Curated OER
Layers of the Atmosphere Foldable
Aspiring meteorologists make themselves a tool for reviewing the characteristics of each layer of the atmosphere. The procedure for this little project divides the paper into five sections, but many earth science teachers opt for the...
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Changing Planet: Permafrost Gas Leak
Pair earth scientists up to use an amazing online arctic portal mapping tool and Google Earth to analyze permafrost changes. They compare changes to data on atmospheric concentrations of methane to see if there is a correlation. Then...
Curated OER
The Geology of a Snicker’s Bar: Tectonic Plates
Students explore the layers of the Earth using a Snicker's bar. In this science lesson, students identify the parts of the Snicker's bar and identify which layer of the Earth the parts of the candy bar would represent. Students discuss...
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Our Ever Changing Earth
First graders study ways in which the earth changes due to erosion and weathering in this series of lessons.
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Environmental Changes from Space
Students discuss Landsat Satellites and the use of the images they provide as well as the purpose of keeping records of the information from the satellites. The class works in groups to complete a worksheet on short term and long term...
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The Magma Also Rises
Convection is thoroughly demonstrated using a model of Earth's mantle. Detailed background information is provided for the teacher, as well as a list of materials. Although a colorful and detailed worksheet is available for the class,...
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Earth Changes
Learners investigate the earth's structural layers by participating in hands-on activities. They identify the earth's structure and investigate earthquakes.
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Inside Earth
Students study the makeup of the earth, including the core, the mantle and the crust. They compare the temperatures and thicknesses of each layer. In pairs, they make a model of a cross-section of the earth out of modeling clay.
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What's Inside the Earth?
In this earth's composition worksheet, students read about the layers within the earth and they answer 3 multiple choice questions. They color a diagram of the earth's core using different colors to represent the solid metal, the liquid...
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Plates of the Earth's Crust
In this Earth's crust and continental plates worksheet, students are given a diagram of the plates of the Earth. They choose a color to draw each different plate so they can be distinguished from one another.
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Ozone: The Earth's Security Blanket
Students work in groups to define and research the terms: ozone, troposphere and stratosphere. Students watch videos, conduct Internet research, participate in discussion groups and complete worksheets.
National Wildlife Federation
Stifling, Oppressive, Sweltering, Oh My!
Looking for a hot date? Pick any day in August, statistically the hottest month in the United States. The 15th lesson in the series of 21 instructs pupils to investigate the August 2007 heat wave through NASA data, daily temperature...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
The Day the Mesozoic Died
While this is not the traditional, step-by-step lesson plan, it is chock-full of material that you can easily incorporate into your earth history unit. Its main purpose is to serve as a guide to using a three-part film, The Day the...
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Earthquake Formation
Students explore earthquakes. In this natural disaster and engineer career education lesson, students identify features of the earth's surface that increase the likelihood of an earthquake. Students use visual aids to locate the earth's...
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How Much is Dirt Worth?
Fourth graders graph the percentages of the materials that make up the Earth and complete computations based on their results. For this topsoil lesson, 4th graders diagram the different layers of Earth's composition.
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Earth Structure and Materials
High schoolers explain what is meant by term nuclear radiation, describe in detail electromagnetic spectrum, differentiate between ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, understand half-life of isotopes, differentiate between processes of...
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Earth's Magnetic Field and Magnetosphere
Students investigate the magnitude of Earth's magnetic field using PASCO. In this physics lesson, students describe the features of the magnetosphere. They explain how atmosphere layers protect the Earth.
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Microbial Influence on Earth's Systems
Learners identify the different biogeochemical cycles on Earth. In this biology lesson, students observe microbes under a microscope. They compare and contrast respiration and photosynthesis.
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Environmental Studies: The Environment Rocks!
Rock exploration, so exciting! After reading the book Everybody Needs a Rock, the class makes sandwiches to better understand that the Earth is made in layers. They then use a description of the 3 types of rock to conduct an observation...
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...
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Layering the Soil
Students study and classify soil. In this soil science lesson, students classify soil by texture and size and study soil horizons. Students label the soil types with their specific soil horizon and learn about permafrost. Students...
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Earth Composition and Plate Tectonics
Students investigate the composition of the interior of the Earth through a teacher lead lesson. They study the theory of plate tectonics before creating a model of the earth's interior. They use a hard boiled egg to synthesize a model...
Curated OER
Rock Layers
Students interpret a rock core sample from a clay model. In small groups, they layer modeling clay in a plastic container using coarse-grained spices sprinkled in to represent fossils. They switch containers with another group and remove...
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Understanding Geologic Time
Learners view Understanding Geologic Time on the Internet or by CD-Rom to explore the length of time that the Earth has existed.