Elementary Earth Science in General
Additional Resources
GSA is not responsible for content on web sites linked from our site. However, please contact us if you encounter broken links.
| Interactive Internet Sites |
Books |
 |
- NASA Earth Explorers: Equal to the Task - Read about University of Connecticut oceanographer Heidi Dierssen who is showing that women are as capable as men in math and science. With funding from NASA, she studies how satellites in space can be used for large-scale monitoring of seagrass - flowering plants growing on the seafloor - in shallow coastal waters. Seagrass has decreased over the years as a result of coastal development, stormwater runoff from the land, boating and other water recreation, invasive species and disease. The Earth Explorer articles are written for different reading levels (K-4, 5-8, and 9-12). Scroll down to the current article and click on the grade level that you want.
- science.hq.nasa.gov/education/earth_explorers/
- Doable Demos - Paper Plate Science: And you thought paper plates were only for hot dogs and watermelon? Find a variety of science/math based lessons ranging from addition to creating directions of Earth and sky to wind roses. Cheap as a paper plate.
- analyzer.depaul.edu/paperplate/activities.htm
- Steve Spangler Science – Colorado science whiz site has ideas for demos and activities. Great ideas for special holiday science too.
- www.stevespanglerscience.com
- Earth Explorers Series - Profiles an atmospheric scientist who flies through hurricanes, an engineer who operates a spectro-radiometer (an instrument on a satellite), an ocean scientist, high school students whose science fair project took them to Croatia, & other "Earth explorers." (NASA)
- science.hq.nasa.gov/education/earth_explorers/
- NSF Special Reports - Presents web-based reports on language & linguistics, Einstein & physics, weather patterns, the chemistry of water, the 2004 tsunami, arctic climate research, Admiral Byrd's historic flight to the South Pole (1929), cyberinfrastructure, fossils, earthquake engineering simulation, ecology of infectious diseases, robotics, visualization of research results & scientific phenomena, the world's first electronic nervous system, teacher institutes, & Nobel prize winners. (NSF)
- www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/
- Real-Time Information - Helps ensure that critical information needed by emergency forecasters & managers during extreme events is available. See "live" views of volcanoes around the world, weather images, geologic & mineral resource information, national flood-threat forecasts, & streamflow information. (USGS)
- interactive2.usgs.gov/learningweb/explorer/topic_realtime.asp
- Earth Science Vocabulary Review – Includes Rock and Mineral Hangman, Astronomy Hangman, printable flash cards, etc.
- www.eram.k12.ny.us/education/components/docmgr/default.php?sectiondetailid=30712
- Powerpoint Games: Jeopardy, etc., templates that you can use to create games for your classes.
- jc-schools.net/tutorials/PPT-games/
- E. Ramapo Central SD Earth Science Page: Great lesson plans, computer labs, and links to additional information at:
- www.eram.k12.ny.us/education/staff/staff.php?sectionid=2149
- Daylight Savings - Clear and concise explanations. See how daylight savings affects different latitudes differently with an animation found under "rationale."
- http://webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/index.html
- A list of science units of study on a variety of topics:
- http://HomeschoolingOnAShoestring.com/science.html
- Webshare activities. A large variety of activities on the NY web share site:
- www.wilson.wnyric.org/t/drobison/webshare/forum
- Tutorials on Earth Science Subjects:
- http://teach.fcps.net/trt20/projects/EKU/
- Science misconceptions:
- www.amasci.com/miscon/opphys.html
- Science Games - Go to this site for the following games and game templates: Science Jeopardy, Science Taboo, Science Bingo, Science Monopoly, Science Bowl and more.
- www.csun.edu/~vceed002/ref/games/index.html#Jeopardy
- The Understanding Evolution web site - written for teachers but accessible to the general public -- is intended to provide "one-stop shopping" for evolution education. The web site is rich in content, with sections on the nature of science, evolution itself, the different lines of evidence supporting evidence, evolution's relevance to everyday life, widespread misconceptions about evolution, and the history of evolutionary thought.
