Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making a Cave

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Young scholars discuss caves. In this science lesson, students experiment with how dissolution, a chemical weathering process, leads to the formation of caves. Once the cave is finsihed young scholars draw a picture or describe in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Watershed Landscape

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students demonstrate how water flows by building a human watershed using themselves. In this ecology lesson, students compare and contrast point-source and non-point source pollution. They write what they have learned from this activity...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dirt: Making Dirty Water Clean!

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders study soil and water.  In this water instructional activity students work in groups and use a filter to clean water. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Choose Your Own Soil Adventure

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders will use a soil survey to make management decisions and by interpreting geologic maps. The importance of different soil types is discussed and the implications of how soil can be useful for our communities.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pebbles Sand and Silt

For Teachers 1st
First graders investigate soil, sand and silt. For this environment lesson, 1st graders discuss how changes occur in the environment and the effects of weather. Students perform their own investigation and record their predictions,...
Activity
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Museum of Science

Terrarium

For Students 1st - 6th
Make a premium terrarium. Learners create a miniature terrarium to study ecosystems. They use a clear container, along with rocks, soil, moss, leaves, woodland plants, earthworms, and bugs to construct their terrariums.
Lesson Plan
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NASA

Exploring the Moon

For Teachers K - 4th
Can plants grow on the moon? The second lesson in a five-part series has pupils explore the resources available on the moon to determine if plant life is possible. They use lava rocks as their soil and draw conclusions about the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Recipe for Soil

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders use local materials such as leaves and other plant matter; sand and pebbles to make soil. They plant seeds in the manufactured soil and in natural soil and then observe and record the results.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Rock Cycle

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders, in groups, examine soil samples with magnifying glasses. They discuss the living and non-living things they find in their soild samples.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Soil Erosion

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders complete activities to observe the effects of erosion. For this erosion lesson, 2nd graders define erosion and learn the process. Students complete an erosion experiment.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Formation of Soil

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers identify the different components that make up soil. For this earth science lesson, students create a pamphlet for next year's class. They analyze how erosion and weathering shape the Earth.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Soil Research

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders work together in groups to discover the importance of soils. Using a worksheet, they answer questions as they surf the internet. They observe three different types of soils and record their observations and use the internet...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Erosion And the Cycling of Rocks And Minerals

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate the concept of erosion by water in a problem solving activity. In small groups, they are assigned either sand, potting soil or rocks to construct a mountain that will hold up to a sprinkler can of water dripping on...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Soil Analysis

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students examine zip lock bags of clay, silt, and sand to determine its origin. They rotate through stations to compare different soils and perform oil separation and Tullgren funnel tests.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How to Recycle a Rock

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders explore the rock cycle and explore how rocks are made, changed, destroyed and recreated. They create representations of these processes with hands-on activities.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth and Space Science: Let it Flow

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students engage in a activity in which volcanoes be explored and examined. After watching a video, students create volcanoes out of clay.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Micro-Climate

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Atmosphere aces investigate the microclimates that exist within a larger area. They use a thermometer to record the varying temperatures and identify the microclimates on a map that they have drawn. This exercise helps them to understand...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

This Mine of Mine

For Teachers K - 4th
Students explore natural resources by conducting a geology experiment in class. In this mineral mining lesson, students discuss the types of geological material that can be found when mining and the uses for these resources such as coal....
PPT
Curated OER

Limestone and Its Uses

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Everything you ever wanted to know about limestone fills these 15 slides. Its properties, uses, and reactions with other materials are all explained. Most likely, this would be useful in a high school geology class as an example of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Seepy Sandwich

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore Earth science by participating in a pollution activity. In this water infiltration lesson, students utilize a water sprayer, food coloring and slices of bread to simulate how pollution can spread into our drinking water...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Groundwater as Part of the Water Cycle

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Make sure to read through the activity procedures thoroughly before teaching this lesson because the materials list is incomplete. Also, the mentioned worksheets and booklet are not available. However, there is no need to discard this...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water: Naturally Cleaned

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners use stream trays covered in different types of rocks or soil to investigate infiltrates and runoff. In this water pollution instructional activity, students work in groups with stream trays that have different substrates. They...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Under Our Feet

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students investigate the forest ecosystem to learn of the living and non-living elements of the soil. For this ecosystem lesson, students examine soil for twigs, moss, fungi, leaves, roots and other matter.   Students...