Young scholars should gain a better understanding of the processes involved in extracting coal from the Earth as a result of this lesson. They reearch the history of coal mining, look into coal mining towns, and create a short story...

Young historians discover the early people of the western hemisphere. The unit explores how the land changed, how it was used and homes of early Americans such as Incas, Mayans, Inuits, Aztecs, and Pueblos. Individuals also examine these...

Fifth graders dig for fossils. In this fossil lesson, 5th graders read about the oldest found fossils and discuss the process of fossilization. They dig for their own fossils in a fossil box made of several dirt layers. 

How far have California's Channel islands moved? What was the rate of this movement? Class members first examine data that shows the age of the Hawaiian island chain and the average speed of the Pacific Plate. They then watch West...

A colorful resource introduces learners to the four major fields of anthropology: cultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, biological anthropology, and archaeology. Explanations are provided for what each field studies, the kinds...

Students become aware of their dependence on fossil fuels. As an introduction activity not all students are treated equitably to emphasize that fossil fuels are finite resources. They are asked to list the external sources of energy used...

Students identify and explore renewable energy options and then research, develop and install a renewable energy system in their school or community. Students identify the use of renewable energy sources in the north, demonstrate their...

Elementary schoolers investigate how fossils are created by reproducing the process of creating an impression and filling it with a hardening material. The art lessons from this source are just fantastic! The lesson plan is well-written...

Although not a complete lesson plan, this set of emotionally powerful texts could be used in a variety of lessons. From The New York Times' Learning Network site, the resource includes a poem, an excerpt from a New York Times article and...

West of the West's documentary Arlington Springs Man and a two-page scientific article about the same topic provide the text for a reading comprehension exercise that asks individuals to craft a one page summary of information gathered...

Students make impressions and molds in clay and them make casts with glue. After the glue dries students remove their fossils.

Carbon is in the air; should we care? Teach the class why it is important to pay attention to carbon levels and how the world population and various countries across the globe affect the carbon levels in the atmosphere. High schoolers...

Young scholars research the four geologic eras of Earth's history. In this extension on a fossils lesson, students research the different eras of Earth's history. Young scholars use AppleWorks to create a bar graph containing information...

Students construct sentences using nouns and verbs from a "renewable energy" word bank. In this cross curriculum ecology and sentence structure grammar and mechanics activity, students listen to the book Our Earth: Clean Energy by Peggy...

Rising sea levels, strong storms, melting ice ... who or what is to blame? Scholars browse the website in preparation for a class discussion or debate about whether human activity is causing climate change. They gain a balanced...

To increase awareness and launch a discussion of consumerism, class members view What Would It Look Like, a 25 minute film of images that capture the global effects of the consumption of goods. Viewers make a list of the images that...

Students study past cultures of those who made areas of Utah their home by exploring the artifacts these cultures left behind. Students will explore different types of fossils and learn that fossils are evidences of past life.

Sixth graders examine the differences between archeology and paleontology. Using the internet, they explore the tools and techniques used in each field. They must use the correct tools to uncover and record the objects they find. They...

Foster's Rule? Allopatric speciation? After watching West of the West's documentary Island Rotation, class members use Venn diagrams to compare endemic species on the Channel Islands with mainland related species. They then create a...

Fourth graders, after viewing a video on "The Future" Fossil Fuel grade, participate in an energy consumption simulation game in order to analyze how consumption, population, and choice of resource affect the availability of future...

In this environment activity, students read an article about setting up the Kyoto Protocol, an international treaty. They identify the meaning of human environment and what the Earth's greenhouse effect is. Students also explain the...

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...

High schoolers research about the animals found in Burgess Shale. In this earth science lesson, students evaluate the significance of fossils in human history. They create models of their chosen animal.

Learners create their own timeline. In this social science lesson, students write the important events that happened in their lives on their timeline and then compare their timeline to Earth's timeline.