Investigating the Rock Cycle Through Writing and Illustrating part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a quantative writing activity where students will use writing and illustrations to show their knowledge of the basic rock cycle.

Geology of the Grand Canyon: Interpreting its rock layers and formation part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
In this culminating activity, students will be assessed on what they have learned during the Geology unit of their Earth Science class. After conducting classroom and field studies on geology students will utilize this knowledge to interpret the rock layers and formation of the Grand Canyon. Outside of class students will read/review a website and complete a study guide to be reviewed by the teacher to assess students' learning. Following teacher review of study guides, the next class period(s) will be a discussion and questioning session(s) on the formation of the Grand Canyon.

Know Your Neighbors--researching the planets part of Earth and Space Science:Summer 2010:Activities
Utilizing online and traditional resources students will collect data on planets and moons in our solar system. Working collaboratively students will generate a spreadsheet of the data. After verifying one ...

Rock Cycle Skit part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a skit, commercial or song/rap about the rock cycle

Snack Tectonics part of NAGT:Our Resources:Teaching Resources:Teaching Materials Collection
Students create a tasty model that illustrates plate tectonic motions. Different materials are used to simulate asthenosphere, ocean lithosphere, and continental lithosphere.

The Waves and Tsunamis Project part of NAGT:Our Resources:Teaching Resources:Teaching Materials Collection
How is a tsunami like a wave on a string? We assemble rubber bands, paper clips and washers into strings with various mass distributions to observe the effects on wave characteristics. The project is supplemented ...

Demonstrating Climate Change and the Water Cycle to Fifth Grade Students part of NAGT:Our Resources:Teaching Resources:Teaching Materials Collection
Demonstration of the greenhouse effect and its role in climate change, discussion of the phases of water and the water cycle, and a hands-on experiment to investigate the role of temperature in phase changes of ...

The Effect of Acid Rain on Seed Growth part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is an in class lab where students will compare different acid solutions on seed germination and growth.

Exploration of Shadows in the Earth, Moon, and Sun System: Moon Phases and Eclipses part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This guided inquiry activity has students using models to create variations of alignment of the Earth, Moon, and Sun. By varying their arrangement, students will discover how the positions of the Earth, Moon and Sun interact, how shadows can be cast on the Moon and on the Earth, and how Earth's view of the lit portion of the Moon changes.

The Rock Cycle: A hands on Simulation part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a hands-on simulation of the rock cycle.

Observing,Comparing and Classifying Rocks part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activitiy is a lab experience where students observe, compare and classify rocks. Close examination of a variety of rocks reveals their differences and can also spark questions regarding their origins.

Creating understanding how metamorphic rock is formed part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity gives a visual representation of how we are able to see the different layers of metamorphic rocks.

Radioactive Dating: Looking at Half-Lives Using M&Ms part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This is an activity that students will use M&Ms to gain a better understanding of radioactive dating and half-lives.

Growing & Observing Crystals part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity requires students to design an experiment to determine the best conditions for growing crystals. Students then are asked to conclude what the ideal conditions may be, how this information is useful, and who may want to know it. It is a great way to continue using scientific process skills within a Geology unit.

The Incredible Journey- A Walk Through the Water Cycle part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This activity is a classroom investigation where students predict, explore and evaluate what happens to water as it travels through the water cycle.

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.

Comparing Soil Samples from different locations part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
In this field investigation, students compare various soil samples taken from specific locations. Students compare samples, record data, create a chart or graph, and journal.

Investigation of Newtonian Forces on Plate Tectonics part of MnSTEP Teaching Activity Collection:MnSTEP Activity Mini-collection
This model-making activity gives students an opportunity visualize Newtonian forces acting on a single point as well as combined forces acting to produce synclines and anticlines in Earth's crust. Students will analyze models to interpret findings of plate movements.