Curated OER
Measuring Permeability of Soil, Sand and Gravel
Students investigate the different materials in their environment. In this geology lesson, students collaborate in groups to examine the differences in sand, soil and gravel. Students utilize a magnifying glass or microscope and record...
Curated OER
Groundwater Movement
Students study groundwater movement beneath the surface of the Earth. In this agriculture lesson, students experiment with how water moves through rock materials such as sand, gravel, and clay.
NorthEast Ohio Geoscience Education Outreach
Investigation of Plate Boundaries
Demonstrate the movement of lithospheric plates due to convection in Earth's mantle. Learners then model the movements that occur along plate boundaries using colored clay.
Curated OER
Soil Porosity Lab
In this soil porosity worksheet, students experiment with four types of soil. They fill separate cups with each soil type and pour water in measuring the amount it takes to saturate the soil. They make observations and compare their data...
National Park Service
Rock Ranking
Junior geologists sort rocks and soil. They separate a sample of river gravel by size, shape, color, and other characteristics. To include Common Core standards, you could have little ones graph the number of particles in each sample.
Curated OER
Does Soil Get Soggy?
Study the properties of soil and water absorption with a science activity. Based on a paragraph with background knowledge on sandy soil, silt, and clay soil, third graders choose which illustration represents a bottle full of sandy soil....
Curated OER
Investigating Porosity and Permeability
Student describe porosity and permeability in sand, gravel, clay and potting soil. They experiment using different materials to discover the different porous substances and the permeability of the same substances. Students place data on...
Curated OER
Foul Water Lab
Students use field practices to clean foul water, they comprehend the differences in solution and solutes. They work in groups and discuss the lab instructions. Students start with oil-water separation technique. They complete a...
Curated OER
Soil Properties
Students explore the porosity of soil. In this soil instructional activity, students conduct an experiment which shows the porosity of different types of soil. They use sand, silt, and clay to see how soil particles are more or less...
Curated OER
Modeling a Soil Profile
In this soil profile worksheet, students use a cup to create the layers of soil using clay, sand, gravel and dirt. Students label each component as either A, B, or C horizon and the bedrock. They answer questions about their model.
Curated OER
Porosity and Permeability
Learners examine the concepts of porosity and permeability. They conduct experiments to determine the porosity and permeability of gravel, sand, and clay. After performing the experiments they collect and graph data, comparing the...
Curated OER
Food Chains And Webs
Students investigate the concept of soil and all its components. They collect samples from a local site and transplant it into a terrarium. Students identify the organic elements, clay ,silt, and other forms of debris. They also identify...
Curated OER
Water Pollution
Fifth graders study the impact of human activity on water quality and on the ecosystems of Earth. After a discussion on the various ways that water can be polluted, groups of youngsters get together to figure out the best way to clean a...
Curated OER
Land and People: Cape Cod Activity 1
Students make a model aquifer to study the uniqueness of Cape Cod's ground-water system. Using the model., they determine how easily contamination spreads in the aquifer system by completing and recording three activities. Using the...
Rivanna Regional Stormwater Education Partnership
Invisible Passengers
How does water pollution affect the organisms living in the water? Use three science experiments to examine how erosion and other pollutants can affect water quality. Each experiment focuses on a different aspect of pollution and...
Mr. E. Science
Weathering and Soil
From types of rocks to types of weathering, learners gain knowledge on minerals, composition of soil, and the effects of weathering on Earth.
Curated OER
Water Pollution
Here is a fine lesson for fifth graders that will give them an idea of the variety of impacts that human-introduced pollutants have on the environment. After an initial class discussion and teacher-led demonstration, pupils brainstorm...
Curated OER
Can Young Children Distinguish Between Living and Non-living Things?
What does it mean to be living? Help your young scientists identify living and non-living things as a result of their learning through discovery. Observation of and interaction with a set of natural phenomena in their community will make...
Curated OER
Rocks and Minerals
Review the difference between rocks and minerals using this resource. Learners identify and investigate the physical properties of these objects. They create a Venn diagram to compare and contrast types of rocks. This is a motivating way...
Rivanna Regional Stormwater Education Partnership
Does It Soak Right In?
Which materials are best for groundwater runoff, and which are best for percolation? Discuss the water table with several experiments about different types of soil, pollution, precipitation, and filtration. The experiments assign roles...
Virginia Department of Education
Permeability and Porosity
Covering both permeability and porosity, scholars perform a hands-on experiment testing various soil types. The material includes a pre-lesson worksheet to help focus pupils on the task at hand.
University of California
Weathering and Erosion
Just how powerful is erosion? Interested scientists learn how to identify the results of erosion with a series of lab activities. They move through stations to experiment with different types of erosion and then design and complete their...
Curated OER
Our Water Resources
Learners build a model aquifer to study groundwater zones and water table formation. Students use the models to measure the movement of polluted groundwater.
Curated OER
Earth's History
Seventh graders study the law of superposition by creating models of fossils in layers of rock. They examine how fossils are usually found in sedimentary rock which leads to the study of geologic history in those rocks.