In this Earth's environment worksheet, students complete a crossword puzzle given 35 clues about a variety of topics related to our Earth. Topics include ecosystems, precipitation, biomes, energy transfer, soil, weathering and rocks.

Biomes share similar climates and ecosystems, despite being separated geographically on the planet. A presentation introduces the six most common land biomes. It focuses on the commonalities in climate, plants, and animals with many...

Young scholars explore the active layer above permafrost and investigate various factors on the insulation value of the active layer.  In this energy transfer lesson, students conduct and experiment to determine the effects of snow...

Students investigate the growth of trees. In this tree growth lesson, students discover that trees make a ring each year they live. Students use new voabulary such as bark, phloem, and cambuim to talk about tree parts. Students create a...

A fabulous activity about trees awaits your learners. They read a lengthy selection on the various parts of trees, then complete 13 fill-in-the-blank and matching questions about what they have read. An excellent reading comprehension...

Students explore ozone levels. They measure the concentrations of ground-level ozone in the atmosphere. Students observe changes in the concentrations of ozone over time. Students complete a data sheet to record ozone readings over a...

Young scholars create a min-landfill from lunchbox waste to discover what happens when they throw away packaging and scraps. Using a clear plastic bin, they throw away their trash and layer it with scoops of soil. Students observe what...

Demonstrate for your earth scientists how plant pollen of the past has become part of sedimentary deposits, providing clues about ancient climates. Then give them simulated sediment layer samples to analyze for different types of paper...

Students explore the make-up of the earth and the changes it undergoes in an earthquake. In this earth science lesson, students have two activities as part of a unit. First, to use a Styrofoam ball to model the earth's structure, and...

Fifth graders explore the causes of earthquakes and the various types of fault lines through a variety of hands-on demonstrations using prepared cakes. They record their observations in their science journals.

Pair earth scientists up to use an amazing online arctic portal mapping tool and Google Earth to analyze permafrost changes. They compare changes to data on atmospheric concentrations of methane to see if there is a correlation. Then...

Taking notes is the topic today. Kids learn why notes are taken, when they are useful, and how to pick out the most important information to make their notes functional. Several interesting examples of various note forms are shown, along...

Students explore the layers of earth's atmosphere and conduct an experiment to identify carbon dioxide. They construct models using styrofoam to represent molecules in the atmosphere's layers. To discover how sunlight efffects...

How many rainforests are there, where are they, and do global factors effect their locations? These are great questions that have great answers. Children in grades four through eight use several different maps to determine why...

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...

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.

Anytime you make concepts clear with role playing or hands-on experience, it's a win for the whole class. Ping-Pong balls are used to represent carbon in a carbon cycle role-play activity. In small groups, children first discuss what...

Students make a box layered with information about grandparents, parents, and themselves. They dig up each other boxes and try to decipher the personality or lifestyle of the person whose box it is.

Students devlop a model, which they illustrate a water table and allow for the discussion of common terms and illustrate what those terms mean. They comprehend that a flow rates, removal of contaminants, and the amount of water stored...

Students make models of sedimentary rock layers to explain how rocks form layers and represent ancient environments. Layers of sediment and fossils are added together to simulate the environment and connections to sedimentary rocks are...

Students examine the Kansas quarter reverse and explore the basic needs and life processes of plants. They take a nature walk around the school and draw living and non-living things. In the classroom the sort the specimens collected into...

Students examine how soil holds together and what the effect of particle size and water content is on soil.  In this engineering lesson students complete a lab, record their observations and discuss what they learned. 

Can an area with no soil turn into a forest? Scholars learn about the process of ecological succession using an interesting presentation. It covers both primary and secondary succession in the building of new ecosystems.

Students explore erosion when there are multiple types of sediments. They view a soil separation demonstration jar before and after agitation to determine how and why the layers settled. In addition, they conduct experiments with a river...