LOTs of fun earth science for kid experiments, worksheets, and activities for all ages - water cycle, crystals, rocks, volcanoes, weather, ++
Discover hands-on beginning of the year science activities that will excite your students and build the foundation for future science lessons!
10 hands-on ideas for teaching earth changes and landforms in 2nd grade science with engaging STEM earth changes activities kids love!
Do your 4th-grade students understand how fossils tell the age of the earth?
Check out this fun and engaging idea on how to help students explore pollution for Earth Day or any environmental science lesson!
Help your students understand earth changes through this hands-on science experiment. Head to this blog post about an engaging earthquake simulation!
Looking for the perfect way to start science each day? This FULL YEAR resource is for you! Well over 120 daily warm-ups give plenty of fun, engaging options to start science each day! This resource follows along with 5th-grade NGSS science units however, it can be used for any class that teaches astronomy, matter, earth science, environmental science, or plants. Never panic again about not having the perfect segway to ease into your science lesson - just click and go! Why not assign three or four to create a super easy plan for a substitute? You will love the variety - embedded videos, class surveys, sketching, and more! Save time and stress with Daily Science Warm-ups! Coming soon - Fun holiday warm-ups are on deck to give even more fun! Purchase now before more is added, and the price goes up. Related Products • Earth's Place in the Universe Complete NGSS Unit! • Earth's Systems and Interactions Complete Unit {NGSS Aligned 5-ESS2} • Earth and Human Activity Complete NGSS Unit covering 5-ESS3! • Ecosystems Complete Unit • Matter and its Interactions - Complete Unit! • What Plants Need to Grow Complete Unit {Covers 5-LS1} • Gravity: Forces and Motion {Covers 5-PS2} • 5th Grade Science - 7 NGSS Aligned Units
Free printable layers of the earth diagram, worksheets, label worksheet, hands-on activities, nomenclature cards, and more! Free science worksheets, games, and printables.
This moon phase board was fairly easy to make. After making a run to the Dollar Tree and rummaging through our science storeroom to collect the needed supplies to make this, it was pretty inexpensive and so worth every penny! Essentially, this Moon Phase board allows students to visualize and better understand the cause of moon phases and comprehend the 2 different views that are often given on a diagram (view from space and view from the Earth). Up to this point, I've done a Lunar Lollipop Investigation, which I thought was great, but this beats it by a long shot! A large majority of my students don't really understand why the lit part of the moon doesn't face the sun on part of the view as seen from Earth on every moon phase diagram (see below). Even though I give many different examples and explanations, I still see a puzzled look on several of the students' faces. I really think this method will clear it up for even those puzzled kiddos. From this angle (see below), students can quickly see that the lit part of the moon is always the side of the ball that is facing the sun. Pretty uneventful, but definitely clarifies this view. But as students take the Moon Board and place their head through the hole, they are immediately taken to the view from Earth (their head being Earth or it could be explained that we LOOK out from Earth and see the moon as it revolves around the Earth). In order to give you a clearer idea of what the students will see, I placed my camera in the hole and continually rotated the board around counterclockwise (direction of the moon's revolution around the Earth). Here, you can see the new moon. Followed by the waxing crescent. The first quarter. Then waxing gibbous. Full moon Waning gibbous Third/Last quarter (oopsy....this ball got a little tilted when I glued it down) And finally, waning crescent. I have chosen to leave each phase unlabeled for my 8th graders. I provide each group with 8 Post-It Notes and have them write each moon phase name on a Post-it. They simply stick the Post-It in the correct location and call me over to check it. I am thinking about making one Moon Board with labels for my SpEd and ELL students until they get more comfortable with the names. To make your own, you will need the following supplies: Black foam board (got mine at Dollar Tree for $1) Box cutter Circular shaped object to cut around (I just turned my office trashcan upside down and started cutting!) 8 ball shaped objects to represent moon (ideas: ping pong balls [use black sharpie], Styrofoam balls (paint with black acrylic paint and sponge brush, wooden balls, etc....) Hot glue gun 1 ball to represent the Sun (larger than moon ball) This is optional; you could always just write "Sun" on one side of the board with a paint pen, but I think the added visual is great! Since I didn't have these made when I taught moon phases earlier in the year, I am going to use them when we begin to review for the state assessment. I can't wait to hear the oohs and aahs and FINALLY see the looks of confusion go away. For more great lessons, labs, and activities that related to moon phases, check out these products in my Teachers Pay Teachers store: Space Science for Interactive Notebooks Moon Phases and Seasons Task Cards Daily Science Starters for Middle School - Earth and Space Predicting the Sequence of Events in the Lunar Cycle Activity That's a Fact, Jack! Fact or Fiction Science Sorting: Motions of Earth and Moon Day/Night, Seasons, Moon Phases, & Tides Review Circuit Predicting Moon Phases Color-by-Number 8th Grade Science STAAR Review- Reporting Category 3 (Earth & Space) Moon Phases Reciprocal Learning Activity
Try this landslide science experiment to simulate a fast earth change. Students think critically about how landslides can be prevented!
