Students investigate the current model for the structure of the Earth. On a world map, they mark areas where they think earthquakes and volcanoes occur and compare those areas with earthquake and volcano location patterns.

A thorough description of volcanoes appears in this Earth science activity. Students read facts about volcanoes and answer 20 multiple choice comprehension questions. The answers appear at the end of the activity.

Students read first hand accounts of earthquake survivors in order to begin the describe the different types of earthquake waves and the order in which they arrive. They engage in using earthquake waves as a means to indirectly study the...

In this tidal forces learning exercise, students read about the gravitational pull from the moon that causes the ocean tides. Students solve 3 problems including finding the Roche or the tidal radius for the Earth and Moon, comparing the...

Fifth graders use common household items to build landforms and simulate weathering and erosion.

Students explore parts of an impact crater and compare and contrast craters found in Earth, the Moon, and Mars. Crater formation is modelled and the relationship of mass, velocity, and size of the projectile to the crater formation is...

In this groundwater pollution worksheet, students use a piece of bread to represent the earth, food coloring to represent contaminants in the ground and water to simulate the movement of pollutants with water through the ground. Students...

Young scholars research various legends and write a script based on that legend.  In this cultural awareness lesson, students read the Native American legend telling of the origin of the earth.  Young scholars analyze how the...

Learners discover if information in an article is accurate and current. In this science lesson, students read the story carefully and decide on what the subject of the article is. Learners search the Internet to see more information...

Sixth graders engage in a study of the plates and how they are part of the formation of the ever changing landscape of planet earth. They access web sites that have applications for observation and conducting different activities. The...

Pupils simulate the Earth's plates moving like an earthquake by using newspaper and soil. In this earthquake lesson plan, students push and pull the newspaper together that has soil on top and observe what happens.

Students discover the faults throughout the Earth. They describe the different types of faults and how they are related to earthquakes. They build models of the faults.

For this science worksheet, students find the words that are related to the concept of plate tectonics. The answers are found at the bottom of the page.

Students examine how tectonic plates change the Earth's land. In this geology instructional activity, students are divided into small groups to construct a continent puzzle. Students use transparency pieces to demonstrate how Africa and...

Students complete a final written project. In this personal response lesson, students respond in a creative way to one of the issues presented in the unit.  Students may choose to create a series of postcards from a natural...

Students identify the three layers of the earth: core, mantle and crust. They demonstrate knowledge of the concepts of convergent and divergent motions of the earth and an understanding of plate tectonics.

Students identify that most of mountain ranges found on all major land masses and in the oceans are external reflections of tectonic movements within the earth. They identify that earthquakes and related phenomena are caused by the...

In this earth science fill-in-the-blank worksheet students complete 8 questions about an geology. They see a picture of a rock and a volcano on the page. They check their work with the word bank at the bottom of the page.

Sixth graders explain that earthquakes are sudden motions along breaks in the crust called faults. They list the major geologic events including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and mountain building, which are the result of crustal plate...

Middle schoolers construct a 3-D block model of the ocean floor to study fundamental earth processes. This is a preconstructed cut out that allows the students to put it together but then to add their own colors as well. There is an...

Young scholars discover how volcanic processes differ at convergent and divergent tectonic plate boundaries. They identify three geologic features that are associated with most volcanoes on Earth.

Students explore how and where volcanoes form. They also explore how the interactions between oceanic and continental crust create volcanoes and other mountains and earthquakes in a simulation activity using cardboard of two thicknesses.

Students explore water. In this water cycle lesson, students conduct a scientific investigation that requires build a terrarium models of the earth. Students record their observations of the changes regarding water in the terrarium.

Sixth graders recognize that the Earth was different in different eras. In this Mesozoic Era activity, 6th graders compare the time frame of the different eras and how long they lasted for by graphing them. Students study the...