Welcome to Earth Science Week Online Toolkit

Each year the American Geosciences Institute celebrates Earth Science Week with our members and partners to acknowledge and understand Earth and our relationship with the planet through programs, information and learning resources. This year Earth Science Week is Oct. 11 – 17.

The teaching and learning resources you will find on this page have been developed by AGI and our members and partners to help educators teach about our planet and its systems. Some resources are specific to exploring this year’s theme— Earth Materials in Our Lives —while others include teacher professional development opportunities and information about online resources and geoscience careers. Many of these you may also find in the printed toolkit, which you can order here.

Please enjoy the materials you find on this site and send any feedback to info@earthsciweek.org.

Happy Earth Science Week!

NASA: Middle School Sampler (6-8)
Description: NASA provides recommended activities to investigate dimensions of the Next Generation Science Standards. Including Analyzing and Interpreting Data; Engaging in Argument from Evidence; Natural Hazards; Human Impacts on Earth Systems; Patterns; and Cause and Effect.
Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Description: NASA provides recommended activities to investigate dimensions of the Next Generation Science Standards. Including Analyzing and Interpreting Data; Engaging in Argument from Evidence; Natural Hazards; Human Impacts on Earth Systems; Patterns; and Cause and Effect.
Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Type of Resource: Information about online resources
Language(s):
Present in Physical Kit: Yes
NASA: High School Sampler (9-12)
Description: NASA provides recommended activities to investigate dimensions of the Next Generation Science Standards. Including Analyzing and Interpreting Data; Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking; Global Climate Change; Stability and Change; and Systems and System Models.
Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Description: NASA provides recommended activities to investigate dimensions of the Next Generation Science Standards. Including Analyzing and Interpreting Data; Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking; Global Climate Change; Stability and Change; and Systems and System Models.
Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Type of Resource: Information about online resources
Language(s):
Present in Physical Kit: Yes
Lands of Landsat
Description: A poster with a satellite view of the United States on one side, and a board game on the reverse side where students observer and evaluate changes on Earth's surface since 1972.
Organization: AmericaView
Description: A poster with a satellite view of the United States on one side, and a board game on the reverse side where students observer and evaluate changes on Earth's surface since 1972.
Organization: AmericaView
Type of Resource: Poster - with activity
Activity Elements: Other
Activity Resources: Other
Language(s):
Present in Physical Kit: Yes
Disciplinary Core Ideas: ESS 3 - Earth and human activity
Earth and Human Activity: ESS3.C - Human impacts on Earth systems
Science and Engineering:
  • Analyzing and interpreting data
  • Engaging in argument from evidence
Original Source
Notice and Wonder: Foundations for scientific literacy in the Critical Zone
Description: Observing, questioning, hypothesizing, interpreting, and communicating about the world around us are foundational research skills practiced in every scientific discipline. These skills can be developed at any age through the framework provided by two words: Notice and Wonder. In these 3 activities, students "notice” and “wonder” to engage in scientific practices and while exploring the Critical Zone, the outermost layer of Earth that forms its surface and ecosystems.
Organization: Critical Zone Observatory (National Science Foundation)
Description: Observing, questioning, hypothesizing, interpreting, and communicating about the world around us are foundational research skills practiced in every scientific discipline. These skills can be developed at any age through the framework provided by two words: Notice and Wonder. In these 3 activities, students "notice” and “wonder” to engage in scientific practices and while exploring the Critical Zone, the outermost layer of Earth that forms its surface and ecosystems.
Organization: Critical Zone Observatory (National Science Foundation)
Type of Resource: Classroom activity
Activity Elements: Physical lab
Activity Resources:
  • Art supplies
  • Lab supplies
Language(s):
Present in Physical Kit: Yes
Disciplinary Core Ideas: ESS 2 - Earth's systems
Earth's System:
  • ESS2.C - The roles of water in Earth's surface processes
  • ESS2.D - Weather and climate
Science and Engineering:
  • Asking questions and defining problems
  • Constructing explanations and designing solutions
  • Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
Understanding Global Change
Description: This posters helps learners understand the how anthropomorphic and natural causes interact with Earth's system, and how these interactions lead to changes on local to global scales.
Organization: HHMI BioInteractive
Description: This posters helps learners understand the how anthropomorphic and natural causes interact with Earth's system, and how these interactions lead to changes on local to global scales.
