Chicago Botanic Garden
The Carbon Cycle
There is 30 percent more carbon in the atmosphere today than there was 150 years ago. The first lesson in the four-part series teaches classes about the carbon cycle. Over two to three days, classes make a model of the cycle, add missing...
Journey Through the Universe
Our Solar System
Take your class on a journey through our solar system. Learners explore each planet, from Mercury to Pluto, and discuss various features that differentiate one from another. They complete activities related to the topics and discuss the...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Climate Change Around the World
It is unknown if cloud cover increases in response to carbon dioxide levels changing, helping climate change slow down, or if cloud cover decreases, allowing Earth to warm faster. Part four in the series of five lessons has classes...
US Environmental Protection Agency
Water Purification by Evaporation and Condensation
This easy-to-perform demonstration shows students how the water cycle, specifically the processes of condensation and evaporation, purifies Earth's water supply. Just mix up some water, dirt, and gravel in a glass bowl, place a cup in...
It's About Time
Our Community's Place Among the Stars
But isn't the Milky Way a candy bar? Lead a detailed discussion on the complex topic of our solar system and the Milky Way Galaxy as the class explores stellar evolution, structure, and investigates the relationship between luminosity...
University of Colorado
Distance = Rate x Time
Every year, the moon moves 3.8 cm farther from Earth. In the 11th part of 22, classes use the distance formula. They determine the distance to the moon based upon given data and then graph Galileo spacecraft data to determine its movement.
NASA
Tools to Study Tornadoes and Galaxies
Take your class on an intergalactic journey as they explore the galaxy and various meteorological events taking place in our atmosphere each day. Learners investigate electromagnetic waves and the Doppler Effect before gathering radar...
Curated OER
Storm Clouds-- Fly over a Late Winter Storm onboard a NASA Earth Observing Satellite
Students study cloud data and weather maps to explore cloud activity. In this cloud data lesson students locate latitude and longitude coordinates and determine cloud cover percentages.
National Wildlife Federation
The Amazing Adventures of Carbon: How Carbon Cycles through the Earth
Here's a stat for your pupils: 18 percent of the human body is carbon! Part 10 in the series of 12 takes pairs on an adventure through the carbon cycle. After a class reading about carbon, pairs read and choose their own adventure...
Curated OER
Modeling the Greenhouse Effect
Students simulate the greenhouse effect and draw a model of what he/she thinks is happening. They draw inferences from the model and from other resources to determine possible outcomes of increased earth temperatures.
Curated OER
Pangaea Puzzle
Learners explore plate tectonics and the formations of the Earth's surface and why maps are distorted. For this Earth's surface lesson students complete a lab and answer questions.
Curated OER
Earth's Hydrologic Cycle
Learners examine the water cycle. In this hydrologic cycle lesson, students follow the provided procedures to demonstrate the how water moves around the planet through the dynamics of the water cycle.
Curated OER
Create a Cloud In a Jar
Students investigate cloud formation. In this weather lesson, students examine how clouds are formed. Students participate in experiments that model how water vapor in the air works.
Curated OER
The International Space Station-Follow that Graph!
In this altitude change of the International Space Station instructional activity, learners observe a graph of the change in altitude of the space station over time due to the Earth's drag. Students solve 3 problems using the data in the...
Curated OER
Climate Shifts
Eight slides of information related to shifts in the climate make up this presentation. The vocabulary and concepts displayed are geared toward high school meteorology learners. Content is not cohesive from slide to slide, but the...
Curated OER
Using the Very, Very Simple Climate Model in the Classroom
Learners study the relationship between the average global temperature and carbon dioxide emissions. For this weather lesson students develop a test scenario using a model then read and interpret graphs of data.
Curated OER
Sun's Impact On Earth's Temperature
Students view NASA images and movies of Venus, Earth, and Mars to deduce weather patterns and manipulate computer models to test competing hypotheses. They manipulate computer models to investigate the influence of solar distance and...
Curated OER
Historic Earth Science Innovations
Pupils research the demands or limitations on Earth scientists. In groups, they design and build a model that would be useful to them in the lab or field. They share their model and their ideas behind it to the class and answer any...
Curated OER
Weather and Atmosphere
Seventh graders explain the layers of the atmosphere. They identify the causes of air pollution. They analyze real world weather data. They explore and describe clouds. They develop models to explain atmosphere and weather.
Curated OER
Ground Water: Construct a Model Aquifer
Students recognize that one source of drinking water is ground water located in aquifers. They create a model of an aquifer and summarize their experience in a report.
University of New Orleans
Rock Cycle and Rocks Lab
Science rocks! Explore three types of rocks and the rock cycle with an igneous rocks experiment. Pupils discuss textures, composition, and learn how melts are formed from the Earth's crust. They weigh materials using a scientific scale...
Curated OER
Greenhouse in a Bottle
Students create models of the greenhouse effect using recycled 2-liter bottles. They discuss how their models compares to the real greenhouse effect the earth experiences.
Curated OER
Where in the World Is All the Water?
Students investigate the distribution of the earth's water. They conduct a demonstration of water distribution, and create a pie graph to display the results.
Curated OER
Round and Round-The Water Cycle
Students explore the water cycle. In this earth science lesson plan, students work in small groups to read various books on the water cycle and take notes on chart paper. Students share their notes and teach a younger audience what they...