National Wildlife Federation
By Air, Land, or Sea: The Formation and Location of Our Natural Resources
Coal forms from the ancient remains of plants that were alive on Earth before the dinosaurs! Scholars use their t-charts from the previous lesson over resources and research to determine if their information is correct. Through analysis...
Curated OER
Watershed Works: Unit 1
By constructing a watershed model and identifying watershed features in it, they discover how water erosion changes the landscape. As with most watershed modeling activities, this one is costly in terms of time and materials. It is,...
Curated OER
Fossilworks
Students research fossils and fossil formation. They explain how fossils are formed, identify fossil formations and use casting plaster to produce fossil replicas.
Curated OER
Reading Follow-up Activity
Pupils color a worksheet while discussing characteristics and composition of caves.
Curated OER
It's All in the Rocks
Students think critically to determine fact or inference when examining sedimentary layers with embedded fossils. They are being introduced to geology as well as evolutionary biology.
Curated OER
Using the Carbon Cycle Interactive Game in the Classroom
An online reading and interactive game bring the path of a carbon molecule to life for your earth science explorers! As an assessment, learners can map out or write about their experience in the carbon cycle. Thoroughly written...
Curated OER
Coal Derivatives
Students use this hands-on activity to demonstrate the production of coke, one of the most widely used raw materials derived from coal. They are also stimulated to do research into the differences in coal types and coal products.
Columbus City Schools
The Mystery of Earth’s History
Every living creature can leave a fossil record, yet most fossils belong to extinct organisms rather than ones currently living. Scholars learn about dating rock layers, fossils, and the environment of the past. Pupils understand that...
Curated OER
Fossil Fuels (Part II), The Geology of Oil: Topographic Mapping, Crustal Deformation, Rock Porosity, and Environmental Pollution
Young scholars review an interpretation of geologic history and relate it to the formation of oil deposits. They explore and explain factors controlling the porosity and permeability of sediments and sedimentary rocks. Pupils also...
Curated OER
Fossils
Students discuss the work of a paleontologist and examine several fossils and books on paleontology. They use clay and Plaster of Paris to create a cast of an object and compare this activity to the formation of fossils in nature.
NASA
Climate Change Inquiry Lab
With global temperatures on the rise faster than ever recorded, the effects of a heating planet could be devastating. Allow learners to discover just what the world is in store for if the warming continues through a series of videos, a...
National Energy Education Development Project
Exploring Oil and Gas
The United States consumes more oil than any other country, about 1.85 billion barrels (or 77 billion gallons) a day. Viewers learn about the history of fossil fuel exploration and how they are formed in an informative presentation. They...
Curated OER
Geology of Connecticut
Students examine the geology of Connecticut, including plate tectonics, glaciation, and fossil formation.
After reviewing past lessons, they write essays about what life may have been like in the Mesozoic Period. Following a field...
Curated OER
Ocean Life
Learners examine the fossil remains of ancient sea creatures. They create casts of fossils and identify how sea fossils are formed and consider what type of information fossils can give to scientists.
Curated OER
Shells on the Mountain Top?
Students work in groups to remove fossils from sediments, classifying as many organisms and parts of organisms as possible into major groups. They study the data from each formation and make conclusions about the types of organisms and...
Curated OER
Making Sedimentary Rocks
Learners make models of sedimentary rock layers to explain how rocks form layers and represent ancient environments. Layers of sediment and fossils are added together to simulate the environment and connections to sedimentary rocks are...
Curated OER
Quiz on Natural Resources #1
In this physical science worksheet, students complete an 8 question multiple choice online interactive quiz about the natural resources and fossil fuels. The quiz may also be printed and completed on paper.
Curated OER
Formation of Fossil Fuels
Students research the origin of oil and natural gas to gather an understanding of the stages of fossil fuel formation. Then the class creates murals depicting the life cycle of a fossil fuel.
Curated OER
Human Activity and the Environment 2004
Students brainstorm the ways we use energy sources in our daily lives and what our lives would be like without it. They answer questions based on sections from the Human Activity and the Environment 2004, "Energy in Canada" article.
Curated OER
Coal Formation
Students create a condition in an aquarium which allows the formation of coal. Students observe changes in decomposition and color of materials present in aquarium before a coal layer appears. Plant "fossil" imprints will be left behind.
Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi
Sedimentation
Starting with a presentation, pupils learn about how sedimentary rocks form. They then create their own sedimentation bottle to observe the process.
Curated OER
Earth Science Lesson Plans on Geologic Time
Springboard your fourth and fifth graders into the study geologic time. They will complete 7 activities to learn about geologic time and the topics most often associated with it: astronomy, creation, planet formation, volcanology,...
Curated OER
Forms of Energy
Students complete a series of activities related to forms of energy. In this energy lesson, students look at forms of energy in their school, how energy is conserved and used efficiently, how magnets are used to generate electricity, and...
Curated OER
Changing Planet: Black Carbon - a Dusty Situation
Introduce your young meteorologists to black carbon produced by the burning of fossil fuels by showing the video, "Changing Planet: Black Carbon." Viewers discover that deposition of this carbon on polar ice impacts the absorption of...