Lesson Plans on Earth Science

Objective: Give the students an overview of Earth Science

Assignment: Students will do a Webquest to discover the seven subtopics listed under Earth Science.

Task: In teams of (ideally) seven, students will become scientists who have come to investigate Earth, each with a specific interest. Begin by creating a scenario for them to follow such as one of the following:

• You are a team of scientists sent from another galaxy to discover if this small blue planet called Earth might be habitable. Each member of your team has a special issue to find answers to, such as will the atmosphere support life, can you drink the water, or will food grow in the soil? Collect data and findings to report back to your home planet.
• You are a team of scientists from MIT. You have been asked to present your findings on the various topics related to Earth Science for a huge symposium of the world's leading scientific scholars. Each member of your team is an expert in his/her field. Research, find and report on one specific new finding in the area of your expertise, such as what has been discovered about preventing acid rain or what new animals have been found in the world.
• You are a team of reporters from National Geographic. You have been asked to write an article on all the subtopics of Earth Science for this journal. Each reporter will be reporting on recent discoveries or finds on one of the subtopics. For instance: The Most Recent Fossil Discoveries in Rocks Found in the US. At the end, you will create a presentation for the editor of the journal on your assigned topic.

 

Process:

Students will research Earth Science on the web on sites that will be assigned. They will each write a report on their specific topic, answering Who, What, When, Where, Why and How questions on their topic. (Click here for list of questions.) Each student will find something within the subtopic to report back to the class on in a presentation. Presentations can be given with a PowerPoint, poster board, or a diorama. Students must be able to give the presentation, as well as answer questions on the topic they choose to research. Have students keep a reflective journal of the process. Ask them to write their thoughts on what they are learning; if it is fun or not; what works best for them, etc.

As will all WebQuests, teachers do not want students to be wandering all over cyber space. These are some excellent sites that will enable students to find the answers to any questions they may have as well as gain knowledge to create a presentation.

Geology:

• http://www.kidsgeo.com/geology-for-kids/
• http://www.childrensmuseum.org/geomysteries/index2.html
• http://www.mnh.si.edu/earth/main_frames.html

Biology:

• http://www.biology4kids.com/
• http://www.kidsbiology.com/
• http://www.sdnhm.org/kids/index.html

Geophysics:

• http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/kids/become.php
• http://encyclopedia.kids.net.au/page/ge/Geophysics
• Society of the Exploration of Geophysics Student Connections

Soil science:

• http://soil.gsfc.nasa.gov/
• http://www.wtamu.edu/~crobinson/DrDirt.htm
• https://www.soils.org/smithsonian/children

Oceanography:

• http://www.fi.edu/oceans/oceans.html
• http://oceanworld.tamu.edu/index.html
• http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/educate/educate.shtml

Glaciology:

• http://www.extremeicesurvey.org/index.php/education_toc/
• http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/forest_facts/resources/geology/icefields.htm
• http://www.neok12.com/Glaciers.htm

Atmosphere science:

• http://eo.ucar.edu/kids/
• http://www.kidsgeo.com/geography-for-kids/0040-introduction-to-our-atmosphere.php
• http://www.geography4kids.com/files/atm_intro.html

Assess students on:

• how well they worked together,
• the quality of their presentations,
• how well they covered the topic,
• how well they accomplished the assigned task
• their ability to answer questions
• the depth of their understanding of their topic

In conclusion, have the students write a final entry in their reflective journals on their thoughts about the entire unit. Do not grade their journals.