Students step into the shoes of real planetary scientists and explore crustal samples from an unknown planet. After sorting, students will interpret the geologic history of a region from which a sample has been collected and make inferences about past life or the potential for life on the unknown planet.
This activity is about the study of planetary samples. Learners will use samples of crustal material to sort, classify, and make observations about an unknown planet. From their observations, students will interpret the geologic history of their mystery planet and make inferences about past life or the potential for life on the "Mystery" planet. The lesson models scientific inquiry using the 5E instructional model and includes teacher notes and vocabulary.
Students gather soil samples from their homes to view how soils differ from location to location.
This course was created by the Rethink Education Content Development Team. This course is aligned to the NC Standards for 6th Grade Science.
This course was created by the Rethink Education Content Development Team. This course is aligned to the NC Standards for 6th Grade Science.
This course was created by the Rethink Education Content Development Team and is aligned to the NC Standards for 6th Grade Science.
In this lesson, students will collect and analyze data on the journey of a mineral through a model of the rock cycle. Students will understand the changes that rocks undergo through the rock cycle and how they relate to surface and subsurface events.
This resource describes the various minerals that make up rocks.
This resource describes in detail, the various types of rocks.
This is an interactive resource in which students can test their knowledge of rock types.
In this activity, students will model the changes that are caused by weathering and erosion.
In this activity, students will have the opportunity to demonstrate how soil formation is related to weathering.
Examine patterns of where rock types form and the relationship they have toward each other.
In this virtual resource, students will investigate the lithosphere, focusing specifically on conservation practices to improve soil quality. They will evaluate their school grounds, and sketch a plan to improve the soil health in their space.
The wakelet site features videos demonstrating hands-on activities for students to complete at school in small, socially-distanced settings. Activities may also be adapted for at-home learning. Some activities incorporate an outdoor component, acknowledging the need to balance screen time with green time to support mental health. Tips for taking your students outside can be found here: https://education.eol.org/cnc_materials/TipsForTeachingOutside.pdf
In this two-part activity, learners compare how soil forms on Earth and the Moon. They examine different soil samples and compare them to lunar "soil" simulant. They explore how water, wind, and impactors help to make soil. This activity is part of Explore! To the Moon and Beyond! - a resource developed specifically for use in libraries.
In this activity, students use bread to demonstrate how sedimentary layers compress under pressure.
Students will examine the soils of a tropical montane cloud forest. As they visit a series of panooramas, they will record data about the soil's color, water content, organic content, and other characteristics. Students will then create two trend graphs: one which represents the relationship between altitude and water content, and another that relates altitude to organic content. Students will then suggest explanations for each trend.
This resource helps students identify the factors that influence soil formation and explains how they work. It includes diagrams, videos, practice questions, a study guide, flash cards, interactive assessments, and articles on real world applications.
Students will use “bottle†experiments to observe changes in the decomposition of vegetable scraps. Students vary temperature, moisture, and light conditions to determine the conditions that best facilitate the decomposition of organic material in soil.
Students will explore soil and soil properties. Students collect soil samples from their homes to identify properties that characterize their soils. They will compare and contrast their samples to those of their classmates. As a class, students describe relationships between the properties of their soils and how and where they were sampled.