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Unit Plan
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Core Knowledge Foundation

The History of the Earth Tell It Again!™ Read-Aloud Anthology

For Teachers 1st Standards
A read-aloud anthology focuses on Earth's history. Over three weeks, young scholars listen to and discuss stories about the layers of the Earth, minerals, fossils, different kinds of rocks, and dinosaurs. After the lesson's text, each...
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Unit Plan
Columbus City Schools

The Mystery of Earth’s History

For Students 8th Standards
Every living creature can leave a fossil record, yet most fossils belong to extinct organisms rather than ones currently living. Scholars learn about dating rock layers, fossils, and the environment of the past. Pupils understand that...
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Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

Navigation in the Ancient Mediterranean and Beyond

For Teachers 9th - 11th Standards
Ancient texts, like Homer's Odyssey, mentions navigating ships by observing constellations. Pupils learn about the link between history and astronomy as they relate to navigation in the Bronze Age. Scholars complete two hands-on...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Google Earth Geology Field Trip

For Teachers 2nd - 7th
Students take a virtual field trip around California using Google Earth. In this geology field trip instructional activity, students explore landforms and a variety of rocks located in California.  Students compare environments where...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dinosaur Eggs Discovered! Unscrambling the Clues

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Just a heads up: this lesson is based on a book, Dinosaur Eggs Discovered! Unscrambling the Clues. If you do not have or do not want to purchase the book, you may still find the other activities and worksheets useful in your earth...
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Lesson Plan
PHET

The Earth as a Magnet

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
Everyone loves playing with magnets and iron filings. Here, young scientists first observe and then participate in an activity demonstrating magnetic fields. After completing their observations, they apply this knowledge to...
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Organizer
Curated OER

Geological Time Line Comparison-Earth and Missouri

For Students 8th - 10th
In this geological time line worksheet, students compare the time lines they created of the earth's history to the history of Missouri. They answer questions about the eras, the scale of the time lines and the major events that occurred...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Following the Trail of Evidence

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
One important skill in analyzing scientific evidence is identifying facts versus opinions. Scholars identify pieces of evidence from the film The Day the Mesozoic Died and then discuss this evidence in small groups at the end of each act...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Roman Holiday in Google Earth

For Teachers 6th - 7th
Students plan an itinerary for an educational trip to Rome. In this research skills lesson, students use Google Earth to conduct research for their project in their travel teams. Students also set up blogs to share their progress through...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Volcanoes: Windows Into The Earth

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Young scholars investigate the concepts related to volcanoes and focus upon Mt. St. Helens. They define the difference between an active and dormant volcano. They conduct research using a variety of resources. The information is used in...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Classroom Activities: EarthViewer

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The spot you are standing in right now—how did it look 2,000 years ago, one million years ago, or even four billion years ago? Scholars use a model of Earth throughout history to learn about continental drift, climate change, changes in...
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Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

History of the Universe

For Students 3rd - 5th
Your pupils may believe that you and their parents are the oldest things in the universe, but surprise! There are elements of the universe that are even older. Elementary scientists create a class timeline to demonstrate the expansive...
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Activity
It's About Time

The History and Scale of the Solar System

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Take scientists beyond our earthly reach and into the solar system. Pupils create a model of the solar system and discuss strengths and weaknesses of their model. They calculate distances in light years, discuss the nebular theory, and...
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Interactive
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Geological History of Oxygen

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Earth didn't always have oxygen, so what caused the change that allows humans to live here? Learn about the change in O2 levels throughout geological history through an interactive graph. Each section offers greater detail on the changes...
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Activity
NOAA

Earth Origami

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
After reading a brief history of Carl Skalak's journey on the open waters, scholars make a three-dimensional model of the Earth out of an Origami balloon using a printable decorated as the Earth.
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Unit Plan
Simon & Schuster

Classroom Activities for The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
An 11-page packet includes three activities to engage pupils in reading Pearl S. Buck's The Good Earth. To understand the historical context, class members research a list of topics related to Chinese history and culture. They then...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Middle and Recent Earth History

For Students 7th - 9th
In this middle and recent Earth history worksheet, students are given 20 statements about the changes in the Earth and life on Earth and they determine if they are true or false. If the statements are false, students change the...
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Activity
K-State Research and Extensions

Peanut Butter Geology

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Why are there old dinosaur bones in the museum? Because they can't afford new ones! The chapter contains seven hands-on activities at four different levels covering geological eras, dinosaurs, timelines, and statigraphy. 
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Lesson Plan
Journey Through the Universe

Impact Craters: A Look at the Past

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
The Galle crater on Mars is also known as the Happy Face crater because of its appearance. First, scholars use pebbles and flour to simulate craters and study their properties. They then apply this knowledge to help decipher the history...
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Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

EarthViewer Climate Guide Activity

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
What did Earth look like 4.5 billion years ago, and what was the climate like then? Scholars explore a view of Earth throughout history. They observe continents moving, temperatures fluctuating, and huge changes in ecosystems. A...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sun and Shadows

For Teachers 4th - 5th Standards
Why do shadows look different in the summer than in the winter? What causes day and night? How can a sundial be used to tell time? Answer these questions and more through two engaging lessons about light and shadows. Fourth and fifth...
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Activity
It's About Time

Volcanic History of Your Community

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
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...
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Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

How To Travel On Earth Without Getting Lost

For Teachers 3rd - 7th Standards
Have you ever wanted to travel the world? Take a virtual trip with a geography instructional activity that uses longitude and latitude, the position of the sun, an astronomy app, and a classroom globe.
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Lesson Plan
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Illustrative Mathematics

Eratosthenes and the Circumference of the Earth

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The class gets to practice being a mathematician in ancient Greece, performing geometric application problems in the way of Eratosthenes. After following the steps of the great mathematicians, they then compare the (surprisingly...