This lesson plan is part of the DiscoverySchool.com lesson plan library for grades K-5. It focuses on basic information about the weather and how different weather maps depict conditions. Included are objectives, materials, procedures, discussion questions, evaluation ideas, suggested readings, and vocabulary. There are videos available to order which complement this lesson, and links to teaching ... Full description.

In this lesson students investigate climate change in the Arctic Ocean to discover the potential impact of observed reduction in sea ice in the Arctic Ocean on ocean life. As a result of this activity, they will be able to identify the three biological realms of the Arctic Ocean and describe the relationships between these realms. They will graphically analyze data on sea ice cover in the Arctic Ocean, ... Full description.

This lesson is designed to introduce the greenhouse effect, the energy balance, and the various factors that affect the energy balance. Students will learn that albedo (reflectivity) is the ratio of the outgoing solar radiation reflected by an object to the incoming solar radiation incident upon it, and alterations in the greenhouse effect include a process by which significant changes in the chemistry ... Full description.

In this lesson about speciation and its role in evolution, different subspecies of a California salamander are placed on a grid map of California according to where samples were collected. Discussion focuses on patterns of their distribution, their likely evolutionary relationships, and probable sequence of formation from the original form (speciation). Full description.

This lesson plan is part of the DiscoverySchool.com lesson plan library for grades 6-8. This lesson focuses on sedimentary rocks and how they are formed. Students review the rock cycle and three rock types: igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary. They then write children's books about sedimentary rocks to explain the process to a younger audience. Included are objectives, materials, procedures, discussion ... Full description.

This lesson includes a historical review, starting with the existence of the horizon at sea, proceeding to various studies of the Earth's size and shape, and leading to the attempt by Columbus to reach India by sailing westward. Students will understand the concept of the horizon at sea as evidence that the Earth is round, calculate the size of the Earth using Eratosthenes' methods, and the origin ... Full description.

Increasingly, scientists are discovering ways to predict and prevent loss of life associated with earthquakes. This lesson will help students to understand earthquakes. The first portion consists of an online investigation in which students read news stories about recent earthquakes and their effects. Then, they perform an activity in which seismic waves (P and S waves) are simulated using a slinky ... Full description.

Many Americans have heard of Ethiopia only in the context of drought, famine, and war. As they listen to the news stories, it is important for students to recognize that the media portrayals of Ethiopia are not always complete and that Ethiopia is, in fact, a geographically diverse country, including forests, grasslands, and the Blue Nile. This lesson will teach students about Ethiopia's different ... Full description.

In this lesson students investigate sea ice communities in the Arctic Ocean to determine what organisms and ecosystem processes characterize them. They will learn to identify major groups of organisms found in these communities, describe major physical features and how these features change during summer and winter, and explain how these changes affect biological activity. Students will also be able ... Full description.

In March, 2005, the Environmental Protection Agency announced new rules for mercury that power plants release into the air when they burn coal to make electricity. The plan, called the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR), is designed to limit the tonnage of mercury that is released per year. This lesson on mercury contamination begins with a video about CAIR, and has students read a short article about ... Full description.