This site is part of the space page of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), and provides information about the Sun, the planets and their moons, and other bodies in the solar system. It contains a travel guide to the Solar System including such topics as what to see, reason to visit, how to get there, and local history. A similar travel guide is then available for the Sun, each of the planets, ... Full description.

This article and accompanying questions discusses the fact that several of the Earth's tectonic plates move at about the same speed as fingernails grow - around 35 mm per year - and that the plates are made of lithosphere (crust plus the upper part of the mantle). Students will also learn that beneath the lithosphere is the asthenosphere, part of the upper mantle that is ductile because it contains ... Full description.

This time scale allows students to select multiple time periods from a list and view them on a highlighted display. It shows the relationship between eon, era, period, sub-period, and epoch and also includes the date in mega-annum (Ma) or millions of years before present. The scale reflects the changes in the Cenozoic Era (Tertiary and Quaternary have been eliminated and the Neogene modified) in the ... Full description.

Ocean basins are filled with loose sediments, which are the products of erosion. This sediment originates inland and is fed into oceans by rivers. Debris from cliffs and other coastal landforms provides additional sediment volume, as do skeletons, shells, teeth of marine organisms, ash from volcanoes, and even asteroids. This interactive feature shows how these different parent materials influence ... Full description.

This handout lists major events in Earth history with approximate ages (in millions of years before present). The calendar date is determined by setting midnight, January 1, to correspond with the formation of the Earth, and setting the following midnight, December 31, to correspond to the present. Thus, the entire history of the Earth is displayed as a single calendar year. Full description.

If you observe clouds in a portion of the sky, you may notice that they are not static. Clouds are composed of tiny particles of water and are constantly changing and moving. This video lets viewers observe clouds forming, moving, and changing shape. The segment is one minute thirty-three seconds in length. A background essay and list of discussion questions are also provided. Full description.

This lesson plan is part of the DiscoverySchool.com lesson plan library for grades 6-8. It focuses on recent dinosaur excavations in Argentina and why this is a good place to look for dinosaur fossils. Students read articles, conduct research, and complete worksheets to find out information about what is found in Argentina and why. Included are objectives, materials, procedures, discussion questions, ... Full description.

This activity has students plot the locations of active volcanoes on a world map to discover how these locations relate to the those of earthquakes and lithospheric plate boundaries. Students work in three groups, two of which plot earthquakes and the boundaries of the Earth's plates. The three maps are superimposed and students discuss the relationships. This activity has an objective, a list of ... Full description.

This website integrates video footage and information with lesson plans and activities to teach students about the concept of relative dating. Students will graph a range chart for ammonites, determine the geologic age for several rocks, and determine which rocks will be most useful for oil companies looking to drill oil. This site contains lesson plans, student worksheets, discussion questions, and ... Full description.

This lesson plan is part of the DiscoverySchool.com lesson plan library for grades 6-8. It focuses on the history of the Earth from 4.6 billion years ago to the present. Students look at different time periods and major events in the Earth's history, putting it all together in a classroom display. Included are objectives, materials, procedures, discussion questions, evaluation ideas, suggested readings, ... Full description.