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...

Sixth graders investigate the concepts related to creating an understanding of how earthquakes occur. They participate in a variety of activities that are tied to each other and focus upon the principle of plate tectonics. Then students...

Practice reading comprehension by approaching oceanography through 2 pages of informational text. The text compares the ocean floor to the Grand Canyon to gives students perspective, and gives a brief coverage of the earth's crust and...

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.

Students view a disk on the continental movement and analyze the given data on fossils, rock types and climate zones. In this geology lesson students draw a diagram of the earths layers, take a quiz complete a PowerPoint presentation.

Students research geological forces that create the Ring of Fire and its effects on cultures. They write reports on how natural disasters influence societies.

In this earth and space science activity, students complete a crossword puzzle given 9 clues and a word bank on topics such as sea floor spreading, tectonic plates, faults, lava and the big bang theory.

Sixth graders view an animated program showing how the continents fit together millions of years ago. In groups, they compare and contrast the distribution of rocks and fossils based on how the continents fit together. After reading a...

Students understand the basic properties of plate motion. They demonstrate what happens to a plate while faulting while using manipulatives. They demonstrate the Nature of Scientific Inquiry to solve scientific issues.

Students research volcanoes. For this volcanoes lesson, students visit websites with worksheets about the terms for volcanoes and volcanic eruptions in the world. Students complete the work online and play a game for volcano names.

Students observe the currents that occur through convection in water and relate them to the currents in molten rock in the Earth's mantle. They set up a convection current in a cake pan of water using a bag of ice on one end and an...

Third graders study the concept of plate tectonics. In the process they embark in research and construction of a volcano. They complete a web quest while assessing how to research, give oral reports, and create a product.

There's something about the classic volcano demonstration that can grab any learners' attention. Scholars begin with a reading and grand conversation about volcanoes, construct an erupting volcano using vinegar and baking soda, then...

Students review the patterns they discovered from a previous activity.  In this investigative lesson students plot data as a class and color a map. 

Students observe an earthquake demonstration. They research an earthquake and use color dots to plot the location of each of their earthquakes on the large map.

Students explore the layers of the Earth and the dynamic changes that they cause on Earth's surface. Volcanoes and earthquakes become the focus of the lesson as the Oregon State quarter and its Crater Lake images are linked to the topic.

Students test evidence for the existence of Pangaea in the Earth's past. They create a current map of the Earth's continents and put them together like a puzzle. They compare this result to a a picture of the shape of Pangaea.

How does chemistry help deep-sea explorers? Part four of a five-part series of lessons from aboard the Okeanos Explorer introduces middle school scientists to technologies used in ocean exploration. Groups work together to analyze data...

Pupils demonstrate comprehension of the physical characteristics of the Dead Sea region and its connection to the Red Sea and the African Great Rift Valley. They are given students the opportunity to understand the role of plate...

In this earthquake crossword puzzle, students complete a crossword using 13 clues about earthquake facts and plate tectonics.

Identify the Earth's major volcanoes with an earth science lesson. Elementary and middle schoolers locate major volcanoes on a world map. Then, in groups, they research how the volcano affects the region in which it is located.

Students simulate p waves (longitudinal) & s waves (transverse) using a slinky and rope, simulate one of the three types of lithospheric boundaries, and investigate plate tectonics at some select Web sites.

Fifth graders research the Continental Drift by researching for evidence of continental movement. The teaching explains the theory of plate tectonics and the Earth's magnetic field. They conclude the lesson by watching the video of "In...