Why is diversity in biology so important for an ecosystem? Explore biodiversity, evolution, and natural selection with a presentation for your biology class. It features clear information, activities for further understanding, and...

Scholars collect data from heating sand and water before forming testable hypotheses about why sand heats up faster. Afterward, they develop and run experiments to test their hypotheses.

The road to a better understanding of engineering lies with bridges and tunnels. A set of four engaging activities teaches learners about engineering concepts related to construction projects. They perform an experiment to find the...

High schoolers use fossils found in rocks to determine the age of the strata between Rock Island and Chicago. Pupils pretend they are geologists. They must determine the age of all rock layers between the Mississippi River and Lake...

Fifth graders examine how sand and rock fragments in soil are products of erosion or the weathering of rocks. They listen to the book "Sand" by Ellen J. Prager and answer discussion questions. Next, they analyze sand samples and sort...

Students examine soil. In this soil composition lesson students participate in soil sedimentation and filtration activities. The students discuss what non-living and living things are in soil and why it is so important.

Students study the different soil types and describe the different soils in various environments.  In this soil lesson students walk to a reserve and discuss what they saw. 

In this rock cycle worksheet, students use different colored crayons to represent different types of rocks. They follow step by step procedures to model the rock cycle with the crayons. Students draw the rock cycle, show weathering,...

Fourth graders describe the difference between minerals (composed of the same substance throughout) and rocks (composed of two or more minerals). They recognize that there are three classes of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic

Students create soil profiles, including rock, clay, silt, sand, and humus, in clear plastic cups out of edible materials.

In this porosity and permeability worksheet, students experiment with different types of soils such as sand, gravel, pebbled and rocks. They put each soil type in a beaker and pour water in being sure to measure the amount of water they...

Fourth graders examine soil to find its contents, and how much water and air they can measure.  In this soil composition lesson, 4th graders perform three experiments and record their results.  In one experiment they examine...

Third graders describe and classify rock samples. In this rock lesson, 3rd graders make inferences about rock samples by observing and measuring them. This lesson contains 5 different stations for the students to go to. 

Young scholars investigate soil temperatures. In this graphing and earth science lesson plan, students insert temperature probes into different types of soil at varying depths. Young scholars complete a data chart and construct a related...

Students explore the concept of soil and decomposition. In this soil and decomposition instructional activity, students investigate bags of soil. Students then learn how  animals and other organisms help in the decomposition...

This lesson is designed after research done on the ecology of soil lichen in the Tucson Basin area during the summers of 1997 and 1998. Its purpose is to guide students into adopting the problem solving thinking of ecologists. The lesson...

The relationships within and between ecosystems can be explored. after examining an area for living and non-living things students complete the same examination in the forest ecosystem. Students identify abiotic and biotic elements in an...

Students collect rocks, identify them, classify them, investigate their properties, and more. In this rocks lesson plan, students also experiment with soil and erosion and weather.

Students study living and non-living materials that are found in soil. They study the things required by plants and animals to remain healthy. They design a collage of sand, stones, leaves and other natural items.

For this minerals worksheet, learners read about the relationship between elements, rocks and minerals. They experiment using 6 different colored gumdrops to represent 6 common elements. Students construct gumdrop and toothpick models of...

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.

This slide show progresses through a comprehensive review of the grounding principles of earth science. Get down and dirty with the details of fossil fuels! Help your geologists to have a rock solid understanding of the rock cycle. The...

Students participate in an activity in which they identify properties of water, soil and rocks. They work together to identify different types of rocks. They ask questions to complete the lesson.

Fourth graders show the needs of plants met by soil. In this Science lesson, 4th graders detail the components of soil and determine which are living or once living and non-living. Students determine the needs of plant growth that are...