- evolution.berkeley.edu
- The Why Files - An email magazine focusing on the science behind the latest news headlines.
- whyfiles.org/teach/index.html
- Earth Science Reference Tables - This fascinating resource is compiled for assistance on the New York Regents Earth Science test, but has lots of useful information for all earth science teachers.
- http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa/reftable/esrtchart.htm
- Earth Science Share-a-thon - from Thomas McGuire, Caves Creek, AZ, Earth science teacher David Robison and his New York colleagues have assembled a lab share-a-thon web site. Any teacher can freely download about 100 teacher written and classroom tested labs and other activities covering the whole range of Earth science. Many labs include teacher tips and answer keys. A directed, student-centered inquiry mode dominates, and the activities are appropriate for most secondary students. A New York emphasis will be evident in some activities.
- www.wilson.wnyric.org/t/drobison/webshare
- 101 Amazing Earth Facts - Example: What was the deadliest known earthquake? The world's deadliest recorded earthquake occurred in 1556 in central China. It struck a region where most people lived in caves carved from soft rock. The dwellings collapsed, killing an estimated 830,000 people.
- www.space.com/scienceastronomy/101_earth_facts_030722-1.html
- Science Fairs - Madeline Binder announces the launch of a new website, which is designed to help middle school, jr. high and high school students through the intricacies of science fair projects one step at a time, also includes a parents guide and a teachers resource page.
- www.super-science-fair-projects.com
- Earthguide - a collection of links, articles, and other materials amassed by the undergrads at the Univ. of Cal., San Diego. Lacks lesson plans, but has some good links to informational sites and some interesting articles with unusual connections to earth science.
- www.earthguide.ucsd.edu
- Magic School Bus site "What on Earth" - volcanoes, ecology and weather
- www.scholastic.com/magicschoolbus/tour/tour.htm?earth
- Extreme Science - has many facts for students to look up regarding earth science, weather, space, technology, and maps. It can be a good site to use if you want your students to explore many science topics.
- www.extremescience.com
- Science Outlook - This site pulls together headline newsfeeds in six categories, General Science, Technology, Health, Environment, Education and Space. There are no pop-up ads on the site.
- www.scienceoutlook.com
- Jacques Cousteau Coastal Education Center - (Tuckerton, NJ) 2003 opportunities for educational materials and programs to promote lifelong learning about the ocean sciences.
- marine.rutgers.edu/cousteau/education/education.htm
- Science & Nature (CNN) - Contains a section that advises the reader about volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and other earth phenomena during the past week. It is a good starting place for research or a place to re-check during a long project. It is useful for all age groups and in teaching both science and geography. See their science and space page also.
- www.cnn.com/TECH/
- United States Geologic Survey (USGS) - A vast site and the government is offering a great deal of both information and products that can be used by teachers and students. One can purchase maps, aerial photos of specific areas, download free teaching and learning materials, access information about all areas of Geoscience and link to other relevant sites. Teachers of all levels can find suitable materials. Middle and high school students can use this site for research. Elementary students should not be sent here without very specific guidance.
- www.usgs.gov/
- Visible Earth (NASA) - A compilation of satellite images from around the world that has been shot with various sensors. This site can provide interesting images for use in lessons and can also be used in research by middle and high school students. Elementary students may be able to use the site with adult support. The images are quite varied and can be searched by location and subject. For example, images can be used to study plant distribution in the oceans or the effect of forest fires.
- visibleearth.nasa.gov/
- The Learning Web (USGS) - Part of the USGS system; this particular section specifically offers lesson plans and activities for teacher to use with students. There is a link to featured careers in the geosciences called "Scientists in Action" which gives vignettes of real people doing real science.
- www.usgs.gov/education/
- Ask a Geologist (USGS) - You can browse through a collected set of frequently asked questions. In addition, you can e-mail, phone or fax a specific question that is not covered. You may also write to the Subaru Distinguished Earth Science Teacher for education related questions.
