Curated OER
Sun and Shadows
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...
Illustrative Mathematics
Eratosthenes and the Circumference of the Earth
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...
Curated OER
Making The Geologic Time Scale Real
Students construct a geologic timeline the size of a football field. They work in small groups to calculate the yardage for significant events in the Earth's history and then as a class pace out all of the events.
Curated OER
Earth Day Trash Survey Unit
Students participate in local Earth Day activities. They keep track of the types of trash they pick up. They aggregate their data to develop whole-class statistics of what they found.
Illustrative Mathematics
The Lighthouse Problem
Long considered the symbol of safe harbor and steadfast waiting, the lighthouse gets a mathematical treatment. The straightforward question of distance to the horizon is carefully presented, followed by a look into the...
Mathematics Vision Project
Geometric Figures
Logical thinking is at the forefront of this jam-packed lesson, with young mathematicians not only investigating geometric concepts but also how they "know what they know". Through each activity and worksheet, learners wrestle with...
NASA
Lava Layering: Making and Mapping a Volcano
Looking for an out-of-this-world volcanic activity? Geologists study Earth's volcanic history and the neighboring planet Mars by modeling volcanic eruptions, lava flows, and building a shield volcano. Participants use graph paper and...
Curated OER
Eratosthenes And Radius of the Earth
Students calculate the radius of the earth. They use the method and data suggested by Eratosthenes. They investigate the interrelationships among mass, distance, force, and time through experimental processes.
Curated OER
Measuring the Earth (Eratoshenes' method)
Sixth graders engage in problem solving, communicating, reasoning, and connecting to represent and solve problems, using geometric models.
Consortium for Ocean Leadership
Measure for Measure
How does your class measure up? Young scientists create a scale drawing of the JOIDES Resolution in a collaborative activity. The lesson incorporates mathematical principles with deep-sea exploration to focus on enhancing measurement...
Annenberg Foundation
Geometry 3D Shapes: Euler's Theorem
How do you get a theorem named after you? Euler knows what it takes! The third lesson of five asks pupils to use an interactive activity to compare the faces, vertices, and edges of seven different three-dimensional solids. They use...
Curated OER
Make a Windmill
Students explore Earth science by conducting an energy experiment in class. In this windmill lesson, students identify how wind has been used to pump water throughout history and the latest developments wind energy has produced. Students...
Curated OER
Mazes and Labyrinths
Learners evaluate directions by participating in a maze activity. In this labyrinth lesson, students identify the history of mazes and labyrinths and utilize Google Earth to examine real life mazes. Learners create their own mazes...
Curated OER
Save Our Soil
Students read about the history of soil and complete language arts, math, social studies, and more activities about soil. In this soil lesson plan, students complete fraction problems, create a school compost pile, write about conserving...
Curated OER
Lee & Low Books: Giving Thanks Teacher's Guide
Fourth graders participate in reading comprehension activities associated from a teacher's guide. In this reading comprehension lesson, 4th graders read Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message by Chief Jake Swamp and...
Curated OER
Great Lakes Homepage for Kids
Here are some outstanding lessons on the geology and history of the Great Lakes. These lessons are divided into Grade 4 -6, and Grade 7 - 8 activities. The activities all use the background information, maps, graphs, data, and Great...
Curated OER
Galaxies and the Universe
If Earth was formed 4600 million years ago, and the sun revolves about the center of the Milky Way once every 250 million years, how many revolutions have occurred? Students answer this question and ten more, all providing students with...
Curated OER
Get the Picture!
Astronomers practice downloading data from a high-energy satellite and translate the data into colored or shaded pixels. As a hands-on activity, they use pennies to simulate high-energy satellite data and they convert their penny...
Curated OER
Geologic Time Scale Analogy
Students examine geologic time to scale. In this geologic time lesson, students create a time-scale metaphor that shows some of the Earth's important events. Students present their metaphor to the class.
Yummy Math
Happy 14th B’ak’tun, the start of the next Great Mayan cycle
The ancient Mayans had a complex calendar and number system with a rich history. In fact, the date 12/21/2012 was the center of much controversy as to whether or not it was the end of time. It wasn't the end of time, but...
Curated OER
Timelines
Learners examine evolutionary history; the earth's timeline by creating timelines. They determine the timeframes of era, epochs, and periods and study the species that were evident in each.
Curated OER
Deep Sea Drilling
Students explore ocean vessels that drill the ocean floor. In this ocean drilling lesson plan, students watch videos about drilling the ocean floor and discuss. Students get into groups, go outside and use string to mark off...
Curated OER
Energy Eccentricity
Young scholars assess their own energy use to help develop an awareness of the different types of natural resources affected by consumers. Their calculations show them how much they are personally impacting the Earth. Very meaningful and...
Curated OER
Sunspots
In this sunspots worksheet, students use the given size of a sunspot and find the total number of Earth's it would take to equal the sunspot size. Students answer 3 questions about the sunspots and are given an extra credit problem with...