Curated OER
Geologist
In this geologist worksheet, students identify and collect five geologic specimens that have important uses, giving an example of each. Also, they create a drawing that shows the cause of a volcano, a geyser, or an earthquake. Finally,...
Curated OER
Hazards: Kindergarten Lesson Plans and Activities
The last unit in the series allows kindergarteners to see the dangers and hazards associated with each of the natural disasters learned so far in the series—earthquakes and volcanoes. They listen to sounds associated with the...
K5 Learning
Landforms
Valleys, mountains, and plateaus are just a few geographic landforms on our Earth. Read about these types and more in a brief landform passage. After reading, learners respond to six short answer comprehension questions.
Curated OER
Volcanoes!
Students define what a volcano is. They discover where and why volcanoes occur. They study effects of volcanoes on the Earth system.
Curated OER
Plate Tectonic - Volcanoes Lab
Second graders create analogs for lava and magma in experiments.
Science Matters
Up and Down Fault Blocks
The Sierra Mountains in Nevada and the Tetons in Wyoming originally formed as fault block mountains. In order to visualize these fault blocks, pupils use construction paper to create layers of earth. They cut the paper models and form...
Curated OER
Eruption
Young scholars conduct an experiment simulating an underwater volcano based on reading The Magic School Bus Blows Its Top. They create a desktop volcano eruption demonstrating where magma comes from and how lava flows.
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
Building a Better Sentence
Sentence construction is both a science and an art. This bare bones lesson ties an analysis of earth's geology to sentence formation. Although referenced as a major part of the activity, there are no links to the technology or resources...
NOAA
Plate Tectonics II
Mid-ocean ridges, rift valleys, island arcs, mountain ranges, earthquakes, volcanoes ... there are so many features associated with plate tectonics. The 14th installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography...
Curated OER
Ready to Erupt!
Students observe a visual representation of a volcano erupting. They measure and sketch the volcano and discuss how engineers use this information. They discover the type of equipment used to indicate an eruption.
Curated OER
Causes and Effects of Earthquakes and Volcanoes
Tenth graders discuss the techniques and tools scientists use to study about the earth, including techniques used to determine geological time scales. They share their personal experiences of earthquakes and volcanoes.
Curated OER
Life of an Island: From Mountain to Atoll
Students research the evolution of a volcanic island from origin to erosion. They determine the relative ages of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands given their position in the archipelago.
Curated OER
Evacuating a Volcano: A Simulation
Students imagine themselves staying for the weekend in a summer cabin near Mount St. Helens (or other volcanic site,) and having to quickly evacuate the area.
Curated OER
Landforms in a Tub
Fifth graders use common household items to build landforms and simulate weathering and erosion.
Curated OER
TE Lesson: Tsunami Attack!
Students examine how earthquakes, volcanoes, and landslides can trigger tsunami waves. They determine how engineers use sensors to detect the dangerous wave, and how they help design building that will survive the wave force and water.
Curated OER
Solid Earth Socratic Questions
Learners participate in a whole class discussion to relate what they know about earthquakes to the processes of plate tectonics. They respond to prompts that lead them to conclusions about the layers of the earth.
Cornell University
Constructing and Visualizing Topographic Profiles
Militaries throughout history have used topography information to plan strategies, yet many pupils today don't understand it. Scholars use Legos and a contour gauge to understand how to construct and visualize topographic profiles. This...
Curated OER
Natural Hazards
Pupils evaluate the hazards of naturally occurring events. After watching a video concerning safety hazards, students work in groups to discuss the safety issues involved in taking a trip to a mountainous region. Recommendations are...
Curated OER
Geologic Age
Students investigate radioactivity as a tool for measuring geologic time and how geologists use this information to determine the absolute age of rocks or minerals.
Curated OER
Cruising the Mantle
Young scholars explore the plate boundaries of the earth. Through the use of video, internet and hands-on activities, students examine the types of plate boundaries. They create a model to illustrate the movement and interaction of the...
Curated OER
Mud Fossils
Young scholars observe real fossils. In this science instructional activity, students make their own mud fossils by pressing material into the mud and letting it dry in the sun for 3-4 days. Young scholars then get the fossils...
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics
Students participate in a series of experiments to learn about plate tectonics and the different materials of the Earth. For this plate tectonics lesson plan, students use eggs, water, beakers, paper, and more materials to learn about...
Curated OER
The 50 States and its Holidays
Though the format of this ELL lesson is confusing (the standards listed are for plate tectonics, yet the objectives are for American geography and holidays), a teacher could glean some ideas from the main idea. Here, pupils complete a...