Digging Into Soil Activity Source: American Geophysical Union. Adapted with permission from “Soils Sustain Life,” AGI. Materials Piece of heavy duty PVC pipe about one inch in diameter and 10 inches long Piece of wood doweling that will fit inside the PVC pipe Hammer Wood block Leather garden glove Hand lens or microscope Non-toxic marker Large sheet of white posterboard Six clear plastic sandwich bags Plastic knife Tools for separating soil, such as tweezers, tongue depressor, drinking straw Paper towels (for clean up) Procedure 1. [Read More]

Disaster Supplies Kit Activity Source: Adapted from the FEMA/American Red Cross Disaster Preparedness Coloring Book Background Following a natural hazard, basic services – electricity, water, gas, telephones – may be cut off for days. Or, you may have to evacuate at a moment’s notice. You probably won’t have time to shop or search for the supplies you’ll need. Gather the supplies you’ll need to deal with the situation now, before a natural hazard happens. [Read More]

Discover Park Strategies for Sustainability Activity Source: National Park Service. Adapted with permission. National parks play an important role in preserving our nation’s heritage for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of current and future generations. National parks are in the “forever business.” The National Park Service is always looking forward to ensure that what it does is sustainable. Parks currently are challenged by climate change. For mountainous parks, this could mean loss of remaining glaciers with significant impacts on ecosystems and the downstream waterways. [Read More]

Discovering Fossils Activity Source: Adapted with permission from the National Park Service. A fossil is any evidence of past life preserved in a geologic context, such as within rock or sediment. This activity allows you to explore the process used by paleontologists — scientists who study fossils to understand ancient landscapes, climate, and life on Earth — to find and identify fossils. A day or two before beginning this lesson, the teacher must prepare “fossils” for students to excavate: [Read More]

Drill Site Dilemma Activity Source: Consortium for Ocean Leadership. Adapted with permission. For teacher: The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) is an international research program that explores the history and structure of Earth as recorded in seafloor sediments and rocks. It seeks to expand the reach of several previous programs by a collaborative union between the United States, Japan, and the European Union. The JOIDES Resolution is the research vessel that is operated by the United States. [Read More]

Dynamic Wetlands Activity Source: Nebraska Earth Systems Education Network, School of Natural Resources By Roseanne Williby Purpose To increase student awareness of the value and importance of our wetlands Background What is a wetland? Wetlands are called one of the world’s most productive ecosystems. They produce more plant and animal life than woodlands or prairies. Characteristics, like water levels, naturally change seasonally and annually. Wetlands are in transition between aquatic and terrestrial systems where the water table is usually at or near the land surface or the land is covered by shallow water. [Read More]

Earth and Ancient Architecture Activity Source: Archaeological Institute of America. Adapted with permission. Architects and engineers often design and build structures inspired by the earth’s natural formations and shapes. This was also true for the ancient builders that built pyramidal structures and platforms with broad bases and tapered sides, inspired in most cases by the hills and mountains they saw around them. While many societies built them, pyramids and platforms across different cultures were not all alike, differing in shape, function, and construction materials, and techniques. [Read More]

Earth: This Is Home Activity Source: Adapted with permission by Google. If you have ever used Google Earth, what was the first place you tried to find? For many people the answer is “my home.” Where humans choose to live is one of the fundamental influences on the surface of our planet. People influence and change Earth’s systems (atmosphere, biosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere) as we shape and impact the landscape around us to fit our needs. [Read More]

Earth’s Hydrologic Cycle Activity Source: Adapted from the Ocean Institute Curriculum Series Overview The ocean is the key element in Earth’s hydrologic cycle (water cycle). Students will construct a simple model of the hydrologic cycle to help them visualize and understand the movement of liquid water and heat. Concepts The hydrologic cycle is the continual movement of water from one place to another and from one state of matter to another. [Read More]

Earth’s Magnetic Field Activity Source: Science Friday. Adapted with permission. If you found yourself in the middle of the ocean, do you think you could find your way home? Sea turtles can, thanks in part to Earth’s magnetic field! All around the surface of the Earth, there is a magnetic field generated by the planet’s large metallic core. The magnetic field varies in strength and direction from place to place, giving different locations unique magnetic “maps. [Read More]