Curated OER
Geographic Regions and Backyard Geology with the USGS Tapestry Map
A beautiful tapestry map of North America is examined by geology masters. The map incorporates the topography and geology of different regions. You can purchase printed copies or a large poster of the map, or if you have a computer lab...
Curated OER
What do Maps Show: How to Read a Topographic Map
Students identify the characteristics of topographical maps. Using examples, they practice reading them and describing the information they gather from them. They also discover how to use the website from the U.S. Geological Survey.
Curated OER
Plotting Earthquakes
Students explore earthquakes. Using the National Earthquake Information Center website, students plot daily earthquakes on a map. They observe the magnitude of each earthquake. Students identify the pattern of earthquake locations and...
Curated OER
Plotting Earthquakes
For this earthquakes worksheet, students access a website to gather information about the magnitude and location of earthquakes for 5 days. Then students complete 7 short answer questions.
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Monitoring River Levels
In this environmental science worksheet, students read and study water maps from an interactive website to complete 8 short answer questions that follow.
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Plot Current Earthquake Data
Students review earthquakes larger than 2.5 that have occurred over a span of several days using a given website reference. In this geology lesson, students plot epicenters on a world map and depth of the quake. All necessary...
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Musical Plates
Sixth graders engage in a study of the plates and how they are part of the formation of the ever changing landscape of planet earth. They access web sites that have applications for observation and conducting different activities. The...
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Fault Features
Students discuss the different kinds of faults in the earth's crust and examine photos of the San Adreas Fault. Working in groups, they experiment with fault making by placing fabric in a pan and filling the inside with wet dirt. When...
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Marine Animals: Stranded on the Coast
Students identify marine animals that could become stranded due to coastal features and currents. They plot data on worksheets for locations of sea turtles actually beached or stranded. After plotting their points, they hypothesize...
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Schoolyard Geology
Students learn that a rock's properties tell stories about where it came from and where it has been. The lesson illustrates how to make geologic observations and gives background about the important properties of rocks to observe....
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The Legendary Raptors
How are raptors and airplanes alike? Combine science and language arts in this fun and interactive project. Young scientists research the animal in order to design their own aircraft, and compete in a contest for farthest, fastest, and...
NOAA
Fishy Deep-sea Designs!
Oceans represent more than 80 percent of all habitats, yet we know less about them than most other habitats on the planet. The instructor introduces the epipelagic, mesopelagic, bathypelagic, twilight, and midnight zones in the ocean....
Science Matters
Landforms from Volcanoes
Three major types of volcanoes exist: cinder cone, composite/strata, and shield. The 18th lesson in a 20-part series covers the various landforms created from volcanoes. Scholars work in pairs to correctly identify the three...
Curated OER
Human Body Corp.
Learners investigate body systems by participating in a role-play activity. Third, fourth, and fifth graders pretend that they are an organ or system of the human body, and they must write a letter to the body "corporation" discussing...
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Loss of Wetlands: Subsidence
Students observe subsidence and the effect it has on wetlands with a classroom demonstration. They think about the impact of global warming and the sea level and how it affects the marsh.
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What do Maps Show?
Seventh graders practice reading maps. In this geography lesson, 7th graders compare a topographical map to a picture of the actual place.
Curated OER
Plate Patterns
Students read about a volcano and use the latitude and longitude information to plot and describe the volcano on the map. They discuss patterns seen on the map. In addition, they color code a map according to zones, plates, etc.
Curated OER
Electronic Hydrology Lesson Plan - Revised
Students use Excel spreadsheets. They predict time and height of peak flow on river
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Glacial Change
Students research the ways in which scientists study glaciers and glacial change. They interpret real time data and calculate the estimated global sea level rise potential. A very good activity to illustrate global warming.
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Japan and The Ring of Fire
Pupils engage in a study of the volcanic forces and earthquakes associated with The Ring of Fire in the Pacific Ocean. The people of Japan are researched in how they have dealt with living in the area. Also students write in journals and...
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Raptors: Senses and Influences
Students compare the traits of humans to raptors. In this senses and beneficial traits lesson students create a newsletter and compare raptors to aircraft.
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Water Pollution Hot-Spots
Students complete internet research in small groups to identify types of water pollution, spotlight water pollution hot-spots, and design a plan for water prevention.
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Plate Patterns
Students review the patterns they discovered from a previous activity. In this investigative lesson plan students plot data as a class and color a map.
Curated OER
Droughts
Students discuss a natural disaster. In this droughts lesson plan, students discover how droughts occur and how they affect the society dealing with one. They discuss how the population of Australia deals with droughts and work on...