Junior archaeologists examine types of artifacts from the Bronze Age on the internet. In collaborative groups, they create a story about a ship from this period and then construct a model of the ocean floor after their ship has sunk....

Learners list sources of phosphorus in soil. They explain how phosphorus is removed from the soil and used by plants. Students list the symptoms of insufficient or excess phosphorus. Learners perform experiments to examine the effect of...

Fourth graders explore landscapes. In this landscape lesson, 4th graders investigate different elements of landscapes. Students design a visual presentation using photographs taken during a nature walk.

Young scholars explain what biodegradable materials are and list examples of them. They design, with online partners' feedback and input, a product made of biodegradable materials and develop a marketing campaign to best sell their product.

Students identify the law of superposition and it states that beds of rock in a series are laid down with the oldest at the bottom and younger layers on the top. They construct a legen for a block diagram and construct a block diagram...

Students discover how palaeontologists conduct a dig for fossils and how they interpret the age of the fossils. In small groups, they prepare a "dig site" consisting of bones, rocks and soil layered in a cardboard box. They switch boxes...

Students identify and interpret concepts about how the Earth was formed and convey some of these ideas in a painting. Students experiment with different types of paints and paint applicators to achieve a variety of visual textures....

Fifth graders examine photographs of the eastern and western Franklin Mountains. As a class, they discuss what is shown and the different colored rocks and the orientation of the layers. In groups, they are given clay of two different...

Students experiment with soda cans and water to discover why air pressure is greater closer to Earth's surface.

Third graders observe a cupcake and attempt to answer each question on the observation page. They write three sentences that explains how a geologist takes core samples of the earth's surface. Students make sketches and write...

Students discover facts about rain forests, list the common products that come from rain forests, recognize how important rain forests are to our daily lives, and list and describe the layers of rain forests.

Eighth graders watch the "Earth, the Environment & Beyond" video on earthquakes. Take notes and give an oral summary. They build a working, two dimensional model of a strike-slip, thrust, or normal fault.

Students discuss the causes of global warming. In this earth science instructional activity, students examine how global warming is connected to the arctic and world climate. They write a paragraph about their interconnection.

Students participate in a hands-on activity to investigate how water is recycled in a small environment, and determine how water is cycled on earth.

Sixth graders understand the patterns of change observable on Earth as a result of the movement of the different bodies in the solar system. They identify the physical characteristics of the different components of the solar system.

High schoolers use CAD maps to explore active faults in Idaho. Through observation of maps, they explore the layers of the Quaternary and Holocene faults. Individually, or in groups, they identify characteristics of faults such as...

Students discover if information in an article is accurate and current. In this science lesson, students read the story carefully and decide on what the subject of the article is. Students search the Internet to see more information...

Students discuss why the ocean is salty. They discuss what salinity is. Students are told that is they want to know how much salt is in a body or water, they would use a special scientific tool. They complete an Estuarine Layers science...

Fifth graders dig for fossils. In this fossil lesson, 5th graders read about the oldest found fossils and discuss the process of fossilization. They dig for their own fossils in a fossil box made of several dirt layers. 

Students explain how relatively thin the atmosphere is, compared to the size of the planet, and determine the relative extent of the four major atmospheric layers.

Sentence construction is both a science and an art. This bare bones lesson plan ties an analysis of earth's geology to sentence formation. Although referenced as a major part of the activity, there are no links to the technology or...

Students investigate how to read topographic maps.  In this map reading lesson students complete a topographic map activity. 

Students explore the water cycle. In this investigative instructional activity, students examine the water cycle process. They will record their observations and discuss marine and freshwater ecosystems.

Fourth graders use damp sand, a baking pan, and water to simulate erosion. In this erosion lesson plan, 4th graders participate in a simulation to show what moving water does to land.