Students identify the concept of an element and work with an idea that all of the millions of substances on the earth are various combinations of only 8 elements. They work with the Periodic Table of the Elements and symbols of the...

In this Earth's surface worksheet, students complete a graphic organizer by writing 1 main idea and 7 supporting details about what makes up the Earth's surface.

In this Earth's surface worksheet, students complete a graphic organizer by writing in 1 main idea and 4 supporting details describing the Earth's surface.

How does the depth of an ocean affect the speed of a tsunami's waves? Use Jell-o, graham crackers, and marshmallows to model the effects of an underwater earthquake and its resulting tsunami. The lesson includes hands-on activities,...

Learners read an online article about an earthquake and follow up with a series of discussion questions about earthquakes. They answer questions in their science journals about continental drift, plate tetonics, and their influence on...

Students describe and compare the layers of the atmosphere. They explain how to measure the temperature of the atmosphere. They also explain what causes the atmosphere to heat up in some places more than in others.

Who knew Snickers® could be used to teach science? Give your budding earth scientists a chance to explore the Law of Superposition, in addition to a well-earned snack.

Research topics associated with the hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica. Researchers write five facts about their topic and one question for each of those facts. They present what they learned to the rest of the class. Six topics are...

Three of Earth's spheres are introduced to your earth scientists: lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere. Each are described with text, while a combination of photographs and computer images are displayed. One of the best ways to use...

The Sierra Mountains in Nevada and the Tetons in Wyoming originally formed as fault block mountains. In order to visualize these fault blocks, pupils use construction paper to create layers of earth. They cut the paper models and form...

Have your class learn about the formation of the Grand Canyon using this lesson. After listening to a variety of stories about the Grand Canyon and erosion, learners complete worksheets related to the geology of this area. What a...

Fifth graders explore volcanoes and the rocks they produce using the Internet. The lab portion of the lesson prompts young scientists to compare and describe igneous rocks. Next, they critique a pair or more of...

Be water wise! Science scholars learn the water cycle on a global scale in part seven of a 13-installment series. The hands-on interactive allows them to explore Earth's water storage, types of precipitation, and the cycling of water...

Third graders examine hard boiled eggs as possible models for the earth's layers.

students analyze how oil is formed and where in the Earth we find it. Students take a core sample to look for oil in a model of the Earth. They analyze their sample and make an informed decision as to whether or not they should "drill...

In this ozone worksheet, students fill in the blanks to sentences while following a PowerPoint presentation on the ozone layer, its depletion, the causes of the depletion and its structure.

In this time zones instructional activity, learners use a formula along with information found on Google Earth to calculate time zones around the world. Students complete 12 word problems.

Young scholars 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. 

Learners view geologic time lines and discuss how old the Earth and solar system is, when dinosaurs roamed Earth, and when humans first appeared. They review the four major eons and life that was present in each before creating a time...

Fourth graders discuss the different interactions of plates and the ways mountains are created.  In this plate tectonics instructional activity students complete an activity in groups.

In this seafloor spreading learning exercise, students use 12 given terms to complete sentences about the layers of the Earth and the components of the layers of the Earth.

Sixth graders define atmosphere and hydrosphere, explore through experimentation how the atmosphere was formed, and describe the layers of the Earth's atmosphere and their distances.

Learners explore the layers of earth's atmosphere and conduct an experiment to identify carbon dioxide. They construct models using styrofoam to represent molecules in the atmosphere's layers. To discover how sunlight efffects...

Young scholars identify questions and problems in the earth and environmental sciences that can be answered through scientific investigations. They design and conduct scientific investigations to answer questions related to earth and...