Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Big Balancing Act

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students describe chemical changes occurring in hydrothermal circulation systems. They make inferences about the significance of these systems to ocean chemical balance compared to terrestrial runoff.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

It Looks Like Champagne

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students determine some practical implications of the discovery of liquid carbon dioxide in deep-ocean ecosystems. They interpret phase diagrams and explain the meaning of "critical point" and "triple point."
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

And Now for Something Completely Different...

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Young scholars identify organisms that are typical a part of a hydrothermal vent. They examine why hydrothermal vents are short-lived.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Three-dimensional cooperative modeling

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore what is present below the surface in order to drill into the ground and record the type of material that the drill brings to the surface. They discuss the benefits and drawbacks of distance communications. Students...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rock Eaters of the Gulf of Alaska

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students compare and contrast the processes of photosynthesis and chemosynthesis. They identify and describe sources of energy used by various organisms for chemosynthesis.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Law of Superposition

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students identify the law of superposition and it states that beds of rock in a series are laid down with the oldest at the bottom and younger layers on the top. They construct a legen for a block diagram and construct a block diagram...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Geology of Yosemite

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students are shown slides of Yosemite and explore how the valley was formed by performing an experiment. Instructions on how to set up the lab are included. They can be assessed orally or by writing a report on the outcome of the lab.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Field Research Project: Comparing the Parent Rock Material of the San Francisco Terranes With Local Soil Types

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students investigate rocks and minerals and take a field trip to sample soils. They analyze rocks and soil, research the geological terrenes of the topology of San Francisco, and produce a lab research report.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Putting the Pieces Together

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers, in groups, explore ecosystems, water cycle, rock cycle, and food web. They create a puzzle piece on white butcher paper based on their information.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Change Happens

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders engage in a activity to find information about the natural history of Puerto Rico. They practice using a variety of resources for research purposes. The same process of research is used for state of Wisconsin. Then students...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making Craters

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students study craters and identify the different things that characterize craters.  For this crater lesson students create a model of an impact crater. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earthquakes and Seismic Waves

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Young scholars investigate the Richter scale and seismology in a teacher-led lab in which they are introduced to the concept of seismic waves and epicenter location. They further investigate the inner workings of a seismograph and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Island Formation

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students create models of how islands are formed by hot spots and then write a summary of their observations and of how they think their model relates to volcanic hot spots and island formation.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Life is Weird!

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students describe major features of cold seep communities, and list at least five organisms typical of these communities. They infer probable trophic relationships among organisms typical of cold-seep communities and the surrounding...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

This Life Stinks!

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the process of chemosynthesis and contrast this process with photosynthesis. They consider the relevance of chemosynthesis to biological communities in the vicinity of cold seeps.
Lesson Plan
Ocean Explorer

Living with the Heat

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Young oceanographers study the Submarine Ring of Fire, which is a series of deep-water volcanic vents that come up from the ocean floor. Learners take a close look at the unique ecosystems that are associated with these areas, how these...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earthquakes

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders explore reasons for earthquakes. They discuss and describe the types of faults. Using the internet, 6th graders research a specific location of a former earthquake. They describe the damage, magnitude, the epicenter,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Give me Food!

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Young scholars study the food guide pyramid and use it to create their own eating program.In this health lesson students visit websites to calculate their BMR, activity level and weight then create a nutrition plan
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Marine Animals: Stranded on the Coast

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Learners identify marine animals that could become stranded due to coastal features and currents. They plot data on worksheets for locations of sea turtles actually beached or stranded. After plotting their points, they hypothesize...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civilizations of the Americas

For Teachers 7th
Study and compare multiple aspects of both Aztec and Inca civilizations. Young historians explain how each of the empires came to be, and how they were both defeated by the Spanish. The resource starts out as a good lesson, but is...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plotting Data on a Graph

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students investigate graphing. In this graphing instructional activity, students survey the class and create graphs to reflect the data collected.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Geology

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students, in groups, observe the effect of water and ice on surface features of the land. They alsoexplore erosion and deposition.
Unit Plan
Vision Learning

Visionlearning: Earth Science: Plate Tectonics Ii: Plate Boundaries and Forces

For Students 9th - 10th
Instructional module focusing on plate tectonics. Discussion includes plates, plate boundaries, and driving forces. Site also includes an interactive practice quiz and links relating to the topic.
Handout
Vision Learning

Visionlearning: Earth Science: Plate Tectonics I: Geologic Revolution

For Students 9th - 10th
Instructional module focusing on the development of plate tectonic theory. Discussion includes the evidence of Pangaea, and the processes of seafloor topography and seafloor spreading. Site also includes an interactive practice quiz and...