Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Investigation: Heat it Up!
This demonstration of solar ponds can be used in an earth, environmental, or physical science setting. Lab groups set up a solar pond and model how it is able, due to a salt concentration gradient, to maintain heat for future use.
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Fostering Geospatial Thinking: Space to Earth: Earth to Space (SEES)
High schoolers locate and access data to help them with their science inquiry. In this geographical positioning lesson students evaluate and compare data sets.
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Mars Landing Site
Students, through the use of candy bars at room temperature, explore the problems selecting a landing site on Mars.
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Weather and Atmosphere
Seventh graders explain the layers of the atmosphere. They identify the causes of air pollution. They analyze real world weather data. They explore and describe clouds. They develop models to explain atmosphere and weather.
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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...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Action at Plate Boundaries
Students diagram the spreading of the ocean floor. In this earth science lesson plan, students read an article on plate boundaries of the ocean. Students are expected to diagram the oceanic convergent boundary, and...
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Earthquake Proof Structures
Eighth graders build a structure that is able to withstand a simulated earthquake. They research earthquakes, earthquake measurement, and society's preparation for and reaction to them. Pupils build models and present them to the...
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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...
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Changes Inside Planets
Students investigate the concept of planetary differentiation. They complete an experiment to simulate it using gelatin and food. The lesson includes vocabulary to increase reading comprehension skills as part of the inquiry. The lesson...
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Aquifers and Recharge Areas
Young scholars create a model of an aquifer and describe how an aquifer works. They describe how running affects an aquifer and prepare a model presenting to local planners the important aspects of protecting recharge areas.
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Investigation 6 - Soil Profile
Fourth graders study the components of soil. They observe the basic components of soil and relate the components to plant growth. They record color, texture, and kinds of materials on their profile log (light color, denser, grittier -...
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Changes Inside Planets
Students relate meteorites to the mantle and crust of asteroids. In this planetary lesson students complete experiments to model the separation of light.
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Paleoclimates and Pollen
Learners analyze soil for types of pollen to determine the probably climate conditions. In this earth science lesson, students make conclusions on what a climate is like based on soils samples. Learners use a model soil...
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Fossil Adventure
Students create a book about the process of a dinosaur becoming a fossil. In this earth science instructional activity, 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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Earthquakes
Students inspect the causes and effects of earthquakes and examine how seismic waves travel. In this earthquake instructional activity, students determine where earthquakes happen and why, before determining how to build an earthquake...
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Volcano!-Thar She Blows!
Students describe how volcanoes are formed. They name the types of boundaries where volcanoes occur. They utilize models to illustrate the occurence of volcanoes and earthquakes along plate boundaries. They compare and constrast the...
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A Hydrothermal Adventure
Young scholars analyze hydrothermal vents. In this hydrothermal vents lesson plan, students discover the effects of hydrothermal vents on tectonic plates. Young scholars make model hydrothermal vents to understand how they form and operate.
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Design an Island
Students make a map of an imaginary island using the topographic symbols provided from a worksheet. Students place lakes, dwellins, reefs, etc. in areas where they would logically be located from understanding how the topography of an...
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Rocks and Minerals: Sedimentary Rocks
Students explore the concept of rock formation. In this sedimentary rocks lesson, students observe and record their findings about sedimentary rocks. Students then create limestone, coal, and sandstone models and write reports...
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Introduction to Volcanoes
Students develop a basic understanding of volcanoes. They watch a PowerPoint Presentation which introduces three types of volcanoes: shield volcanoes, cinder cones, and composite volcanoes.
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Carving Mountains
Students explore geography by participating in an illustration activity. In this land-form lesson, students define vocabulary terms associated with glaciers and forests. Students utilize pens, cardboard and pottery clay to draw and...
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Baleen Whales vs. Toothed Whales
Second graders review mammal characteristics and study two types of whales. In this mammal study lesson, 2nd graders discuss mammals and define their five characteristics. Students complete a whale worksheet and define differences...
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"Potato Mountain": Reading/Understanding Topographic Maps
Students investigate how to read topographic maps. In this map reading lesson students complete a topographic map activity.
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Fossil Inferences
Fourth graders use their knowledge about fossils to arrange fossil pictures in sequence from oldest to youngest. They explain how fossils can be used to make inferences about past life, climate, geology, and environments and discover...