Students examine the difference between magnitude and intensity in earthquakes. They complete map work and write a first hand account of a person living in each level of intensity on the Modified Mercalli Scale.

Students discuss any myths they are aware of dealing with earthquakes. They use the internet to put these myths to rest. They also discuss what happens during an earthquake with family members.

Students define vocabulary words associated with lithospheric plate motions. They create and write down a motion to act out each vocabulary word, and participate in a game of demonstrating the actions associated with each word.

This set of black-line diagrams of the three different types of faults can be used with your upper elementary earth scientists. Simply have them color the layers to show where the land once lined up. Another use for this resource would...

All this resource provides is a black line diagram of a simple seismometer and two sentences explaining how it works. Use this as a transparency or display it through your projector when studying tectonic activity. It would be especially...

Students practice their mapping skills by creating an accurate map of their schoolyard using an aerial photo from the National Map web site. Students include legends, a scale, and a north arrow on their maps.

Students define what a volcano is. They discover where and why volcanoes occur. They study effects of volcanoes on the Earth system.

In this science worksheet, students will color a picture of the Cassini space craft and the Huygens Probe orbiting around Saturn. A simple explanation of the mission is at the bottom of the page.

Students role-play to show the eyewitness accounts of the eruption of Mt. St. Helens. In this volcanic eruption instructional activity, students act as reporters, eyewitnesses, and scientists to dramatize the eruption of Mt. St. Helens....

Students develop their map skills. In this geography activity, students participate in an activity that requires them to survey their social studies book in order to find different types of maps and purposes for their uses.

In this science word search learning exercise, students will find 12 words related to the Cassini-Huygens space mission. There are facts about the mission and Saturn around the outside of the word search.

Students look at a park from ground perspective. In this map skills instructional activity, students are introduced to a story about a girl at a park and make observations about the park based on a picture. This prepares students for the...

In this volcanoes, plate tectonics and "Ring of Fire" worksheet, students view the location of volcanoes on a map of the Earth, they see the "Ring of Fire" and they locate the major plates of the Earth's crust. They use the map as...

In this earthquake intensity worksheet, students are given a map labeled with the intensity of shaking for the Northridge area and its surroundings for the earthquake that occurred in 1994. Students color an intensity scale and then...

Students create their own environment. In this environmental protection lesson, students pretend they are the owners of a tropical island. They create jobs for the citizens and develop the island as a model environment.

Students explore the relationship between a scale drawing and actual distance. In this mapping instructional activity, students use an amusement park map to determine distances and what they would be like in real life.

Students role play as newscasters to highlight the lives of estuary animals. In this estuary animal lesson, students watch local new shows to examine how interviews take place. They research the lives of animals that live in estuaries...

Students respond to a situation presented about the wetlands. In this wetlands lesson, students understand the various opinions over the use of areas in the wetlands. Students complete a worksheet using critical thinking questions about...

Students recognize both sides of a dilemma through use of a Human Interaction Outline.  In this Goals, Interactions and Outcome lesson, students create a diagram to show opposing views of fishermen and oil companies.  Students...

Students create visual representations of ecosystems. In this ecology activity, students discuss the interdependence of plants and animals in various ecosystems. Students cut pictures from magazines and glue them on sturdy blocks. ...

Students learn about and track hurricanes. In this natural disasters lesson, students discuss hurricane formation and research the impact/effects of hurricanes in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin. Students use a hurricane tracking map to...

Students examine the impact of sea level on land formations. In this geography and map lesson, students construct a contour map model illustrating how much of the clay "coastline" is covered as water is added. Metric measurement is...

Students examine and demonstrate the extent of geologic time compared to recent time. They develop a demonstration of geologic time using an unrolled roll of toilet paper, with each sheet of toilet paper representing 20 million years.

Third and fourth graders are introduced to the concept of map scale. Using an illustration, they discuss if it shows the actual size of the object and why scale is used to represent areas. They use some items in the illustration to...