Curated OER
Camp and Travel on Durable Ground
Students explore environmental awareness by conducting a class discussion. In this camping lesson, students discuss different methods to minimize their human imprint on the land they are camping or hiking on. Students participate in a...
University of Wisconsin
Noting Notable Features for Rain Gardens
Eight groups in your class are each responsible for a different aspect of surveying the campus for a suitable rain garden location. Features to consider include water flow, topography, sun/shade patterns, land surface, vegetation,...
NOAA
Technology II
Ping, ping, ping. The last installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program explores technology use in marine studies, such as sonar. Activity involves simulating sonar techniques to identify a...
Curated OER
Marine Energy
In small groups, energy engineers research and make a topographic map of a marine natural resource. They report to the rest of the class pros and cons of extracting their assigned resource. The two activities may take up to four class...
Curated OER
Map Puzzles
Students make puzzles from world maps, dramatizing how much of the globe is covered by ocean.
Virginia Department of Education
Weathering of Limestone
We all know limestone weathers, but what affects the rate of weathering? Young scientists investigate the physical and chemical weathering of limestone (chalk) through experimentation. First, they conduct trials with different-size...
PBS
Reading Adventure Pack: Oceans
Flotsam by David Wiesner and The Magic School Bus on the Ocean Floor by Joanna Cole, illustrated by Bruce Degen, begin a reading adventure pack focusing on oceans. With story listening and thoughtful discussion, scholars complete several...
California Polytechnic State University
Australian Geography Unit
At the heart of this resource is a beautifully detailed PowerPoint presentation (provided in PDF form) on the overall physical geography of Australia, basic facts about the country, Aboriginal history, and Australia culture and lifestyle.
Curated OER
Soils: One of Our Natural Resources
"God made dirt, so dirt don't hurt!" In fact, dirt is soil, which is an amazingly dynamic material that we cannot live without! Dig into the depths of soil development, topography, and layers with this PowerPoint. The photos are fuzzy,...
Curated OER
Soil Morphology
High schoolers analyze images of five different soil types from various locations and discuss how climate, vegetation, parent material, topography, and time can contribute to soil characteristics.
Curated OER
Climate and Topography, What Is the Connection?
Fourth graders study Neumann's world continent map and explore topography and climate.
Curated OER
Freedom and Dignity Project
Students use maps to "recreate" important battles of the Revolutionary war. Students research these battles, focusing on how topography played a role in the victory or defeat of the American army. A field trip may also be used as an...
Curated OER
Geography and Its Five Themes
Geography is not limited to just learning about the Earth and its physical features.
Curated OER
Fantasy / Art Maps
Ninth graders analyze a fantasy art map by Jeremy Anderson, paying careful attention to the way the topographic features of the land are represented. They create a similar map of Sacramento that includes topographical features as well as...
Curated OER
Science Jeopardy - The Earth Sciences
The earth sciences are the focus for this Jeopardy-style review game. Categories include geology, space, scientific investigation, meteorology, and oceanography. Diagrams and pictures are involved with most of the questions, making this...
Curated OER
Gallery Walk Questions on Rivers
A Gallery Walk is a technique that allows small groups to visit different stations, where they examine and discuss materials about an overarching topic. Questions about rivers and fluvial processes are available in this resource;...
Curated OER
How Much Water is in That River?
Students practice measurement using the Hudson River. They calculate the discharge measurement at a location on the Hudson River using ingenuity and a topographic map.
Curated OER
Malta: The Landscape
Students work in small groups to create a topographic map of Malta. They must include labeled line drawings of bordering countries and bodies of water. Students use salt and flour clay to make Malta three dimensional, showing the nearest...
Curated OER
Worksheet 19 - Topographical Maps
In this map worksheet, students use information from given topical maps and locate the maxima and solve one dimensional wave equations. This two-page worksheet contains four problems.
Curated OER
Practical GPS Applications in Forestry & Agriculture
An explanation of the Global Positioning System (GPS) and the Geographic Information System (GIS) is given in this presentation. Uses and applications are considered. How it works and sources of error are also touched upon. A large...
Curated OER
The Hot Spot Hypothesis
Students use a digital atlas, geologic maps, and topography maps to explore geologic regions of Yellow Stone National Park. They locate evidence that support the theory of hot spots. Students research and explore the movements of Hot...
Curated OER
Under the Ice: Imaging Glacier Bases with Sound
Students investigate with radio waves that are used to remotely sense the topography beneath the ice sheet. They experiment with travel time of waves and convert data to distance and depth. As a result, they develop a profile of the...
Curated OER
Sonar Simulation
Students explore how a side-scan sonar can help locate underwater objects. In this hands- on lesson students compare side-scan sonar and other methods used to search for underwater objects by creating their own "simulation" of a...
Curated OER
Bathymetry
Students study the topography of the ocean floor and the geological processes of how it is formed. They summarize what bathymetry, describe how islands are formed and illustrate a bathymetric model of the sea floor.