Fourth graders examine the fossils they made previously. They examine the details of the fossil with a hand lens and come up with conclusions about the fossils. They record what they see and draw conclusions about the environment of the...

Students use a video, the Internet and hands-on activities to explore how to determine the age of rocks and fossils based on radioactive decay data.

Seventh graders model radioactive decay using pennies, collect data from their model, apply scientific visualization techniques to their data and create animated models explaining the concept of radioactive half-life.

Students discuss rocks and other earth materials made up of minerals. They identify minerals by means of their more obvious physical properties such as hardness, luster, color, streak, cleavage and fracture. They arrange a given set of...

In this using the internet worksheet, students search several websites to review information about the heart, human senses, the solar system, and planets. Students also read information about the rock cycle and answer provided questions.

In this sea turtles worksheet, students color the labeled pictures of 7 species of sea turtles. Students fit the names in an unnumbered crossword that has no clues.

Young scholars study the terms paleontology and archaeology and examine how they can help us learn about prehistoric Native Iowans.  In this archaeology lesson plan students discuss these terms and view a video on Native...

Students explore how water and waves erode the earth. In this erosion lesson students determine the processes of wave erosion and building.

Students identify rock types by observing key characteristics. Describe the differences between minerals and rocks. Observe rocks using a magnifying glass and draw shapes and colors of the minerals.

Learners work together to research and create different types of maps of the United States to be used as part of a geography trivia game.Groups research North American annual rainfall, climate, mountain ranges major rivers and state...

Students explore reasons for supporting and opposing hydraulic mining. It was the most efficient and used mining method until 1884. A simulated court hearing is held where a decision is made whether to allow the continued use of this...

Stduents create and color plaster landforms, and describe how weathering and erosion change the Earth's surface.

Fifth graders brainstorm processes or forces that cause Earth's surface to be changed.

Students identify the volcano as the primary source of atmospheric gases, to explain the formation of ozone, and to recognize the dangers of volcanic gases through the use of technology in the classroom.

Pupils explore volcanoes, locate them on maps, record general information about volcanoes, and organize information on a fact sheet.

Students, after making quantitative and qualitative observations of their rocks, construct a Venn diagram or dichotomous key to classify their rocks.

Sixth graders decorate an empty cereal box with information and games showing their comprehension of factual information about an assigned planet. This is a nice, creative lesson about the solar system.

Students participate in centers activities that enrich understanding of Japanese culture, history, geography, art, and religion.

Students research and investigate woolly mammoths in order to determine what caused their extinction in Utah. They research how Utah changed in the time after the mammoth disappeared.

Students gather geographic information about their community. They work together to create a community almanac.

Students discover the faults throughout the Earth. They describe the different types of faults and how they are related to earthquakes. They build models of the faults.

Students discover how water moves through different types of soils. In groups, they use the same sample from a previous activity and empty it into a milk carton in which they have layered with cheesecloth to determine the percolation...

High schoolers are introduced to the characteristics and uses of topographical maps. Using a worksheet, they examine the use of specific terminology and use cutouts to create their own topographical map of an area. They answer...

High schoolers review artwork that relates to the environment and communicates a value. They view and analyze art by Andy Warhol, Eric Carle and Albert Bierstadt and then create original pieces with an environmental theme.