Lesson Plan
Curated OER

You Got The Whole World In Your Hands: Geology, Earth's Layers, Science

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students make a model of the Earth's crust out of foam in order to better explain the make-up of the Earth's layers. They add continents and oceans.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

We are the World - Writing about our Earth

For Teachers 1st
First graders write facts about the Earth. In this Earth lesson, 1st graders discuss natural resources, recycling, and how to keep the Earth clean. They work in groups to create a small book with 3-5 facts about the Earth's environment.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth Matters

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars identify Earth's equator, prime meridian, lines of latitude, lines of longitude, parallels, and meridians.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mapping Potato Island

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students create their own topographical map using a potato. For this hands on lesson students construct a topographical map and explain what contour lines are using a potato.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Converging Earthquake!

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars identify the fault lines and tectonic plates on the map. In this earth science lesson, students simulate landscape formation using robots. They take a quiz at the end of the lesson to demonstrate mastery.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Landscape Picture Map

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students explore pollution of water sources. In this ecology lesson, students define and identify natural resources. Students use map skills to locate local rivers and lakes used for recreation. Students brainstorm ways in which to keep...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Climate Change Challenge: Earth Day

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the concept of philanthropy. For this environmental stewardship lesson, students watch a video about state policies pertaining to greenhouse gas emissions. Students plan and carry out an Earth Day service project...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Where in the World is Hawaii?

For Teachers 2nd - 8th
Learners compare a globe and a two-dimensional world map and explore how they both represent the planet Earth. They locate the Hawaiian Islands on the globe or the world map and describe how the geographical position is unique.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plotting a Hurricane Using Latitude and Longitude

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners define and use "absolute location," latitude, and longitude. They locate on a map or globe the Earth's poles, circles, tropics, and beginning points of measurements for latitude and longitude.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring Hawaiian Mountain Zones

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders watch a video that describes the climate and vegetation zones of Hawaii. They describe the different physical conditions that create vegetation zones from the sea to the mountains. In groups, they create an illustrated...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Explosive Ideas: Oregon quarter reverse

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Explore Earth and her amazing layers with this lesson on planetary change. Students will research the ways in which Earth's layers cause change. They will complete a "Tectonic Puzzle" and use a worksheet to answer questions about Earth's...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Comparison of Cloud Coverage Over Africa

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students use a NASA satellite data to contrast amounts of cloud coverage over different climate regions in Africa. They explore how Earth's major air circulations affect global weather patterns, and relate to local weather patterns.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Comparison of Snow Cover on Different Continents

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students use the Live Access Server (LAS) to form maps and a numerical text file of snow cover for each continent on a particular date and analyze the data for each map, corresponding text file to determine an estimate of snow cover for...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

An Introduction to the Night Sky and Movement Astronomy

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Basically, this is an interactive exploration of educational astronomy software and an app. Young astronomers discover how the apparent motion of the sky relates to Earth's movements and the position of the observer. It is out of this...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

once and future MOON

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Beyond the phases of the moon, this comprehensive lesson plan covers geologic history and geology. Amateur astronauts examine photos of the lunar landscape, experiment with the creation of craters, and delve into information about the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Settlement Exploration: Then and Now

For Teachers 6th - 8th
NASA has crafted an imaginative and memorable series of lessons, "NASA and Jamestown Education Module." This lesson is one of the five components. In it, middle schoolers connect history and science by comparing the settlement of...
App
Midnight Martian

Moon Globe

For Students 3rd - 9th
Not just a simple globe of the moon, this interactive version allows you to choose lighting according to the location of the sun, views from different positions on Earth, and more! Satellite images and topographic data have been combined...
Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Constructing and Visualizing Topographic Profiles

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Militaries throughout history have used topography information to plan strategies, yet many pupils today don't understand it. Scholars use Legos and a contour gauge to understand how to construct and visualize topographic profiles. This...
Activity
It's About Time

Effects of Plate Tectonics

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Explore our world from within as you lead young scientists on a thrilling adventure. Pupils examine the location of plate boundaries to determine earthquake and volcano distribution around the globe and explore the cause of hot spots in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Good Vibrations Remote Sensing data Collection: Thermal Emission Spectrometer

For Teachers 4th - 8th
The Mars Global Surveyor spent two years creating a mineral map of the planet Mars using thermal emission spectrometry. To help young astronomers understand this remote sensing instrument, have them simulate how data is collected and...
Lesson Plan
Science Matters

Slip Sliding Along

For Teachers 6th Standards
The San Andreas Fault is the largest earthquake-producing fault in California. In the seventh lesson in the 20 part series, pupils create maps of California, focusing on the San Andreas Fault system. The comparison of where...
Lesson Plan
NOAA

To Explore Strange New Worlds

For Teachers 5th - 12th
It's time to boldly go where your class has not gone before! The introductory lesson in a five-part series takes young oceanographers aboard the NOAA Ship Okeanos to begin a study of ocean exploration. The lesson includes a comparison of...
PPT
Curated OER

Effects of Ozone Depletion

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Explore the causes of ozone depletion and the effect on plankton, algae, plants, amphibians, and humans. Learn how the Montreal Protocol has possibly helped reverse the decline of the ozone layer. Warning: photos of skin and eye...
Unit Plan
Columbus City Schools

Experiencing Eclipses

For Students 7th Standards
Don't be caught in the dark! Young scientists investigate the causes of both solar and lunar eclipses using an interactive to help them understand the development of an eclipse over time. They then research facts and characteristics...