Curated OER
Franklin Mountains
Fifth graders examine photographs of the eastern and western Franklin Mountains. As a class, they discuss what is shown and the different colored rocks and the orientation of the layers. In groups, they are given clay of two different...
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Inspiration!
Students create a diagram based on rocks using a computer program. They use the program to put their thoughts in order and to have a sheet to reference to.
Curated OER
Computer Lab Lesson Plan - Science
Students examine rocks and minerals. Using the internet, students research rocks and how they are formed. They use word processing software to list minerals and materials that form specific rocks.
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Minerals and the Products of Mining
Students plot where minerals come from and have an awareness of how mineral use makes the world interdependent. They examine how to identify some sort of mineral products they use each day.
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Where is Oil Found?
Students determine that crude oil is found in porous rocks (reservoirs) rather than in caves or caverns.
National Wildlife Federation
By Air, Land, or Sea: The Formation and Location of Our Natural Resources
Coal forms from the ancient remains of plants that were alive on Earth before the dinosaurs! Scholars use their t-charts from the previous lesson over resources and research to determine if their information is correct. Through analysis...
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Shells on the Mountain Top?
Students work in groups to remove fossils from sediments, classifying as many organisms and parts of organisms as possible into major groups. They study the data from each formation and make conclusions about the types of organisms and...
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Geology Quiz Worksheet
In this geology quiz worksheet, students answer 10 fill-in-the-blank questions about geology. They answer questions about types of rocks, hardness, and mineral attributes. They check their work with the answers at the bottom of the page.
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Fossil Impressions of Ancient Life
Students make a mold using Plaster of Paris and then make a cast using that same mold. They pick a fossil and describe how it looks. They write a fictionalized story about its life, or burial. (
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CREATE A CAVE
Students investigate the concept of caves by conducting an experiment. The instructional activity contains background information for the teacher. They collect data while making observations and write a review of the concept once the...
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Metamorphic Rock: Melting Rocks
Students observe and gain a better understanding of the metamorphosing power of heat. They mix mini-marshmallows and chocolate chips in a bowl and add just enough peanut butter so the mixture clumps together.
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"Making a Good Impression"
Learners are shown how fossils are formed and to learn how extinct organisms lived based on their remains and surroundings. They are shown TAKS review problems on the overhead related to evolution and fossil evidence. Students discuss...
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Cement and Concrete Engineering
Pupils explain the components of the engineering design process. In groups, they identify the materials that make concrete and practice curing cement using the various methods available. They develop a graph showing the amount of water...
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Geologic Puzzles: Morrison Formation
Students make observations and present interpretations based on their observations and on their prior knowledge. They use images to answer questions and make formulate hypotheses.
Carnegie Mellon University
Marcellus Shale: Who Pays?
After viewing short clips of unfortunate events, your class will consider two sides of a homeowner's court case, and then learn about the Marcellus shale deposit beneath the state of Pennsylvania and the hydraulic fracturing process. In...
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Water and Ice
Students explore water as it changes states of matter. In this physical property activity, students use observation, measurement, and communication skills to describe changes in water as it goes from a solid to a liquid and back again.
Montana State University
Sea Floor to Summit
Who knew that mountain formation could be so entertaining? Leanr how mountains form with a resource on Mount Everest. Activities to guide learning include a simulation, project, videos, coloring activities, and worksheets.
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Fossil Adventure
Students create a book about the process of a dinosaur becoming a fossil. In this earth science lesson, students are taught about fossils and create a book that tells what happened to a dinosaur's bones after they die.
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"The Site Every American Should See"
Young scholars research the natural wonders of the Grand Canyon. They write a descriptive paper about the Park. They also write a speech about why the Grand Canyon should be preserved.
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Fossils and our Past (part 1 of 3)
Third graders investigate how some extinct organisms resemble organisms that are still alive today. They watch and discuss the Magic School Bus video about fossils, then create clay fossil imprints, matching the imprints to plaster of...
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Dinosaurs In Argentina
Learners study the fossils in Argentina and why it is a good place to find them. In this dinosaurs lesson students learn about the recent dinosaur excavations.
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Fossil Adventure
Students work as a class to write a general definition of fossil based on their discussion and examine pictures of the different types of fossils. Once discussion is complete, they write and illustrate a book about a T Rex that has died...
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Layers Upon Layers
Students model how layers of sediments are deposited. They use logic to derive rules or laws that can be used to examine layers of sediment in a cup and apply it to the real world.
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Creating Journals
Students take a virtual tour of Yosemite and selects photographs to use in their journal.