records. Working in pairs, students create a model of a fossil record through a hands on activity. They relate their experience to recent discoveries in geology and...
Carnegie Mellon University
Marcellus Shale: Who Pays?
After viewing short clips of unfortunate events, your class will consider two sides of a homeowner's court case, and then learn about the Marcellus shale deposit beneath the state of Pennsylvania and the hydraulic fracturing process. In...
Curated OER
Calibrated Peer Review: Introduction-Why Study Geology?
Students read an article written by Sarah Andrews, a geologist who has written mystery novels featuring a geologist who solves crimes. After reading the article, students write an essay based on a Writing Prompt and begin peer review...
Curated OER
My Time - Lesson Plan
Students discuss time, organize events like geologists do, become familiar with format of time scale used to organize information about Earth history, create list of 20 major events in their lifetimes, and add information about exactly...
Curated OER
Careers in Mining
Students examine the different careers related to mining. They watch and discuss a video, take a survey of interests and discuss the mining careers that they might be interested in, and create a drawing of themselves doing one of the...
Curated OER
Building a Topographic Model
Students explore Mount Shasta and various locations on Mars to examine ways geographical data can be represented. They study topographic maps and translating data from 2-Dimensions to 3-Dimensions.