Help your students understand how nonrenewable resources do not last with this hands-on science activity that is perfect for any elementary teacher!
10 hands-on ideas for teaching earth changes and landforms in 2nd grade science with engaging STEM earth changes activities kids love!
Since that very faulty "lesson", I've found some MUCH more effective resources. Objective: I can explain why we have seasons.
Bring science to life with these low-cost, easy experiments! Here are hands-on ways to teach earth science including landforms, rocks, minerals, and more!
Please note that this listing is a 10-page digital download (PDF file) to print the pages you require yourself. Learn the stages of fossilization with this folding ammonite craft. Ammonites were pre-historic sea creatures with tentacles and a spiral shell. Their fossils can be found all over the world in many different types of sedimentary rock including chalk, limestone, and sandstone. This hands-on activity is a fun alternative to a worksheet and is differentiated to use with different ages/abilities. There are 4 similar black and white templates to choose from for this printable activity: 1. Color the images, cut out and fold 2. Color the images, cut out the words and sequence them, glue the words in place, cut and fold. 3. As above but the pictures and words are sequenced together. 4. A larger version over 2 pages. When closed, you'll just see the large fossil ammonite but when opened, the fossilization process will be revealed! Instructions are provided (including a picture showing how to fold) as well as some questions and suggested answers for discussion. Please note that some of the instructions are written for a school setting but this activity is transferable to a home environment. A version with UK/AUS paper size (A4) and spelling is included alongside a US version (11x8.5 inches). This resource is a pdf and cannot be edited. Tips for printing: 1. Make sure you are printing in landscape 2. Save ink and just print the templates. Use a screen to display the instructions. What Etsy buyers are saying: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐This is exactly what I wanted for a sub while out on an extended leave. Excited to use all the differentiated versions this upcoming year when I am back in the classroom!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Very fun item; just what I was looking for to make homeschool lessons more interesting. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐So cute - differentiated - we also used the version where kids have to sort the stages as a mini formative assessment. Everything fits/lines up perfectly and we hung them up as a cute backdrop for our pumpkin science experiment. Love it!
I absolutely LOVE teaching plate tectonics. What kid doesn’t love learning about earthquakes and volcanoes?! I’ve compiled a list of activities you can choose from to make this one of your students’ favorite units (and probably your favorite too).1. Why do Earth’s plates move in the first place? Use this demo to show students how ... Read more
Christian astronomy is fun to teach in your Montessori inspired homeschool! Here are lots of great crafts, activities, and printables for your kids.
Learn about the layers of the Earth with these genius projects. Creative activities for the classroom to make learning about Earth fun.
Free printable layers of the earth diagram, worksheets, label worksheet, hands-on activities, nomenclature cards, and more! Free science worksheets, games, and printables.
Earth sciences is a common middle school science class. During that class, students will learn all about rocks. These rock activities for middle school are a great way to help kids understand the lessons.
