Curated OER
Fossil Fuels (Part II), The Geology of Oil
More of a mini-unit than a lesson, these activities lead inquisitors through a survey of oil deposits. In the first part, they read about and view diagrams of sedimentary rock layers that trap oil. Next, they test porosity and...
Curated OER
Earth's Dramatic History
Young scholars create a timeline. In this Earth's History lesson, students research the history of life on Earth and use the information collected to create a timeline. Young scholars also answers the provided discussion...
Curated OER
Earth Egg
Students discuss plate tectonics and the layers of the earth's interior. They use eggs as models of the earth and answer questions regarding which part of the egg would represent which part of the earth.
Curated OER
Sandwich Stratigraphy
Two activities are included in this resource. In the first, junior geologists model sedimentary rock layers, apply the Law of Superposition, and demonstrate folding and faulting of the Earth's crust. The model is technically a sandwich....
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Chemical Signatures of Asteroid Impacts
What killed the dinosaurs and how do scientists know? Your high schoolers can examine these fascinating questions with a geochemical lens using the engaging 33-minute video, the accompanying data interpretation, and some thoughtful...
Curated OER
Beowulf: Songs of Ancient Heroes
Introduce your class to epic heroes with these activities for Beowulf. After watching a video clip, taking notes on heroes, and tracking characteristics of heroism throughout Beowulf, class members retell an episode of Beowulf using a...
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.
NASA
Lava Layering
Take the old baking soda and vinegar volcano to the next level by using it to study repeated lava flows over time, examine geologic features on Earth and Mars, and speculate about some of the formations on Mars.
Curated OER
Fossil Fuels (III), The Geology of Coal: Interpreting Geologic History
Students hypothesize about why various samples of coal have different characteristics. Pupils use information that they found during Internet searches to ascertain the validity of their hypotheses and verify the "story" of coal. ...
Curated OER
The Gifts of the Nile
Get your class thinking about the geography that shaped the Egyptian landscape and culture. They compare ancient climate zones and geogrpahical fetures, locate evidence of plate tectonics, take and quiz, and write a short essay. The...
Curated OER
The History of Rock and Roll
Seventh graders examine how the different layers of rock show the history of the Earths surface. In this rock lesson plan students divide into groups and complete an activity using clay.
Curated OER
The Rifting of Pangaea and the Gettysburg Battlefield
Eleventh graders analyze and interpret an animated model of Earth’s rifting processes. In this Earth Science activity, 11th graders connect Earth’s rifting processes with the Earth’s surface in the Gettysburg...
Curated OER
Geology and the Battle of Gettysburg
Pupils create geologic maps of the Gettysburg battlefield. In this geologic skills lesson, students consider the variations of Earth's surfaces and explore strategies employed by the North and South in the Battle of Gettysburg to utilize...
Curated OER
Earth's Changing Atmosphere
Students examine the constant changing of the Earth's atmosphere. After labeling the layers of the Earth, they identify various processes inside the Earth that can cause gases to be emitted. Using the internet, they research how the...
Curated OER
Types And Magnitudes Of Earthquakes
Students investigate the concept of earthquakes and the different types of magnitudes. They research the Richter scale and how it is used to measure the intensities of earthquakes. Students then apply the concept by completing a...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
The Day the Mesozoic Died
While this is not the traditional, step-by-step lesson plan, it is chock-full of material that you can easily incorporate into your earth history unit. Its main purpose is to serve as a guide to using a three-part film, The Day the...
Curated OER
Incorporating 3D Visualizations into Your Classroom
Students make observations through 3-D visualizations. They explore scientific and geologic processes through the use of 3-D pictures.
Curated OER
A Scale of the Earth
Young scholars create a scale model of the different eras, periods, and epochs of Earth's 4.6 billion year history. In addition to different time periods, other major events will also be added to the model from fabricated radioactive...
Curated OER
Explosive Ideas!
Students explore the layers of the Earth and the dynamic changes that they cause on Earth's surface. Volcanoes and earthquakes become the focus of the instructional activity as the Oregon State quarter and its Crater Lake images are...
Curated OER
Understanding Geologic Time
Young scholars view Understanding Geologic Time on the Internet or by CD-Rom to explore the length of time that the Earth has existed.
Curated OER
Weather History
Students study how weather is measured. For this climate lesson plan, students research how samples of the ocean floor reveal facts about the climate thousands of years ago. Students use clay samples to create layers that simulate real...
Curated OER
Lesson plan: History Underfoot
Students study Native Americans of Virginia. In this Virginia history lesson, students take on the role of archaeologists as they analyze a site and its artifacts. Students use the information to draw conclusions about the natives who...
Curated OER
Stratigraphy -- Layers of Time in the Earth
Students are introduced to the process of stratification. Using the internet, they read about the Richard Beene archeological site near San Antonio. Using a map, they color code the different layers present at this site and answer...
Curated OER
Explosive Ideas: Oregon quarter reverse
Explore Earth and her amazing layers with this lesson on planetary change. Students will research the ways in which Earth's layers cause change. They will complete a "Tectonic Puzzle" and use a worksheet to answer questions about Earth's...