Earth's history in 4.56 meters: constructing a timeline with calculator tape
In this short activity, students make a timeline of Earth's history using calculator tape. The tape is 4.56 meters long, so that one billion years is equal to one meter. This exercise is designed to introduce students to the scale of Earth's history and help them gain a familiarity with some major events. It also teaches about scaling, the metric system, as well as the concepts of large numbers and deep time. The activity may be used in an introductory geoscience course. Learning goals, context
Ground-water Aquifers
This description of a ground-water aquifer has a graphic representation to accompany it. It is part of the U.S. Geologic Survey's Water Science for Schools website. Links to other parts of the site, such as definitions and types of wells, are included.
Water-Resources Reconnaissance of the Southeastern Part of St. Paul Island, Pribilof Islands, Alaska
This 12-page PDF was prepared by the USGS to investigate sources of water and groundwater quality on St. Paul Island in order to design a well field without inducing saline water. Tables, diagrams and maps accompany the text.
Arsenic in Ground Water of the United States
This site provides information about the distribution of arsenic in ground water of the United States. The site features links to publications such as fact sheets, research and reports, as well as numerical data collected from over 20,000 wells. The site also provides maps that show where and to what extent arsenic occurs in ground water across the country. Links to additional resources related to arsenic and drinking water are also included.
Salts & Solubility
Add different salts to water, then watch them dissolve and achieve a dynamic equilibrium with solid precipitate. Compare the number of ions in solution for highly soluble NaCl to other slightly soluble salts. Relate the charges on ions to the number of ions in the formula of a salt. Calculate Ksp values.
Home Water Use
This lesson provides an overview of water use in the industrialized world, including a discussion of the increasing need for conservation as populations grow and water supplies stay roughly constant.
Drinking Water Treatment
This lesson provides an introduction to the treatment of drinking water to remove harmful or distasteful substances. Topics include the history of treatment and a brief listing of treatment processes.
Acid Rain
Due to the presence of dissolved gases such as carbon dioxide, rainfall is naturally acidic. This exercise will familiarize you with the phenomenon known as acid rain, requires that you take water samples from rainfall.
The Cutting Edge - Exploring How Editing Affects an Author's Work
In this lesson, students examine the writing of short-story author Raymond Carver as well as their own writing to explore how editing can affect the text, content and context of an author's work.
Peace Curriculum
How can we educate for peace? Five teaching units focus on nonviolence, respect for human rights and dignity, social justice and civic responsibility, global awareness, and environmental sustainability. These Units are meant to guide teachers and provide resources for their own development as peace educators. Teachers, acting as learners, should feel free to adapt these activities to make them more effective, culturally relevant, or issue-specific.
Indigenous Peoples
Five teaching units focus on nonviolence, respect for human rights and dignity, social justice and civic responsibility, global awareness, and environmental sustainability. This site has been designed to help students and educators celebrate the International Day of the World's Indigenous People through active learning. The learning activities presented in each section are student-centered. They are designed as informal, participatory exercises or suggestions for students to take further action.
Drinking Water; Kids' Stuff
This site teaches kids about the importance of safe drinking water through teaching and learning resources such as an activity on how to build your own aquifer, experiments on the water treatment process, and the drinking water art project.
Climate Animations
Here you will find animations of how Global Warming occurs and how it is linked to the Carbon and Water cycles.
Aquifer on the Go
This demonstration should follow a class discussion on potential sources of pollution to drinking water supplies. To illustrate how water is stored in an aquifer, how ground water can become contaminated, and how this contamination ends up in a drinking water well. Ultimately, students should get a clear understanding of how careless use and disposal of harmful contaminants above the ground can potentially end up in the drinking water below the ground. This particular experiment can be done by e
Water Sourcebooks
The Water Sourcebooks contain 324 activities for grades K-12 divided into four sections: K-2, 3-5, 5-8, and 9-12. Each section is divided into five chapters: Introduction to Water, Drinking Water and Wastewater Treatment, Surface Water Resources, Ground Water Resources, and Wetlands and Coastal Waters. This environmental education program explains the water management cycle using a balanced approach showing how it affects all aspects of the environment. All activities contain hands-on investigat
The History of Luxury Car Bentley
This is a brief history of the Bentley automobile. It is almost an advertisement for the brand. This video lacks details as to costs and performance, but may have value to motivate those students who are interested in cars and who wish to work with them.
The Attack on Pearl Harbor
This selection contains actual video and photos of events leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor, the actual attack, and the aftermath. A narrator outlines history leading up to the attack, the attack, and results of this historic event. ( 3:15)
The Transcontinental Railroad- Laying the Tracks
This video is about how the  tracks for the Transcontinental Railroad were laid, how one section still holds the record for fastest track laying, and how all the rapid growth had both positive and negative consequences. Compares to landing on Mars.
What Are Sea Breezes and Why Do They Occur?
This is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Data Buoy Center website. It features text descriptions, graphs, and graphic illustrations to describe the development of land and sea breezes because of the unequal heating rates of land and water.
West Coast Field Guide of the National Marine Sanctuaries
Our five West Coast national marine sanctuaries encompass nearly 12,000 square miles of ocean, which includes hundreds of miles of dramatic coastline. Teeming with life and filled with history, they offer countless opportunities for exploration, recreation and contemplation. This guide will introduce you to the natural and cultural wonders of your national marine sanctuaries. Whether you're traveling on foot or bicycle, by car or by boat, above water or diving below, it can lead you to new disco