Science Picture of the Day is a critical thinking activity where students practice analyzing, inferring, and observing real life science in photographs. Targeted skills include making observations and growing scientific vocabulary. The goal is for students to observe science in our everyday lives. These pictures each represent at least one branch of science – physical science, earth science, and life science – and can be utilized for nearly any topic of study in the science curriculum. Regardless of what grade level or content you are studying, students should be able to recognize many examples of science in all pictures. This meets the common core standards of RI.1 (Inference, Key Details and Informational Text) along with SL.2 and 4 (Key discussion and use of vocabulary). Furthermore, this open-ended activity is a great way to get your students to think deeper and more critically. I have provided an answer key for each picture prompt, but the science seen in these pictures are not limited to my answers, as there are many aspects of science in our daily lives. Be sure to have students justify their reasoning, and how deep you go with the science concepts is up to your discretion. File Type PDF (Acrobat) Document File in a ZIP file Be sure that you have an application to open this file type before downloading and/or purchasing.
Check out these top 10 mistakes teachers make when teaching science. Help your students be successful by knowing what to do in your science classroom!
Create an Earth layers model to explore the various layers of the earth including crust, mantle, and core. Free earth layers templates.
Review of Living Book Science Curriculum called the Sassafras Science Adventures. Fun Zoology and Anatomy Curriculum for Elementary Aged Kids.
It's so important that you are teaching about variables when you teach the scientific method. This post gives you ideas to help your students get started!
These force and motion worksheets and stations get students SO EXCITED for science lessons! They are easy to prep and so much fun!
Are you ready to discover new ways to engage your students in primary science? I want to help you. Sign up to my mailing list to receive the printable template for this fun and engaging dinosaur fossil foldable activity. I’d also love to send you ideas for classroom and home activities, and information about my […]
ALL ABOUT EARTH Get ready for a month filled with so many fun activities to teach your kiddos all about our planet Earth . I teach this unit in April so it coincides with Earth Day. I’ve loaded up this blog post post with read aloud book ideas, free videos you can share with your students,
Scripted SCIENCE lessons for kindergarten - Engaging, easy to prep, and includes everything you need! Nonfiction read-aloud books, PowerPoints for every lesson, student activities and workbooks... Kids LOVE this program! NGSS and TEKS aligned.
Are you searching for engaging and educational worksheets to help your students understand the different states of matter? Look no further! In this blog post, we have gathered a collection of fun and interactive worksheets that will capture their attention and enhance their learning experience. Designed for students in elementary and middle school, these worksheets cover the entity and subject of states of matter in a creative and engaging way.
If you're coming up to your next Earth Science unit and struggling to find resources, we've got a treat for you! Teaching concepts like weathering and erosion in the classroom can be challenging as geological processes are topics that cannot be understood simply by reading. Erosion and weathering are perfect topics for engaging your students in hands-on learning. To help you start your planning, we've gathered 20 of the best weathering and erosion activities you can try in your classroom!
Many upper elementary science teachers start the year teaching their students about science process skills and scientific practices like: working safely in the lab using science tools asking questions planning and carrying out investigations analyzing and interpreting data constructing explanations with claims, evidence, and reasoning Here are some resources and ideas that can help make ... Read more
These light experiments are great science lessons for 1st graders! Aligned with NGSS, the resource also includes books and related activities.
