Curated OER
Evolution and the Fossil Record
Engage young biologists with four laboratory activities that explore the fossil record. Learners examine fossil images, a fossil kit, the rock record, and geologic time scale. They even experiment with the oxygen production of an Elodea...
Curated OER
Fossils and Lithologic Units
Practicing paleontologists map the geologic time scale, simulate the formation of sedimentary rock, and analyze fossil data. Instructions for four activities and five assessment choices are provided for the teacher. This comprehensive...
Curated OER
The History of Life on Earth
Using meters as years, your class works together to map out the geologic time scale on a football field. Plenty of background information is included in this lesson plan as well as several resource links and a student worksheet. Your...
Pace University
Grades 9-12 Earth Science
How has Earth changed over time? Pupils explore the topic in a differentiated instruction unit on the geological time scale. After a pre-assessment to gauge knowledge, class members divide into groups based on their ability levels and...
Curated OER
Sedimentation Lab Activity
Learners predict how sediments in a water column will settle. In this earth science lesson, students examine the layers of sedimentation. Learners are given sediments to place into a column of water and observe how they settle....
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
EarthViewer
Can you imagine Washington DC and London as close neighbors occupying the same continent? Learners will be fascinated as they step back in time and discover the evolution of the earth's continents and oceans from 4.5 billion years ago to...
Curated OER
Project Geode
Young geologists attempt to predict the appearnace of a geode's internal structure based on how it looks from the outside, its mass, and its physical characteristics. In this geologly instructional activity, learners use scientific...
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
Cake Batter Lava
Students examine how lava flows change the landscape. In this lava lesson students complete a lab activity where they create a lava flow using cake batter.
Texas State University
Earth: Deposition and Lithification
Geology geniuses analyze sediment samples with a hand lens and sort according to physical characteristics. They also learn about the processes of cementation, compaction, and lithification within the rock cycle. The lesson plan is...
Curated OER
Not Just For A Baby's Bottom
Eighth graders investigate the presence of talc in the geologic record. The different characteristics of talc is covered. The instructional activity includes background information for the teacher.
Curated OER
Half Life Lab
Seventh graders model radioactive decay using pennies, collect data from their model, apply scientific visualization techniques to their data and create animated models explaining the concept of radioactive half-life.
Curated OER
Air, Air Everywhere! Lesson 2: Acid Rain
Middle school environmentalists record the pH of four different liquids, including two aerosol cleaning products. They liken the products to acid rain and speculate in writing which might affect the human respiratory system. Although...
Curated OER
Pangaea Puzzle
Students explore plate tectonics and the formations of the Earth's surface and why maps are distorted. For this Earth's surface lesson students complete a lab and answer questions.
Curated OER
Acid Rain: Where Have All the Rainbows Gone?
High schoolers study the pH scale and sources of acid precipitation. In this acid rain lesson students complete a lab on acid rain then complete a handout.
Curated OER
Giants of the Protozoa
Students describe and define xenophyophores. In this protozoa lesson students divide into groups and complete a lab activity.
Curated OER
work in pairs for the activities of this lesson which include researching and identifying butterflies, writing, and a brief oral presentation.
Learners explore the concepts of rdioactive decay and dating. They generate a radioactive decay table, use their data to plot a decay graph, develop the concept of half-life, and then use the graph to find the age of a mummified seal in...