Curated OER
Getting Fired Up
Students explore first-person accounts of volcanic eruptions throughout time and use second-hand information about volcanoes. They use both types of accounts to write news articles covering the events of a historic volcanic eruption as...
Curated OER
Formation of Volcanoes
Ninth graders explore the process of different volcanoes and how plate tectonics plays a role. In this volcanic instructional activity students complete several assignments on plate tectonics.
Curated OER
Why Are Volcanoes Dangerous?
Students investigate the causes and characteristics of volcanic eruptions including pyroclastic eruptions. They study the effects of natural disasters.
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics: Fifth Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
Fifth graders continue their investigation of the plate tectonics cycle with an exploration of the movement of Earth's crust. During the lab, young geologists conduct an experiment to discover the result of different types of stress...
American Museum of Natural History
What Do You Know About Earth?
Time to rock and roll! Young scientists test their knowledge about rocks found on Earth and what they tell scientists. A 10-question quiz focuses on the different types of rocks, how they are formed, and what they are made of.
Science Matters
Earthquake Waves: Wave Notes
A multi-part lesson opens with a review of p waves and s waves. Then scholars use a simple s wave simulator to view the way the wave travels. Next, pupils use cups and various fluids to simulate p waves moving through different mediums....
Oregon State
World Map of Plate Boundaries
Young geologists piece together the puzzle of plate tectonics in an earth science lesson. Given a physical map of the world, they search for land formations that indicate the location of different types of plate boundaries.
Curated OER
Moving Continents
In this moving continents worksheet, students review the different types of plate boundaries, what causes earthquakes, and where volcanoes are formed. This worksheet has 10 fill in the blank and 9 short answer questions.
Curated OER
Worksheet 3 Vocabulary Review: Words That Mean the Same
In this synonyms instructional activity, learners read 10 sentences and analyze the word in bold type. From two choices, students circle the letter of a word or phrase that means the same.
Science Matters
Wattsville and Mercalli Booklet
There has been an earthquake! Can you listen to the description of damage given by callers in order to determine the epicenter? The 11th of 20 lessons has pupils read a script of one emergency caller. The class records the information on...
![Erosion in Different Soils [Erosion Races] Lesson Plan](http://content.lessonplanet.com/resources/thumbnails/140405/large/cgrmlwnvbnzlcnqymdezmdmyos01nde3lxfmmzy0dc5qcgc.jpg?1414240121 "Erosion in Different Soils [Erosion Races] Lesson Plan")
Curated OER
Erosion in Different Soils [Erosion Races]
Fourth graders review how erosion can happen by wind, water, and gravity which they studied in previous lesson. They attempt to discover if all soils erode at the same rate. In small groups, 4th graders experiment with three different...
Curated OER
Protecting Habitats and Species
Students recognize that scientists continuously gather and interpret data to understand and predict relationships among natural phenomena. They research various volcanoes and plot the volcano locations on a world map.
Curated OER
Unexplored!
Students explore volcanoes. In this deep sea volcano lesson plan students complete a worksheet and various activities.
Curated OER
Survival Experts
Young scholars take on the role of survival experts as they research and produce brochures or guides to educate others about what to do in the event of a natural disaster.
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...
Curated OER
Hazards: Fourth Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
Learn about damage associated with earthquakes and materials that best withstand a quake. A lab engages class members in the experimental design and construction of sturdy structures that can endure various earthquake intensities. Groups...
Science Matters
Fault Formations
The San Andreas Fault moves about two inches a year, approximately the same rate fingernails grow—crazy! The third lesson in the series allows for hands-on exploration of various fault formations. Through the use of a Popsicle stick,...
Curated OER
Building for the Big One
Students build and test structures that can best withstand earthquakes. They create their structures from playdough, cornstarch, grape-nuts and popsicle sticks and place their structures on a "shake table."
Curated OER
Rock Families
Students study the three types of rock characteristics; igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. They are divided into three groups and each group takes one of the rock characteristics. They then act out the characteristics of their rock...
Curated OER
Earthquakes and Volcanoes
In this earthquakes and volcanoes activity, students will review how volcanoes are formed and where they are found. Students will describe earthquakes and their magnitudes. Students will use a table to answer questions about tsunamis....
Curated OER
Observing, Describing, And Identifying Contrails
Young scholars compare the three types of contrails that are produced by aircraft exhaust. They examine pictures of contrails on the internet to classify each as short lived, persistent or persistent spreading. They then sketch examples...
Science Matters
Spaghetti Fault Model
Does increasing the pressure between two moving plates provide a stabilizing force or create more destruction? The hands-on lesson encourages exploration of strike-split fault models. The sixth lesson in a 20-part series asks scholars to...
Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Rocks and Minerals in Our Lives
Young geologists discover the important role that rocks and minerals play in our everyday lives through this series of hands-on activities. Starting off with a lesson that defines the difference between plants, animals, and minerals,...
Curated OER
Shake, Rattle, and Roll: Mt. St. Helens - Lesson Plan 2
Students compile information on volcanic activity at Mount St. Helens. In this earth science lesson, students use the information they gathered on Mount St. Helens to answer questions and create charts in Excel. Then students compare...