Teaching the geologic time scale has always posed a bit of a problem for me in my Biology classes. My students don't need the depth of knowledge that they might get in an Earth Science class. On the other hand, the concept of geologic time and the appearance and evolution of life on Earth is VERY important to my class. One of my most favorite sayings, "Nothing in Biology makes sense except in the light of evolution" (Theodosius Dobzhansky, American Biology Teacher, 1973.) is a mantra in my classes. We can't teach cellular respiration without the concept of endosymbiosis, and we can't teach endosymbiosis until our students know the differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, etc, etc, etc. The history of life on Earth is (or should be!) woven into every single lesson we teach in a Biology class. Then "What's the problem?" you might be asking yourself. My problem is time. Not geologic time; just time to teach. It is a real struggle to cover everything in a year that needs to be covered! My solution was to find a way to quickly cover the concepts of geologic time and the evolution of life on Earth, without taking weeks to do so. Here are my goals. I want my students to: Know was is meant by the "geologic time scale." Be able to visualize the enormity of geologic time. Know when life first appeared on Earth. Know the order in which various life forms appeared. Know the importance of fossils, especially traditional fossils, to the study of evolution. Understand how scientists are able to date fossils that are found in various rock strata. Understand the relationship between mass extinctions and adaptive radiations. Have a clear and concise understanding of what happens in each era of Earth's history. I am extremely pleased with the activity I put together to accomplish these goals. This resource can be used in conjunction with your other lessons and materials you use on this topic, OR, (and here is the best part!) it can be used as a stand-alone activity that quickly covers the above topics in just a couple of class periods. The printable version is perfect for traditional classroom settings, but there is also a digital Google Apps version for distance learning and 1:1 schools. If you need to teach this fast, this is the activity for you! What concepts are covered in this resource? Definition of the geologic time scale. How the geologic time scale was developed by scientists. Relative dating and Radioactive dating. Earth’s history is divided into 4 Eras which are subdivided into smaller periods. How to read the information on the geologic time scale reference table. Comparing lengths of geologic time. The order of events in the evolution of life on Earth. Transitional fossils. Estimating the age of organisms based on relative dating. Rock strata. What will the students be doing? Students complete a 6-page handout on the geologic time scale and complete a 2-page timeline of the history of life on Earth. Students make a circle graph of the time spent in each era. Students use the included Geologic Time Scale Reference Table to answer a series of 30 problem solving questions. Students make a scale diagram showing the length of each era. Students look at pictures to evaluate characteristics of certain organisms. Students complete a relative dating cut and paste activity. Students using relative dating to estimate the age of certain organisms. Students complete a 2-page cut and paste timeline activity showing the evolution of life on Earth. Students are guided through an exercise that allows them to compare all of Earth’s history to one calendar year. As much as I love teaching these topics, there is a limit to what we can expect our students to absorb. We can't ask them to learn every event in every era, period, and epoch in geologic time. I have certain key events that I want my students to know, so I put together a one-page table outlining the most important events in Earth's history. The beauty of this resource is that with this one-page reference table the activity can be used as a stand-alone lesson. The students don't need prior knowledge or prior teaching. This lesson can be completed in two 1-hour class periods right before you begin your units on evolution. I would suggest having a biology textbook handy if students are seeing this information for the first time. There may be a few vocabulary words that they would need to look up. If you are in a big time crunch, let the students work in groups for one class period, and complete complete unfinished portions for homework. You can find this activity in my TpT store by clicking this link, and here is what you can expect to find included: 6-Page printable and editable student worksheet set 1-Page Geologic Time Scale Reference Table 2-Page Timeline Worksheet 8-Page Teacher Guide and Answer Keys All images needed for the "cut and paste" portions of the activity. Paperless digital google apps version for use in Google Drive, Google Classroom, Microsoft OneDrive, or similar. I hope this article has given you something to think about, and some new ideas on how to teach geologic time to your biology or life science students. Have fun teaching!
If you are looking for an easy-to-use earth science program for your homeschool, stop what you are doing and grab a cup of coffee because Apologia's Exploring Creation with Earth Science is
Read how I carried out an experiment on weathering and erosion with my upper elementary class. Students get to use background knowledge to make predictions!
Build a DIY seismograph to learn about earthquakes and how they are measured. This simple STEM project teaches the science behind world events.
As teachers, we are always on a budget. Decorating classrooms can get pricey. When I first started teaching I was spending a fortune online and at teaching supply stores to buy science posters so my walls weren’t so drab. Since then, I’ve been creating my own science posters that the library will print for me ... Read more
Five activities to use to get to know your grade 4, 5, 6, and 7 science students on the first days of school. These back to school activities will allow students to be creative through hands-on activities, writing, or sharing about their personal lives through art to foster personal relationships.
Complete lesson plans for a middle school science classroom plate tectonics unit Including NGSS aligned phenomena and hands on activities.