Curated OER
Soils
Students apply knowledge of soil, environmental impacts, economics, multiple human demands, and use given data for a proposed scenario in making land use decisions. They debate land use issues and/or scenarios and discuss a case study.
Curated OER
Radiation Comparison Before and After 9-11
Using the NASA website, class members try to determine if changes could be detected in cloud cover, temperature, and/or radiation measurements due to the lack of contrails that resulted from the halt in air traffic after the attacks of...
PHET
Where to See an Aurora
Where can you see an aurora in North America? After completing an astronomy activity, scholars can locate the exact coordinates. Pupils plot points of the inner and outer ring of the auroral oval and answer questions based on their...
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics Day 3 Sea Floor Spreading: Evidence for Continental Drift
Students are introduced to Sea Floor Spreading and how it provides evidence for Hess's and Deitz's theory of Continental Drift. They use paleomagnetic data to calculate the rate of Sea Floor Spreading.
Curated OER
Sea Water Mixing and Sinking
Students investigate the role of temperature and salinity in determining seawater density. They use a Temperature-Salinity Diagram to examine the effects of mixing on density.
Curated OER
Differences Between Ground and Air Temperatures
Middle schoolers examine the differences between air temperature and ground temperature. In this investigative lesson plan students find NASA data on the Internet and use it to create a graph.
Curated OER
Migration of the Neo-Tropical Songbirds
Fifth graders plot the migration of birds using Google Earth. In this lesson on bird migration, 5th graders work in groups to plot the migration of a group of birds using Google Earth. Students present and discuss their findings and look...
Curated OER
Meet the Weather Scientist
Fourth graders collect, record and analyze data using simple weather instruments or use weather resources to comprehend weather. They comprehend that scientists are very important people in today's world. Pupils look at cloud types to...
Curated OER
Weather: Piecing It All Together
Fourth graders collect, record, and analyze data using simple weather instruments and a variety of weather resources to investigate weather. They observe the teacher demonstrate how a rain gauge functions, record the weather for five...
California Academy of Science
California's Climate
The United States is a large country with many different climates. Graph and analyze temperature and rainfall data for Sacramento and Washington DC as you teach your class about the characteristics of Mediterranean climates. Discuss the...
Curated OER
Infrared-Hot
Students describe how the sun heats the Earth, explain the nature of infrared light, explain how thunderstorms are formed and use infrared maps to predict severe weather.
Curated OER
Here Today, Gone Tomorrow
Students explore erosion. Through multi-media and hands-on activities, students identify the effects of wave erosion and hurricanes on a barrier island. Students watch a video and create a cause and effect chart of their observations. ...
Curated OER
Temperature High and Lows
Students gather high and low temperature readings through email. In this temperature graphing instructional activity, students use a spreadsheet to input data for a graph. students interpret the graphs to compare and contrast the data...
Curated OER
Scientist Tracking Network
Students correlate surface radiation with mean surface temperature of several geographic regions. They observe how these parameters change with latitude and construct an understanding of the relationship of solar radiation to seasonal...
Curated OER
Using Vegetation, Precipitation, and Surface Temperature to Study Climate Zones
Middle schoolers begin their examination of the climate zones found around the world. Using a software program, they identify the relationship between the vegetation, climate and temperatures of the different zones. They also plot...
Curated OER
Exploring the Night Sky: Summer
Young scholars explain how moon phases occur. They describe and explain at least two common misconceptions that people have about the moon. Students explain what a star is. They explain 3 ways that the night sky has been used throughout...
Curated OER
Introduction to Oceans
Students complete a variety of activities in preparation for a unit on oceans. They discuss their own proximity to the ocean, identify and name the oceans on a globe, and in small groups identify facts about a selected ocean. Students...
Curated OER
What Does Bird Flu Mean to Students?
Students consider the far-reaching effects of the avian flu. In this personal health lesson plan, students visit selected websites to discover information about the flu, viral infections, and intensive farming. Students contribute to a...
Curated OER
Harvest the Wind
Wind is a natural resource available around the world. Help your pupils appreciate the power and importance of wind by researching wind farms, making pinwheels, and designing windmills.
Curated OER
Name That Tune
Students complete a fingerprint oil lab in order to simulate how geologists use the oil and natural gas in rocks to hear sound waves that signify there are oil in those rocks. In this rocks lesson plan, students learn that the rock...
Curated OER
Writing the Wind
Students make a windmill. In this wind lesson, students learn background information about the windmill, complete an activity where they create a windmill, discuss using wind as a natural resource and brainstorm other inventions that...
Curated OER
Let's Rock
Students investigate the property of rocks and how to distinguish among the different types. They explore the hardness of rocks and perform streak tests to determine mineral color. They classify rocks according to their properties.
Curated OER
Climographs
Students identify trends and characteristics of climate zones and specific places within. Then, they graph annual climate trends (primarily Temperature and Precipitation) and create, interpret and extrapolate information based on...
Curated OER
A Geological Puzzle
Learners compare and contrast the various types of rocks on each continent. In groups, the calculate the rock ages and types to determine if the continents, in their opinion, were joined at one time. They develop two imaginary...