- ask.usgs.gov/faqs.html
- Tools for teachers - changes weekly, look up past tools, like certificate making, or the crossword puzzle maker:
- www.theeducatorsnetwork.com/main/toolfeature.htm
- Earth Net - A product of the Natural Resources Department of Canada. This organization is analogous to the USGS in the United States. This site has a wide range of activities and text that can be downloaded. Every major topic in the Earth Sciences is covered. The site content is best suited to students in grade levels 7 through 11 however, there are activities that are suitable to grade 4 through 6 but would require revision to match reading level to student abilities. The content is well suited to US audiences except where there are references to provinces or typically Canadian issues.
- earthnet.bio.ns.ca/index.html
- Tasa Graphic Arts Company - Tasa Graphic Arts Co. has produced state of the art multimedia products for use in the Earth Science and Environment Science Classrooms. Of particular interest is the Plate Tectonics puzzle, interactive CD-ROM on Mineral Identification and topographic map study. They provide online ordering. Go to the following site or call this number for a special password to receive 15% off your order!
- www.tasagraphicarts.com/
- PUMAS - the Practical Uses of Math and Science - An online journal of short examples of everyday applications to math and science. Many of the topics are earth science related. The examples are developed by university faculty and have wonderful interdisciplinary connections. You can search the examples by age group and by the National Science Benchmarks by following this link to PUMAS Examples page that then leads to the PUMAS Examples Search Page.
- pumas.jpl.nasa.gov/
- Smithsonian Museum of Natural History - Contains a varied amount of information that does change with time. It is most appropriate to students in grades 7 -12. Most intriguing are the virtual field trips through the museum. The site also allows the user to enter a keyword and search for information.
- www.mnh.si.edu/
- Digital Library for Earth System Education - A library of digitally accessible resources for learning about the Earth system, and an open, organized community of users. This community, composed of educators, students, and developers of technology and content, is engaged in building the library at all levels.
- www.dlese.org
- For Teachers: Exploratorium Learning Studio Resource Guide: Earth System Science - The Exploratorium's Learning Studio has created several web Resource Guides for educators.
- In this issue they are featuring Earth System Science, "An integrated approach to the study of the Earth that stresses investigations of the interactions among the Earth's components in order to explain Earth dynamics, evolution, and global change." (Earth Observatory Glossary) [saturn.exploratorium.edu/ls/infosources/EarthSystemInfo.html]
- For a full list of our web Resource Guides for Educators, see: www.exploratorium.edu/ls/infosources/ResGuides.html
- DragonflyTV - is devoted entirely to science for kids ages 9-12. "But it's not like any science show you've ever seen - because it's real kids doing real science! In every episode, real kids tell about their own investigations - how they explore the science in the things they love to do." Offers free educator's guides, an interactive Web site and classroom packs of the DFTV Zine, a science journal for kids. Earth science topics are water, rocks, weather and air.
- pbskids.org/dragonflytv/. Click on Teacher's Guide.
- Rubrics - This site has a collection of rubric examples, including some for science classes, from the Educator's Network.
- http://www.theeducatorsnetwork.com/main/rubricfeature.htm
- Geology.com - a site with many geologic links, including "geology basics".
- www.geology.com/
- The Learning Team - is a publisher of inquiry-based science software, including physics, earth science, environmental science, general science and teacher resources. They publish and sell educational software developed by some of the world's leading science and education institutions, and under Earth Science includes: GETIT (Geoscience Education Through Interactive Technology) which uses interactive, inquiry-based activities that closely simulate real-life research practices and incorporate simulations of advanced research in earthquakes, plate tectonics, volcanoes, hurricanes, and more. In EarthView Explorer, students can investigate using recent and authentic global data relevant to the geosphere; hydrosphere, biosphere; atmosphere and climate. Students can modify the view of the global data, sample or graph numeric data, and interact with a model of global climate.
- www.learningteam.org/index.html
- Careers - The American Geological Institute has a short, printable career brochure entitled "What Do Geoscientists Do?" with neat links on the right side for more specific information.
