TeachersFirst Collection: Earth Science Resources
From shifting tectonic plates to swirling weather patterns, Earth Science invites students to explore the powerful forces that shape our planet. This collection brings together K-12 resources on geology, meteorology, oceanography, and astronomy, including hands-on activities, interactive simulations, and engaging videos that bring complex concepts to life. You'll also find lesson plans and lab ideas that encourage students to think like scientists as they observe, question, and investigate the natural world around them. Together, these resources make it easy to spark curiosity about Earth Science at every grade level.
Click here to view our entire tagged list of earth resources.
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Minerals Education Coalition : K-12 Education - SME Foundation
Grades
K to 12
In the Classroom
Students can use Google Drawing, reviewed here to compare and contrast various materials. After learning about how many minerals are in a bicycle, students can pick an everyday object to research how many minerals it contains. They can create an infographic using Mind Map Generator, reviewed here to share their findings. Students can use Google My Maps, reviewed here to virtually visit places around the world in search of minerals.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Practices and Nature of Science - PBS LearningMedia
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): climate (99), climate change (111), hurricanes (36), oceans (142), temperature (33), volcanoes (60), weather (171)
In the Classroom
When students are learning about Climate Change through History, they can use Timeline JS, reviewed here to create a timeline of significant events. While learning about the Band of Volcanoes in the Pacific, students can use Google My Maps, reviewed here to virtually visit the different volcanoes in the Pacific. Students can create an infographic using Timeline Infographic Templates by Venngage, reviewed here to record the average temperature and monthly precipitation.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Earth and Space Science - PBS LearningMedia
Grades
K to 12tag(s): climate (99), climate change (111), earth (188), solar energy (35), solar system (126), space (250), volcanoes (60), weather (171)
In the Classroom
Use this collection to spark curiosity about planetary science by assigning a video or an interactive simulation on hot-spot volcanoes or weather patterns. After students explore the media, enhance their understanding by having them use Genially, reviewed here to create an interactive "escape room" game where players must solve science-themed puzzles to progress. Extend the learning experience by tasking students to use Snorkl, reviewed here to record a short verbal explanation of the concepts they learned, providing immediate feedback on their scientific reasoning. This approach allows students to transition from passive viewers to active creators as they synthesize information and share their findings with their peers.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Middle School Science Lessons - Liz Belasic
Grades
5 to 8tag(s): data (211), earth (188), environment (247), moon (87), planets (124), plate tectonics (28), rock cycle (25), rocks (43), space (250), stars (79), tides (5)
In the Classroom
Have students act out the stages of the rock cycle as though they are particles moving through magma, then cooling, eroding, sedimenting, and subject to heat/pressure, giving a physical sense of how one rock type changes into another. Take students outside (or around the school grounds) to observe rocks, soil, water runoff, or signs of erosion. Have them take photos or sketches, record observations, and ask, "What changes over time?" What types of surfaces cause more erosion? They can record this information digitally using Book Creator, reviewed here or Canva Docs, reviewed here. Have students plan a small "town" or community, and include ways to use resources sustainably (water, energy, land). Use Earth Science concepts such as the hydrosphere, weather, soil, plate tectonics, or geology to inform location choices, building materials, and infrastructure.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Nova Education - PBS
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): archeology (26), engineering (139), environment (247), forensics (12), paleontology (28), space (250)
In the Classroom
Enjoy the interactives, videos, and text on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Use selected activities as a center (station). Share the included articles and videos with students to supplement your STEM curriculum. If articles are too difficult for students, use a text leveler tool like the one available at Brisk, reviewed here to match student reading abilities.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Discover Water - Project WET Foundation and Ecolab
Grades
K to 5tag(s): conservation (104), earth (188), ecology (113), environment (247), oceans (142), water cycle (25)
In the Classroom
Use this site to engage students as you introduce a unit on water conservation. Use the included assessments which can be found in the teacher resource section to give your students a pre or post-test. The website provides audio directions making it a good resource for use as a center. While the site allows students to create a take-action poster that can be printed, another option is to use what they have learned and create a poster in Canva, reviewed here. With nine different modules, break students into nine smaller groups and assign each group a module to complete. Students can print the included science notebook to take notes, and when they are done, have them Jigsaw and teach one another about what they learned. Need a refresher for Jigsaw? See Jigsaw Classroom, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Science World - Science World
Grades
K to 6tag(s): adaptations (21), animals (282), bacteria (19), cells (82), circuits (19), colors (64), earth (188), electricity (64), energy (137), environment (247), forces (48), habitats (113), human body (98), light (61), magnetism (40), matter (51), moon (87), motion (57), nutrition (138), oceans (142), plants (142), rocks (43), senses (22), solar system (126), stars (79), sun (87), volcanoes (60), water (102), water cycle (25), weather (171)
In the Classroom
Share a link on classroom computers to include Science World in a computer science center activity. As a class, use Google My Maps, reviewed here to create a virtual tour of locations visited during your Science World lessons and activities. Find additional information to share on your maps, including pictures and articles with other information. Use Symbaloo, reviewed here to create links to Science World and other science activities for students to access all resources through one location. Add your chosen activities to Curipod, reviewed here and create an interactive lesson that includes videos, articles, quizzes, and more.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Wonder of Science - Paul Andersen
Grades
K to 12tag(s): biodiversity (44), chemicals (37), climate (99), earth (188), ecology (113), ecosystems (115), energy (137), environment (247), forces (48), genetics (84), life cycles (22), light (61), matter (51), molecules (44), motion (57), oceans (142), planets (124), sound (71), space (250), stars (79), weather (171)
In the Classroom
