Looking for Wild Elements Activity Source: Fish & Wildlife Service. Adapted with permission. For the Teacher: Few schools are within walking distance of a federally designated wilderness. However, many schools are within walking distance of land with wild elements. Students can look for examples of places with wild elements on or near their school grounds. Then they can duplicate the activity in a wilder landscape, such as those found on national wildlife refuges. [Read More]

Magnets at the Core Activity Source: Consortium for Ocean Leadership. Adapted with permission. Over time, Earth’s magnetic poles change strength and location. They also completely reverse directions episodically. The north magnetic pole is currently moving northwest at 40 kilometers per year. It moved from 81.3° N, 110.8° W in 2001 to 82.7° N, 114.4° W in 2005. (Learn more at www.ngdc.noaa.gov/geomag/faqgeom.shtml.) The strength and direction of Earth’s magnetic field at any time in geologic history is recorded by sediments and oceanic crust deposited or formed at that time. [Read More]

Maintaining Soil Moisture Activity Source: American Geophysical Union. Adapted with permission. Soil is a vital component of almost every ecosystem, and its health often determines the viability of the whole ecosystem. If a soil cannot support the living organisms within it – such as insects, bacteria, fungi, and plant roots – then it is likely that the entire ecosystem will suffer. The same is true on farms. The success of crops is dependent on the health of the soil. [Read More]

Make a Thunderstorm Activity Source: Adapted from UCAR/NCAR Web Weather for Kids Background Even small thunderstorms are dangerous. Every thunderstorm produces lightning, which kills more people than tornadoes each year. Thunderstorms also cause heavy rain, flash flooding, hail, strong winds and tornadoes. When warm and cold air masses meet, a thunderstorm can grow. In this activity, you will learn about convection and how air moves. Time Needed One class period [Read More]

Make a Watershed Model Activity Source: Source: TERC. Adapted with permission.by Earth Science Information Partners. After rain falls on relatively high land, it moves downwards into drainage areas called watersheds. You will create a model of a watershed by spraying rain on a plastic cover representing Earth’s surface. By watching how it flows, you can identify drainage divides and learn about the movement of water. Materials Per group • Large aluminum roasting pan [Read More]

Make Your Own Compass Activity Source: Adapted with permission by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration from Discover Your World with NOAA: An Activity Book Background In ancient times, sailors found their way by observing stars and other celestial bodies — when they were visible through the clouds, that is. Thus, one of the most important improvements to ocean navigation was the invention of the compass. There is some disagreement about who should get credit for this invention. [Read More]

Making a Cave Activity Source: National Park Service. Developed by Kristen Lucke for the Views of the National Parks. Adapted with permission. Background We usually think of caves forming as rocks are dissolved and the particles are washed away, leaving hollow spaces behind. This activity simulates the way that dissolution, a chemical weathering process, leads to the formation of caves. When precipitation such as rainwater or snowmelt mixes with carbon dioxide from the air and from decaying plants in the soil, the result is carbonic acid. [Read More]

Making Caves: How Solution Caves Form Activity Source: Adapted with permission by National Park Service Caves form through a variety of natural processes depending on their local geology and climate. Flowing lava, melting ice, dissolving rock, and crashing waves are the major processes that form these wondrous environments. In this activity, students will observe a model of how the most common type of cave — solution caves — form. Materials Per student or small group: [Read More]

Making Earth Art With Google Earth Activity Source: Google. Adapted with permission. If you were an alien visiting Earth for the first time, you might remark on the diverse and incredible landscapes and patterns around majestic mountains, green forests, rolling grasslands, and turquoise oceans. You also might recognize geometries of civilization and changing weather patterns. All this can be explored from space. In this activity you will explore our planet using Google Earth and locate natural and man-made patterns and landscapes on Earth’s surface that inspire you. [Read More]

Making Visible the Path of the Sun Activity Source: Adapted with permission by SEED. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. This we know from personal observation. But have you ever thought about where the sun is in the sky at the same time each day? You might think the sun would appear at the same place at the same time each day. This would be true if Earth had no tilt and its orbit were a perfect circle. [Read More]