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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Big Balancing Act

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students describe chemical changes occurring in hydrothermal circulation systems. They make inferences about the significance of these systems to ocean chemical balance compared to terrestrial runoff.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reading the Shapes of Volcanoes on Earth and Mars

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students compare and contrast the volcanoes of Earth and Mars, and examine specific volcanoes on Mars. They model the processes that create cone and shield volcanoes, and measure the slope angles of cone and shield volcanoes.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Field Research Project: Comparing the Parent Rock Material of the San Francisco Terranes With Local Soil Types

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students investigate rocks and minerals and take a field trip to sample soils. They analyze rocks and soil, research the geological terrenes of the topology of San Francisco, and produce a lab research report.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth History Part II

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders hypothesize what caused the break up of continents. In this earth science lesson, 8th graders study about the events that took place during Mesozoic and Cenozoic Era. They reconstruct a supercontinent and report their...
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Lesson Plan
California Academy of Science

Measuring Earthquakes

For Teachers 4th - 8th
After a brief discussion on earthquakes, make a makeshift seismograph to record the shaking of the table that it sits upon. While the background information will be useful to you as a teacher, the seismograph does not seem like it would...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Are We Falling Apart? Exploding Volcanoes

For Teachers 5th - Higher Ed
Students explore how volcanoes are formed, list the parts and characteristics of volcanoes, state the differences in various types of lava, and analyze the volume of ejecta from a volcano.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Looking into Earth with GIS

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students work with data from a seismic wave model in a freely available GIS (geographic information system) program, ArcVoyager SE. Using a GIS, they examine maps and produce graphs to explore variations in seismic wave velocities at...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Natural Hazards

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students 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...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Causes and Effects of Earthquakes and Volcanoes

For Teachers 10th
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.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earthquakes and Seismic Waves

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students investigate the Richter scale and seismology in a teacher-led lab in which they are introduced to the concept of seismic waves and epicenter location. They further investigate the inner workings of a seismograph and practice...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making Craters

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students study craters and identify the different things that characterize craters.  In this crater lesson students create a model of an impact crater. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's The Difference?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners identify geologic features that are associated with volcanoes.  In this volcanic exploration lesson students compare and contrast convergent and divergent volcanoes and are able to explain why some erupt more explosively.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Island formation

For Teachers 2nd - 11th
Students explain what an island is, and distinguish islands from similar landforms. They compare and contrast the different ways in which islands are formed.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Physical Geography of South Asia

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students describe the physical forces that formed and shaped the Himalaya, then discuss the physical geography of Mount Everest and how it influences the routes climbers take to the summit.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Volcanoes Grow

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students study volcanoes including rock fragments, ash, aerosols and gases.  In this volcano instructional activity students divide into groups and build models of the three major types of volcanoes. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earthquakes

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students observe the melting of ice. In this phase change lesson, students observe ice as it melts. They discuss the process and create a Venn diagram comparing water and ice.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plotting Earthquakes

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students, after plotting earthquake locations on the map, should correctly; identify the pattern of earthquake locations and identify the ring of fire.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduction to Geology Quiz Worksheet

For Teachers 4th - 5th
In this earth science fill-in-the-blank worksheet learners complete 8 questions about an geology. They see a picture of a rock and a volcano on the page. They check their work with the word bank at the bottom of the page.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Natural Disasters

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners work together in groups to travel throughout the room to different stations. They practice making different natural disasters at each station. They also examine fault lines and the supercontinent Pangaea.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Volcanoes

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students explore the formation of volcanoes. In this earth science lesson, students build their own volcanoes in the lab using different materials. They identify the different types of volcanoes.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Going to Extremes

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners compare and contrast Archaea with bacteria and other organisms.  In this ocean lesson students complete diagrams.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

This Life Stinks!

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the process of chemosynthesis and contrast this process with photosynthesis. They consider the relevance of chemosynthesis to biological communities in the vicinity of cold seeps.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

This Old Tubeworm

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explain the process and significance of chemosynthesis. They develop their own graphic based on data of a biological community. They estimate the age of a given species as well.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

World's Most Dynamic Force

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore the Earth's forces. They review an assessment task and its accompanying rubric. They classify ten items as long-term or short-term interactions of the Earth's components and rank the destructive impact of the forces. ...