- earthinspace.org/careers/
- Earth Science Flashcards - from Flashcard Exchange, find over 90 flashcard sets for testing knowledge in geology, astronomy, oceanography, and meteorology. Available in an html and java format, the cards won't tap higher order thinking skills and some of the flashcard answers lack depth; still, this site is a quick way to gauge subject matter mastery. It is also a good site to have brighter students critique: what is wrong with a flashcard answer and why? Flashcards are also available for the humanities, languages, and the humanities. (Audience: middle school and up)
- flashcardexchange.com/directory.jsp?id=46
- The CDE (Colorado Dept. of Education) - has a Science section that includes "Standards in Action" highlighting papers from the ERIC Digest of interest to science teachers. These include "Teaching Science Through Inquiry", "Earth Systems Education", "Teaching Evolution in School Science Classes" and "Teaching Science in the Field."
- www.cde.state.co.us/action/curric/sci/eric.htm
- American Museum of Natural History - Visit their Web site for a free, easy-to-navigate online database of the Museum's scientific and educational materials. Includes hands-on activities for all ages, curriculum materials, interactive stimulations, videos of scientists at work, etc.
- www.amnh.org/education/resources
 Hands-On Earth Science Activities for Grades K-8, by Marvin N. Tolman. Grades K-8. A highly recommended earth science activities book; It contains over 165 labs covering air, water, weather, the Earth, ecology, above the Earth and beyond the Earth; the supplies required for some labs are very inexpensive.
 Big Bang: The Story of the Universe, by Couper, Heather and others.
Grades 6-Adult. From the "Big Bang" to the present, the story of the Universe is told as an unfolding saga. Hardcover: ISBN 0789414848.
 Earth, by Grimshaw, Caroline.
Grades 4-7. Deals with basic geoscience questions such as the origin of Earth and geological/biological changes through time. Paperback: ISBN 0716613050, Hardcover: ISBN 1568474539.
 Geology Crafts for Kids: 50 Nifty Projects to Explore the Marvels of Planet Earth, by Anderson, Alan and others.
Grades 4-7. General earth science activities explore subjects such as volcanoes, fossils, rocks & minerals, and erosion. Paperback: ISBN 0806981571, Hardcover: ISBN 0806981563.
 Planet Earth, by Watt, Fiona and others.
Grades 6-Adult. One of the best elementary earth science books available. Paperback: ISBN 0746006373, Hardcopy: ISBN 0881105104.
Ready to Use Earth and Astronomical Science Activities for Grades 5-12, by Mark J. Handwerker, Ph.D. This five-volume series provides 300 tested lessons and over 600 reproducible fact sheets, worksheets, homework assignments, and review quizzes to help you teach basic scientific concepts and develop students' appreciation and understanding of the work done by generations of curious scientists. All volumes emphasize the "process" of science and offer 15 uniformly formatted teaching units covering 15 major topics in a specific area of science. Spiral-bound, 256 pages, February 199, Center for Applied Research in Education. 8¼" × 11", ISBN: 0876284454. $29.95 at Prentice-Hall Direct, Title Code: C44549. (phdirect.com)
The Teacher-Friendly Guide to the Geology of the Northeastern U.S., by Jane Ansley, 2000. Written as a teacher preparation and information resource, this guide provides teachers with background on the regional geology of the Northeast. Ties in national science education standards and inquiry-based teaching. Contains corresponding student activities for each topic. Designed for middle and high school level science teachers but applicable to any level. Paleontological Research Institution Publications, 1259 Trumansburg Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850; (www.priweb.org), $25.
The Basics of Inquiry, Measurement, and Science Math, The book contains hands-on exercises that teach the basics of experimental design, measurement, and scientific figures, as well as the math and graphing skills needed to analyze data. Purchase for $14.95 from Health-Science Education, Inc., 5500 Prytania St., PMB 213, New Orleans, LA 70115; 504-897-0211; fax 504-897-0211; e-mail: hesci@bellsouth.net; www.healthscience.net.
top
|
