Dangerous Atmosphere Activity Source: Adapted with permission by The Weather Channel. Background How much of a danger does severe weather pose for the area where you live? You can compute the answer yourself in the exercise below. You may want to divide up tasks 6-13, one per student, and then compare results. Materials A computer with Internet access Paper and pen to record findings Procedure 1. Identify your state and county. [Read More]

Dating Popcorn Activity Source: Association of American State Geologists. Adapted with permission. How do geologists understand the Earth’s history? In part, they measure the age of rocks and other natural materials by dating techniques. They can date rocks by gauging the amount of decay of radioactive elements. The time necessary for half of any given amount of one element (the “parent element”) to decay to become another element (the “daughter element”) is called the element’s “half-life. [Read More]

Deep-Sea Drilling Activity Source: Adapted with permission by Deep Earth Academy. The JOIDES Resolution (JR) has physical dimensions unlike most oceangoing vessels. Why? So that scientists can sail nearly anywhere in the world to drill for samples of rocks and sediment from below the seafloor — in hopes of discovering clues about Earth’s history and structure, life in the deep biosphere, past climate change, earthquakes, and natural resources. Note for teachers: The JR has a flat bottom, a 6. [Read More]

Density of Minerals Activity Source: Adapted with permission by Minerals Education Coalition; Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration. Density is an intrinsic physical property of minerals that relates to the composition of the mineral and to the pattern in which the mineral’s atoms are arranged. “Intrinsic” means that the property is the same for the mineral, no matter what the size or shape of the sample. In this activity, students will measure and compare the densities of minerals. [Read More]

Design and Build a Water Filtration System Activity Source: United States Geological Survey. Adapted with permission. Access to clean drinking water is necessary for human health. But how do we get clean water? What happens to our water between its source and our faucet? What parts of the environment might act as a water filter? How can humans filter water to make it cleaner? This activity will allow you to investigate the ability of materials to filter particles from water. [Read More]

No Child Left Inside Activity Dig Into Soil Grade Level: K-4 Earth and Life Science Activity Source: Wendy Greenberg, Soil Science Society of America. Adapted with permission. Background Soil scientists often examine soils and record soil data outside. Soil is not just topsoil; it includes other horizons (soil layers) underneath the topsoil. So soil scientists use shovels or soil augers to get samples of many soil horizons. They record soil colors, textures, and types of living organisms for various soil horizons. [Read More]

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]