Curated OER
Rockin' Around New Jersey
Students use reference materials to discover which specimens are igneous or metamorphic. Students answer the questions on the provided sheets. Students identify the average differences in elevation of the regions of New Jersey. Students...
Curated OER
Rock River Watershed
Young scholars discover what a watershed is and which one they live in. Using the internet, they research why watersheds are important to an ecosystem and how to keep them from getting polluted. They use a map to locate various items...
Curated OER
Volcano Contour Models Activity
Students experiment with water levels and plastic topographic volcano models to determine the contour lines that would be used to create a topograpohic map of a volcano. They use the traced lines to actually develop the map.
Curated OER
Over and Through Information Sheet
Eager earth scientists practice using vocabulary related to landforms and bodies of water. On the first page they categorize the terms and form sentences with them. Then, they test their knowledge with twenty-five multiple-choice...
Curated OER
Volcanoes!: The Dangers of Snow and Ice
Students observe a demonstration of how melting snow and ice can contribute to mudflows. They then observea list of continents with the number of snow and ice covered mountains on each continent and discuss. They then label a group of...
National Park Service
Glaciers and Water
Explore the amazing power of glaciers with a hands-on earth science experiment! After first learning basic background information, learners go on to create their very own chunks of frozen water and gravel in order to observe first-hand...
Curated OER
Boom and Bust in the Ozark Forests
Here is a hard-hitting, cross-curricular lesson plan on the effects that the deforestation of the Ozark forests in the 19th century had on the people, animals, and ecosystems of the area. The Dr. Seuss book The Lorax is used as a way of...
Curated OER
Sequence of Events: The Watershed
Class members simulate a watershed with a painters drop cloth, placing objects underneath to create landscape variation, making "rain" with a watering can, and using red drink mix powder to track the path of precipitation. They observe...
Virginia Department of Education
Weathering of Limestone
We all know limestone weathers, but what affects the rate of weathering? Young scientists investigate the physical and chemical weathering of limestone (chalk) through experimentation. First, they conduct trials with different-size...
It's About Time
Monitoring Active Volcanoes
The fastest growing volcano in recorded history grew more than 150 meters in less than a week and to more than 424 meters in less than a decade. How do we safely monitor active volcanoes? Young scientists design an instrument to measure...
Mr. E. Science
Climate and Climate Change
What factors make up climate? How does longitude and latitude affect climate? What is causing Earth's climate to change? These questions are the topic of a presentation that explains characteristics of climate and climate change.
Curated OER
Mapping Ancient Coastlines
Most of this instructional activity is spent working on the "Bathymetry Worksheet." It includes a graph of the changes in sea level over the past 150,000 years and a bathymetric map of changes in an imaginary coastline over time....
Port Jefferson School District
Climate Patterns
Young climatologists explore the factors that contribute to a region's climate in this two-part earth science activity. To begin, learners are provided with a map of an imaginary planet and are asked to label global wind and ocean...
Curated OER
Topographic Maps
In this topographic map worksheet, students learn how to read a topographic map and create a topographic map of their own using clay or Play-Doh. Students include contour lines by layering the clay. Students answer 6 questions about...
Curated OER
Windbreakers; Earth Science, Topography, Weather
Learners consider how topography affects weather and human activity. Students simulate a mountain range and observe surrounding wind patterns.
Curated OER
From Maps to Models
Students explore watersheds through the use of a topographic map. They observe topographical maps and discuss their characteristics. In groups, students create a model clay island and make a topographical map of it. Afterward, groups...
Curated OER
How Does My River Flow?
Students create a river. In this water flow instructional activity, students predict how they think their river will flow and then construct a river box. Students create a landscape for the river to flow through, let the river flow and...
Curated OER
Design an Island
Students explore islands. They create a two- or three-dimensional map of an island. They explain how the topography of an area influences the location of water sources, ecosystems, and human settlements. Lesson includes adaptations for...
Curated OER
Topography of Africa
Young scholars study Africa's diverse landscape and investigate how these features impact the available water supply, food sources, and population distribution of the continent. They compare topographical features and
their affect on...
Curated OER
Maps Reinforcement
For this map worksheet, students complete 6 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions about 3 different map figures.
Curated OER
Communities and Biomes
In this communities learning exercise, students will look at the interactions between biotic and abiotic factors and the effect these factors have on organism populations. Students will also order the succession steps that occur over...
Curated OER
Hands on Biome-Building
Students explore Earth science by participating in an environment activity. In this biome lesson plan, students discuss the importance of a healthy ecology in order to sustain life, both animal and plant. Students utilize a cardboard or...
Curated OER
Hands on Biome-Building: Build a Forest
Students explore Earth science by identifying environmental factors. In this biome instructional activity, students discuss the importance of a functioning ecology and design a biome diorama. Students utilize images of trees and plants...
Curated OER
Savanna Hands-On Biome Building
Fifth graders participate in an interdisciplinary project related to the Savanna biome. In this biome building lesson, 5th graders display the elements of the Savanna biome such as the geography, animals and plants, and precipitation...