University of Miami
What is it? Weathering, Erosion, or Deposition?
Just as rocks move through the rock cycle, your giddy geologists will move descriptions around until they are all in the correct category. After cutting out several types of rock movement, learners determine whether the action is...
Foundation for Water & Energy Education
What is the Water Cycle? Activity B
Curious physical scientists follow a lesson on the properties of water with this lesson on distillation. They observe a miniature water cycle model that filters dirty water into clean water. These two lessons combined are an enriching...
US Environmental Protection Agency
Water Purification by Evaporation and Condensation
This easy-to-perform demonstration shows students how the water cycle, specifically the processes of condensation and evaporation, purifies Earth's water supply. Just mix up some water, dirt, and gravel in a glass bowl, place a cup in...
Forest Foundation
Forests, Carbon & Our Climate
To conclude their examination of forest ecosystems, class members consider the role forests play in the carbon cycle and how forests can offset climate change.
NOAA
The Incredible Carbon Journey: Play the Carbon Journey Game
Class members explore the carbon cycle in the final installment of the 10-part Discover Your Changing World series. They play a simulation game where they walk through the steps carbon takes as it cycles through the different layers...
K-State Research and Extensions
Water
How are maps like fish? They both have scales. The chapter includes six different activities at three different levels. Scholars complete activities using natural resources, learn how to read a map, see how to make a compass rosette,...
US Department of Energy
Solar Distiller
Explore the sun's ability to distill contaminated water with this simple set of classroom experiments. After filling two glass bowls, one with muddy water and the other with salt water, they are covered with plastic wrap and placed...
DiscoverE
Build a Watershed
What's the best way to learn how watersheds work? Build one! Combining engineering, the water cycle, and ecology concerns, the activity is the perfect fit for an interdisciplinary unit. Teams construct a model watershed with simple...
It's About Time
Volcanos and the Atmosphere
In the summer of 1815, snow fell every month in New England. Was this related to the volcanic eruption of Tambora in Indonesia earlier in the year? Young scientists design their own experiments to research the long-term effect a volcanic...
US Environmental Protection Agency
Building an Model Aquifer
With almost half of Americans relying on groundwater supplies, it is more important than ever to protect aquifers from possible contaminants. Working in small groups, young environmentalists explore this problem as they create an aquifer...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigations Based on the Rock Cycle
In this lab investigation, students will study different types of rocks and formulate questions about the conditions under which they formed. This lab requires students to use the concepts learned about the rock cycle to develop a...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Model the Rock Cycle With Crayons
Use crayons to model the rock cycle in this fun activity! You will make colorful sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous "rocks" from crayon shavings.
American Geosciences Institute
American Geosciences Institute: Earth Science Week: Chocolate Rock Cycle
Students use chocolate in this activity to model sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks, mimicking what happens during transformations in the rock cycle.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Rock Jeopardy!
Students reinforce their understanding of rocks, the rock cycle, and geotechnical engineering by playing a trivia game. They work in groups to prepare Jeopardy-type trivia questions (answers) and compete against each other to demonstrate...
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Plix: The Rock Cycle: Rocks and Processes of the Rock Cycle
[Free Registration/Login Required] Test your knowledge of the rock cycle by labeling an interactive diagram and with a short quiz.
Other
Moorland School: Earth Science Zone: The Rock Cycle
Did you know the rock cycle is a continuous cycle that takes hundreds of millions of years? This webpage explains how sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks are formed. It also gives examples of each type of rock. Also includes a...
Minerals Ed
Minerals Ed: Rock Star 101 [Pdf]
This lesson takes you through the basic introduction of rocks. It includes information about the rock cycle and the three types of rocks: igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary.
University of Oxford (UK)
The Learning Zone: Rocks
Utilize this matching game to comprehend the cycle of rocks. Drag and drop "Rocky" into the correct places.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Soapy Stress
To experience the three types of material stress related to rocks - tensional, compressional and shear - students break bars of soap using only their hands. They apply force created by the muscles in their own hands to put pressure on...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Tunnel Through!
Students apply their knowledge about mountains and rocks to transportation engineering, with the task of developing a model mountain tunnel that simulates the principles behind real-life engineering design. Student teams design and...
The Franklin Institute
Franklin Institute: How Sedimentary Rock Is Formed
The Franklin Institute describes the way sedimentary rock is formed, with links to descriptions of several types of sedimentary rocks.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Soil Core Sampling
Students learn about one method used in environmental site assessments. They practice soil sampling by creating soil cores, studying soil profiles and characterizing soil profiles in borehole logs. They use their analysis to make...
American Geosciences Institute
American Geosciences Institute: Earth Science Week: What's Down There?
Students build a model to learn about the cycle of erosion and deposition by water and wind which deposits layer upon layer of rock, soil, and organic material to the surface.