Organization: HHMI BioInteractive
Type of Resource: Poster - content only
Language(s):
Present in Physical Kit: Yes
2018 Earth Science Week Activity Calendar
Description: This calendar includes 12 activities from various ESW partners that are aligned with the year's theme of Earth as Inspiration. Each activity was also developed to align with the Next Generation Science Standards.
Organization: American Geosciences Institute
Description: This calendar includes 12 activities from various ESW partners that are aligned with the year's theme of Earth as Inspiration. Each activity was also developed to align with the Next Generation Science Standards.
Organization: American Geosciences Institute
Type of Resource: Classroom activity
Activity Elements:
  • Physical lab
  • Data
  • Online Experience
  • Research and Presentation
Activity Resources:
  • Computer
  • Internet
  • Art supplies
  • Lab supplies
Language(s):
Present in Physical Kit: Yes
Disciplinary Core Ideas:
  • ESS 1 - Earth's place in the universe
  • ESS 2 - Earth's systems
  • ESS 3 - Earth and human activity
Earth Science Week 2018 Poster - Earth as Inspiration
Description: This poster introduces the 2018 Earth Science Week theme--Earth as Inspiration--and also provides an activity where students explore science, and Earth science, concepts that are portrayed in works of art.
Organization: American Geosciences Institute
Description: This poster introduces the 2018 Earth Science Week theme--Earth as Inspiration--and also provides an activity where students explore science, and Earth science, concepts that are portrayed in works of art.
Organization: American Geosciences Institute
Type of Resource: Poster - with activity
Activity Elements: Online Experience
Activity Resources:
  • Computer
  • Internet
  • Lab supplies
Language(s): English
Present in Physical Kit: Yes
Disciplinary Core Ideas:
  • ESS 1 - Earth's place in the universe
  • ESS 2 - Earth's systems
  • ESS 3 - Earth and human activity
Science and Engineering: Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
Underground Worlds: Exploring National Natural Landmark Caves
Description: Students will learn about different types of caves, and see specific examples in the National Park Service's National Natural Landmarks program. Students will also model how solution caves form and explore adaptations of cave organisms as they use their creativity to make up an organism and describe why its adaptations help it survive in a cave environment.
Organization: National Natural Landmarks Program - National Park Service
Description: Students will learn about different types of caves, and see specific examples in the National Park Service's National Natural Landmarks program. Students will also model how solution caves form and explore adaptations of cave organisms as they use their creativity to make up an organism and describe why its adaptations help it survive in a cave environment.
Organization: National Natural Landmarks Program - National Park Service
Type of Resource: Classroom activity
Activity Elements:
  • Physical lab
  • Research and Presentation
  • Other
Activity Resources:
  • Art supplies
  • Lab supplies
Language(s): English
Present in Physical Kit: Yes
Disciplinary Core Ideas: ESS 2 - Earth's systems
Earth's System:
  • ESS2.C - The roles of water in Earth's surface processes
  • ESS2.E - Biogeology
Science and Engineering:
  • Asking questions and defining problems
  • Developing and using models
  • Constructing explanations and designing solutions
Inspiring Geology of Our National Parks
Description: In this activity students will explore geologic features located at several National Parks across the country and will use those features as inspiration to create their own piece of art.
Organization: National Park Service
Description: In this activity students will explore geologic features located at several National Parks across the country and will use those features as inspiration to create their own piece of art.
Organization: National Park Service
Type of Resource: Classroom activity
Activity Elements:
  • Online Experience
  • Other
Activity Resources:
  • Computer
  • Internet
  • Art supplies
Language(s): English
Present in Physical Kit: Yes
Disciplinary Core Ideas:
  • ESS 2 - Earth's systems
  • ESS 3 - Earth and human activity
Clean Air Happy Plants
Description: Students explore the relationship between air quality and plant health while participating in the Citizen Science program iNaturalist. They will observe the plants in their area and document nearby sources of pollution, and upload the information for scientists and other citizen scientists to explore.
Organization: National Park Service - Air Resources Division
Description: Students explore the relationship between air quality and plant health while participating in the Citizen Science program iNaturalist. They will observe the plants in their area and document nearby sources of pollution, and upload the information for scientists and other citizen scientists to explore.
Organization: National Park Service - Air Resources Division
Type of Resource: Poster - with activity
Activity Elements:
  • Physical lab
  • Research and Presentation
Activity Resources:
  • Lab supplies
  • Other
Language(s): English
Present in Physical Kit: Yes
Disciplinary Core Ideas: ESS 3 - Earth and human activity
Earth and Human Activity: ESS3.C - Human impacts on Earth systems

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