This site is a must-have for all science teachers, providing high-quality lessons and teaching materials. Be sure to visit the Phenomena section to find the Master List of Phenomena Google Document, which shares suggestions for observable science events, or to find phenomena by grade level. Engage students in learning by sharing videos on this site, then use edpuzzle, reviewed here to add questions and focus comments to the videos to support student learning. Use the ideas and resources on this site to create flipped and blended learning lessons or playlists to encourage students' choice of learning activities.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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earth.fm - Catalin Zorzini
Grades
K to 12tag(s): animals (282), earth (188), habitats (113), sounds (38)
In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this site to your favorites to use as background sound when students work. For example, choose a calm mood and select a time for the sounds to play that matches your work time. Use earth.fm during your study of habitats; select a habitat (for example, polar) and explore the different sounds that correlate to that habit as you engage students in exploring the habitat further. Extend student learning by asking them to create an animal or habitat trading card using Big Huge Labs Trading Card Creator, reviewed here. Add images and descriptions, and download trading cards as images. Use the images to create a class book using Write Reader, reviewed here, or print and share images for students to trade.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Earth Science - Extreme Science
Grades
5 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): earth (188), geology (60), plate tectonics (28), volcanoes (60)
In the Classroom
This site contains a great deal of helpful information related to earth science; however, it may be a little difficult for students to explore due to the need to follow many links. Make student research easier by curating and sharing information with Wakelet, reviewed here. Use Wakelet to create collections with links to specific topics and information for students to access at any time. Enhance student learning by incorporating lesson activities into an interactive learning experience using Wayground (formerly Quizizz), reviewed here. Add videos, quizzes, links to online resources, and more as part of your Quizizz lesson. Extend student learning using a digital storytelling creation tool such as Imagine Forest, reviewed here. Ask students to create books (or a book series) that share their understanding of earth science concepts. Include text, images, videos, and audio recordings to digital books.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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3D Interactive Earth Globe - eChalk Ltd
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): climate (99), earth (188), energy (137), population (50), temperature (33)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this site for use when discussing many different aspects of earth and its population. Take advantage of the settings found at the bottom of each interactive to engage your students and promote classroom discussion. For example, turn off the key so that students only see colored areas on the map without knowing what they represent. Ask students to explore the globe and share what they think each color represents by responding to a prompt created using Gravity, reviewed here. Gravity is a video response tool. Use Gravity to record video or create screen recordings to share. Incorporate a link to a globe as part of a learning path created using Wayground (formerly Quizizz), reviewed here. Include videos, quizzes, and other interactive activities as part of your Quizizz lesson. As an extended learning activity, ask students or student groups to create digital stories using Odyssey, reviewed here. Odyssey offers tools to incorporate custom maps into a digital storytelling activity that includes text, videos, and more.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Watch the last billion years of Earth's tectonic plate movement in just 40 seconds - Aylin Woodward
Grades
5 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): earth (188), earthquakes (51), plate tectonics (28)
In the Classroom
Engage students in the study of tectonic plates by showing them this fascinating video of their movement over time. As students learn more about plate tectonics, use an interactive tool such as FigJam, reviewed here, for students to share interesting facts. Use Timelinely, reviewed here, to add images, links, maps and more to this video and others used during your lessons to encourage students to focus on specific content. As an extended learning activity, have students use creation tools found at Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here, to create graphics, videos, and web pages to demonstrate learning.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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NASA Science - NASA
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): earth (188), explorers (65), solar system (126), space (250), STEM (382), sun (87)
In the Classroom
Become acquainted with the information shared on this site to use within your current lessons on space and science. View videos together on your interactive whiteboard or have students view videos at home and share questions and their thoughts in class. Include information from this site with other web resources to share with students. Use a bookmarking site like Raindrop.io, reviewed here, to share online resources collaboratively. In addition to saving bookmarks, Raindrop.io allows you to add comments to saved resources. Work together as a class to create resources for researching science topics. Instead of just watching videos, increase and enhance student learning through the use of a site such as playposit, reviewed here. playposit offers tools for adding both student and teacher comments to online videos. Use this resource to point out important information, ask critical questions, and challenge student thinking. Instead of assessing student learning of your science topic through tests or research projects, offer students the opportunity to share learning by creating their own game based on their research using a game-creation tool like Scratch, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Science News Explores - Society for Science and the Public
Grades
4 to 8tag(s): body systems (47), brain (59), careers (184), earth (188), environment (247), evolution (85), genetics (84), human body (98), space (250), STEM (382)
In the Classroom
Include a link to Science News for Students on classroom computers to include with other non-fiction reading resources for students. Have students browse through the site to find information of interest when choosing science fair or research topics. Enhance students' learning by asking them to create an infographic related to a science topic using Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here. This very easy to use tool includes drag and drop tools for easy creation of infographics using included templates or your own design. Take student research a step further and redefine their technology use by having students use Google Drawings, reviewed here, to upload an image related to their science research and add annotations. Google Drawings allows you to annotate an image with links to videos, text, websites, and more. Weaker readers will need a reading buddy for some of the more challenging articles. Classes in lower grades will want to read the articles together. A quick check on one article using Juicy Studio's Readability test, reviewed here, provided an approximate grade level of 6.5. Check articles before assigning to elementary students. You might also want to use Word Sift, reviewed here, to quickly identify important words that appear in the text.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Science4Fun - Abdul Wahab Malik
Grades
K to 5This site includes advertising.
