In this activity, students will first begin by exploring the area and perimeter.  Tell your students to make a shape that has a specific area or perimeter and then give them time to explore and create.  As you go, make the math challenges more difficult.  When they have had a chance to explore, have them play the game.  The challenge is to see how many levels they can complete.  Keep in mind that the last level is unique in that students now have to create a shape with a specific area while creating a fraction of the shaded color like the second image below.

In this lab, students will design and experiment to determine which sediment type is the most permeable and porous. This is very open to a student's design. The teacher should give little to no help with this experiment. I use this lab to assess a group's ability to design and experiment and come up with a statement of conclusion. I am looking for their ability to use time wisely, set up an experiment, gather data, practice safe lab techniques, and use variables correctly. Teacher reflection and procedures are included.

This Study Jam video does a great job demonstrating the differences between weather and climate.  It discusses how temperature and air pressure can change due to a change in elevation.

This video can also be used during reading units dealing with compare and contrast.

This "It's OK to be Smart" video discusses the human nose and its awesome ability to sense smells.  Please note that this video does talk about human sperm so you need to judge your students' maturity level.  Nerves, olfactory receptors, eyes, and ears are also discussed in the video.

This is a great video to help introduce the idea of bartering, trade, and money in economics.

This music video might be a great way to start a Professional Development meeting.  In this video, a third-grade teacher sings about her wish for having a snow day.  It is sung to the tune of "Hello."  If you are a teacher, especially in the elementary schools then she nails our thoughts on the head with this song.  It is very well done and funny.

Use this assignment to help students understand the difference between a mineral and other objects that they might think are minerals. The activity doesn't take long but when you are discussing what a mineral actually is, this assignment gives your students practice. Students have a list of words that they need to sort into columns. One column is for minerals, the other column is for non-minerals. If they place an object into the non-mineral section they need to justify which rule was broken.

This video is a fun rap about the organization and powers declared in the Constitution.

This file includes all of the assignments, instructions, lab notes, labs, worksheets, and presentations to teach the first chapter of Earth science. Students will get the opportunity to explore the scientific method through both hands-on and digital labs.

Included are:

1 presentation in both PowerPoint and Google Doc

5 Earth Science both digital and hands-on labs

Vocabulary words included on the test

3 ways of integrating technology

All of the worksheets and instructions for the labs and assignments.

2 videos

1 group project

In this Study Jam video, students will get a better understanding of biomes.  Vocabulary that is discussed is biome, ecosystem, habitat, climate, and precipitation. A discussion of each of the biomes is also shown.