Elementary and Middle School (K-8) Activity Browse



Search for activities specifically designed for K-8 education. Refine this search by either clicking on the terms in boxes to the right or typing a term into the search box below. Activities include a description, background information, and necessary student documents.




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Earth & Space Science

Results 1 - 20 of 106 matches

A Kinesthetic Demonstration for Locating Earthquake Epicenters part of NAGT:Our Resources:Teaching Resources:Teaching Materials Collection
A kinesthetic activity for students to understand the technique for locating the epicenter of an earthquake. It is performed indoors and outdoors in three lessons.

Geology of Westchester County, NY part of NAGT:Our Work:Past Projects:Teaching in the Field:Field Trip Collection
Thomas McGuire Cave Creek Digital, Cave Creek, AZ Intended Audience: These trips would be appropriate for students in grades 7-12, introductory college students, teachers and the general public. More advanced ...

Illinois Caverns Field Trip part of NAGT:Our Work:Past Projects:Teaching in the Field:Field Trip Collection
Kathleen Bower, Eastern Illinois University Intended Audience: Middle school through undergraduate students. Location: Waterloo, Illinois Show Daily Itinerary HideMiddle School students tend to finish the caving ...

Identifying the sun as a source of light by observing shadows. part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a kindergarten field and classroom investigation where students make observations, collect data and share conclusions that shows they understand that the sun is a source of light.

Rock Characteristics Exploration at Minnehaha Falls part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a field investigation where students observe and develop ideas about rock outcrops and rock characteristics.

Observational Skills: Observing and creating sketches of an outdoor environment part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
In this series of activities, students observe and sketch the environment outside their school using their senses. Students create a classroom book using one of their sketches.

Make a Model Fossil part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a combination outdoor/indoor lab where students will collect natural materials from the environment and use them to create both a mold and cast model of a fossil. Students will learn how a fossil is formed and why scientists use models to help them understand how things work and develop.

Stream Study: An Investigation of an Aquatic Ecosystem part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a field study where students gather data on a stream based upon their protocol. They will correlate their data with another group and present their results to the class. They will develop and defend in class a new experimental question for a spring study.

2-Day Investigating Soil Samples: observing and identifying soils part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is designed for a primary classroom (outdoors & indoors) investigation where students collect and investigate soil samples and describe the soils, looking for similarities and differences. Students develop a method of recording the data colleted and can present the information gathered.

Water Quality part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This is a field investigation in which students test water quality in 2-3 areas using their own testable question.

Measuring and recording the weather around us using a science notebook in second grade. part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a field investigation where students measure, record and describe weather conditions using common tools (rain gauge, thermometer, and barometer). They will compare their observations to Weather.com (online) and the local newspapers to compare their findings, and record these observations.

What sizes are the planets and how do they move around the sun? part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This is an activity to help students understand the abstract concept about how planets move around the sun and their relative size compared with other planets in the solar system.

Investigating Neighborhood Wetlands part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is field investigation where students map a neighborhood wetland and generate various watershed questions. Students identify engineered structures in or around this wetland and consider how flood water can be controlled.

Topographical Maps, Contour Lines and Profiles part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a field investigation where students locate a given object using cartography tools, create a topographic map and profile of a designated area, and interpret the Earth’s surface in their area using a professional topographic map.

What Happens to Water When it Hits the Ground? part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
Students will test the percolation rates of 6 different soil samples. Three of the samples are measured sand and clay and three are collected from the schoolyard and wetland.

Cloud Inquiry Investigation & I.D. part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a lab and field investigation where students gather data on cloud types and identify properties of cloud formation.

Adventures in ABC & 1, 2, 3 part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is an indoor/outdoor activity that incorporates both literacy and scientific observation to make an ABC book based on Antler, Bear, Canoe by Betsy Bowen. Family participation is encouraged.

How does weather change? part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a field investigation where students gather temperature and weather data in the a.m and p.m. and develop a new, experimental question to predict temperature over the course of the year.

A Rocking Walking Tour: Investigating Architectural Rocks in downtown St. Paul, MN part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This is a guided inquiry field investigation in an urban setting. This investigation focuses on making observations, recording information, asking questions, and identifying the types of rocks used on buildings in downtown St. Paul, MN.

Mapping the Glaciers part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This earth systems field lab begins with an in-class guided inquiry experience which uses Minnesota Geological Survey 3-D maps of the upper Midwest to determine where they believe glaciers may have had an influence. They will determine this by looking at landscapes and compiling their own evidence from the maps. They will also offer evidence for a hypothesis they generate which involves the direction that the glacier was traveling. The two-day lesson ends (after student presentations on their findings about glaciers) with a field investigation of one of our parking lot snow banks. Students will compare and contrast what they know about glaciers, with one of our parking lot snow banks, determining any similarities with how the landscape may have appeared during the Pleistocene.