tag(s): animals (282), density (21), earth (188), electricity (64), energy (137), forces (48), friction (12), gravity (53), heat (13), magnetism (40), mass (20), motion (57), periodic table (46), planets (124), plants (142), preK (347), temperature (33)
In the Classroom
Bookmark Science4Fun as a resource for interesting, classroom-friendly science experiments. Share a link to experiments on your class web page for families to complete at home. Consider taking photos of the different stages of an experiment your students are doing in class. Use Google Slides, reviewed here, to display them on your webpage for students and families to view at any time.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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SciJinks: Its All About Weather! - NOAA/NASA
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): atmosphere (25), careers (184), hurricanes (36), oceans (142), science fairs (22), scientific method (49), scientists (72), seasons (59), space (250), weather (171)
In the Classroom
Although geared toward middle school students and educators, anyone who teaches weather will want to take the time to explore this site for student and teacher resources. In the top-right menu, find the Educators section for activities, science fair ideas, and standards-aligned content. Share a link to games and activities on classroom computers and your class website. Upon completing activities, have students create an online or printed comic about an element of weather, climate, meteorology, or any aspect of Earth science. Use a tool such as Printable Comic Strip Templates, reviewed here, for a nontech rough and final draft. If you're new to using technology with your students, or teach younger students, enhance their learning and augment technology use with ToonyTool, reviewed here, for their final drafts. To enhance learning and modify tech use in your class for more experienced, older students, try Make Beliefs Comix, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Ready Jet Go! - PBS Kids
Grades
K to 6tag(s): gravity (53), moon (87), planets (124), preK (347), solar system (126), space (250), stars (79), sun (87), temperature (33)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a learning station or center. Be sure to include a link on your class web page for use at home. If you're beginning to integrate technology in your class or have younger students, augment techology use by creating a word cloud of the important terms students learn from this site using a tool such as Word Clouds For Kids, reviewed here. Alternatively, these students could use an online poster creator such as Printing Press, reviewed here, to present information learned about space. Teachers more advance with integrating technology can tranform tech use with an online poster creator such as Canva, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Plum Landing - WGBH Educational Foundation
Grades
1 to 3tag(s): conservation (104), earth (188), earth day (62), environment (247), game based learning (333)
In the Classroom
Capture student interest in environmental science, zoology, conservation, and ecology with Plum and her human friends! Use this site in science as a way to introduce the study of the Earth, biomes, or food chains. Share the videos on an interactive whiteboard or projector. Add to computers for center time. Use Plum's adventures to inspire further adventures involving the students. Use videos as a multimedia resource to supplement the science textbook. Use the adventures to inspire either narrative or expository writing. During Earth Day, students can explore your school community. Explore other science topics and modify student learning by challenging them to create comics using a tool such as Make Beliefs Comix, reviewed here. Have students research topics mentioned in the videos for deeper understanding. If you are beginning the process of integrating technology, replace pen and paper by having students create blogs sharing their learning and understanding using Seesaw, reviewed here. Share research and stories with other classes in your school, students' families, and on your class website or wiki.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Above the Clouds - Plus 360 Degrees
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): conservation (104), earth (188), earth day (62), environment (247), planets (124)
In the Classroom
This site is perfect for use on an interactive whiteboard. Use as a starting point for a unit on planets, the universe, or conservation. Be sure to include a link on your class website for students to explore at home. Introduce this site when you assign individual or group projects about environmental or global issues. Enhance learning and modify technology use by having students create a simple infographic sharing their findings for their projects using Venngage, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Earth Exploration Toolbook - Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Grades
9 to 12tag(s): air (26), climate (99), climate change (111), earth (188), pollution (56), weather (171)
In the Classroom
Each resource provides lesson plan ideas, including questions and all the information needed. Use this resource to uncover trends in the data and examine the statements made about them. Students can use their findings to compare and to present models of Earth systems. Students can also debate whether they support or reject the present models and conclusions by scientists.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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