Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Moon with a View

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders explore the rotation of Earth and the moon. In this solar system instructional activity, 3rd graders participate in an Earth and moon simulation in which part of the class "becomes" the sun, while other children represent...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Wobbling in Circles

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders role play the parts of the sun, the moon and the Earth as they simulate the concepts of revolution and rotation. They act out the parts in small groups and discuss the concepts as a class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Primary Songs about Recycling

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students compose songs about recycling. In this ecology lesson plan, students use vocabulary and concepts related to recycling to generate lyrics for an original song. Students construct musical instruments out of discarded materials.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Heating and Convection Contributes to Natural Disasters

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students study the basics of heating and cooling and how it pertains to the earth.  In this global lesson students read the Magic Tree House book then create a chart of their findings.
Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

Our Restless Planet

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine the topic of the Earth's rotation, revolution, and orbit. They observe teacher-led demonstrations, explore various websites, write journal entries, conduct a demonstration of why Earth experiences day and night, and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fossil Fuels (III), The Geology of Coal: Interpreting Geologic History

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students hypothesize about why various samples of coal have different characteristics. Pupils use information that they found during Internet searches to ascertain the validity of their hypotheses and verify the "story" of coal. ...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Roman Archy

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders use Google Earth to examine Roman architecture. In this ancient Rome lesson, 3rd graders visit the noted URLs to look at examples of Roman architecture. Students work in teams to examine data about the structures.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Runaway Greenhouse Effect Exercise

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students role-play biologists, coal geologists, space warfare experts, astronomers, pollution-control scientists, and hydrophysicists as they answer the question, "Why is Venus so much hotter than the Earth?"
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Photo Scavenger Hunt

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
Students celebrate Earth Day by applying what they've learned about studying the natural world. In this Photo Scavenger Hunt lesson plan, students use a digital camera to capture outdoor imagery and to help them understand the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What happens to water before we use it?

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students examine how water is treated prior to becoming available for human consumption. In this water treatment lesson plan, students conduct an experiment in which they filter water. Students formulate a hypothesis, test, analyze data,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Walking with the Emperors: Exploring Imperial Rome

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars travel Rome. For this geography skills lesson, students explore famous places in Rome with Google Earth tools. Young scholars research the city of Rome and create touring videos that feature their findings.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Reasons for the Season

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students explain the reason for the changes in season. In this lesson examining the relationship between the Earth and the Sun, students use an applet to discover how the alignment of the Earth and the Sun cause the change in seasons.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Magnets

For Teachers K - 8th
Learners explore how the earth is a magnet and that magnets have two "poles".  In this magnetic lesson plan students complete an activity by designing their own compass. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Endangered Animals

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders research different endangered animals in media center as part of unit on Earth Day, animals, and environment, create project based around multiple intelligence related to an endangered animal, and produce Powerpoint...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Kansas Ponds, Lakes & Reservoirs

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Young scholars compare the ponds, lakes, and reservoirs of Kansas.  In this geography lesson plan, students use Google Earth to research the different ponds, lakes, and reservoirs in Kansas.  Young scholars will discover that...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Magnetic Fields and Bermuda Triangles

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Young scholars map magnetic fields of a magnet using a compass and predict where fields cancel each other to create 'Bermuda Triangles'. In this magnetism lesson, students use a compass to map the magnetic field of a magnet. They explain...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Water Cycle--Using Inspiration Software

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders describe and label the water cycle, and list how water changes from one form to another; students use Inspiration Software to label a blank water cycle diagram.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Using Venn Diagrams to Compare Two Ecosystems

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students explore the distribution of two ecosystems on a global scale; and map the distribution of tropical and temperate rain forests throughout the world. They use a Venn Diagram to describe these ecosystems and the differences between...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Graham Cracker Plate Tectonics

For Teachers 7th - 10th
For this plate tectonics worksheet, students use Graham crackers, frosting, water and a paper plate to simulate tectonic processes such as convergent, divergent and transforming plate boundaries.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Much is Dirt Worth?

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders graph the percentages of the materials that make up the Earth and complete computations based on their results.  In this topsoil lesson, 4th graders diagram the different layers of Earth's composition.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Thinking About Life in Geological Time Scales

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students create a large (classroom-sized) timeline showing the history of life on Earth for the last 5 billion years. They are able to identify the events that are relevant to their taxonomic projects (the Origins and important...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sizing Up the Supersize Croc

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars examine and compare traits of humans and crocodiles.  In this crocodile lesson plan students use a ratio to estimate the height of a person and compare that to a crocodile. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pollution is Not a Solution

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students explore the environment by completing science worksheets in class. In this water conservation lesson, students identify ways water is used in our society and how we abuse the privilege. Students discuss methods to reduce water...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Investigation 6 - Soil Profile

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders study the components of soil. They observe the basic components of soil and relate the components to plant growth. They record color, texture, and kinds of materials on their profile log (light color, denser, grittier -...