GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK – NATURE & SCIENCE         NEW URL!
http://www.nps.gov/grca/naturescience/index.htm
A brief look at the geology, natural features and ecosystems of the Grand Canyon. Good

IMAGE GALLERY OF ROCKS
http://www.minerals.net/gallery/gallery.htm
A database of images of rocks. Includes photo, mineral name, common name, origin/location, and collection. Click on the thumbnail for photos. Good

LEWIE’S FLUORESCENT MINERALS PAGE         NEW URL!
http://www.reocities.com/rainforest/9911/
Pictures of fluorescent minerals. Good

THE MINERAL AND GEMSTONE KINGDOM         NEW!
http://www.minerals.net/
Information on minerals and gemstones. Includes images and info. Includes: The Mineral Guide, The Gemstone Guide, A Glossary of Terms, Mineral Research (articles), links and more. The Guides are extensive. Good

THE MINERAL GALLERY
http://mineral.galleries.com/minerals/by_class.htm
A list of minerals by class. Suitable for elementary students. Good

THE MINERALOGY DATABASE         NEW!
http://www.webmineral.com/
Information on and images of minerals. Good

MINERALS OF THE UNITED STATES         NEW!
http://www.tigerminerals.com/default.html
A clickable map of the US. Click on the colored state to see photos and info on the minerals found there. Good

NEW JERSEY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/njgs/
Includes a geologic map of New Jersey. Click on the links on the left for Functions, Geodata, Education (incl. lesson plans), and Links. Good

NJ GEOLOGY: GLOBAL AND REGIONAL CONTEXT
http://geology.rutgers.edu/103web/NJcontext/njcontext_frame.html
"This essay introduces you to the varied geology and topography of New Jersey, and places them in a global and regional context. The essay also briefly describes the geology and topography of New Jersey's four physiographic provinces, and provides links to web sites and other resources that provide more information." Good

NEW JERSEY STATE MINERALS INFORMATION
http://minerals.er.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/state/nj.html
You can download copies of the Minerals Yearbook from 1994-2007 Good

NOAA NATIONAL GEOPHYSICAL DATA CENTER- IMAGES- VISUALIZING DATA
http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/image/
"The Images offered here are .GIF .JPG or .MPEG images produced in the National Geophysical Data Center's Marine Geology & Geophysics Division (with the exception of the seafloor topography from satellite altimetry, produced by Dr. Walter Smith of NOAA). The crustal age images were produced at NGDC in cooperation with scientists from other organizations." These are illustrations imaging data from several sources. Note: For senior students. Good

OUR CHANGING CONTINENT
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/geotime/
An online brochure from the USGS on the North American continent. "Where were the land areas and oceans of the North American Continent 1 million years ago, compared to their present locations? Was North America always about the same size and shape that it is today? To answer these questions, geologists construct maps of the lands and seas as they existed in past ages. This process of reconstructing ancient geography is called paleogeography (from the Greek word "palaios," meaning ancient). Good

THE PALEONTOLOGY PORTAL – NEW JERSEY             NEW!
http://www.paleoportal.org/index.php?globalnav=time_space&sectionnav=state&name=New%20Jersey
Information on NJ’s geological areas and links. Good

THE PALEOZOIC ERA             NEW!
http://www.palaeos.com/Paleozoic/Paleozoic.htm
Information on the Paleozoic Era. Suitable for high school students. Good

PICTOGRAPH CAVE STATE PARK ELECTRONIC FIELD TRIP         NEW!
http://www.pictographcave.org/educate/rock_art.html
"During this field trip, you will explore the three caves of the park and learn about the mysterious paintings and artifacts found there. You will find out how the caves formed and investigate the archeological excavation of the caves as well as recent efforts to preserve them. You will also learn about Native American culture as well as the flora and fauna of the park. Most of all, your sense of wonder cannot help being renewed by the picturesque surroundings and amazing history of Pictograph Cave State Park." For grades 2-6. Includes teacher information and related sites. Very Good

PLATE TECTONICS         NEW!
http://library.thinkquest.org/17457/platetectonics/index.php
A site for elementary students by students on plate tectonics. Sections: The Earth’s Interior, Continental Drift, The Different Plates, Sea Floor Spreading, Subduction, Fun Activity and Review Questions. Good

ROCKS AND MINERALS WEB RESOURCES – K-3         NEW!
http://www.k-3learningpages.net/web%20rocks%20and%20minerals.htm
Links to sites on rocks and minerals for grades K-3. Good

ROCKS AND MINERALS WORD SEARCH PUZZLE
http://www.thepotters.com/puzzles/kids/rocks.html
A simple word search puzzle on rocks and minerals. Note: For middle school and up. Good

ROCKS, MINERALS AND MINING THEME PAGE             NEW!
http://www.cln.org/themes/rocks_minerals.html
A page of links to sites on rocks, minerals and mining. Good

RUSS BEHNKE MINERALS         NEW!
http://www.russbehnke.com/mg1.html
A photo gallery of minerals. These are for sale but it’s not obvious. Good

SATELLITE MAP OF NEW JERSEY         NEW!
http://geology.com/satellite/new-jersey-satellite-image.shtml
A satellite map of New Jersey showing major features. Good

SEAFLOOR GEOLOGY             NEW!
http://www.ceoe.udel.edu/deepsea/level-1/geology/geology.html
Information on the geology under the oceans. Sections: The Deep Sea, Mid-Ocean Ridge, Plate Tectonics and Hydro Thermal Vents. Good

SEISMIC INTENSITY SCALES         NEW URL!
http://slohs.slcusd.org/pages/teachers/rhamley/Plate%20Tectonics/seismic%20scales.html
Seismic intensity scales measure the effects of an earthquake at different sites. Good

SLOT CANYONS OF THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST
http://www.americansouthwest.net/slot_canyons/index.html
Information and pictures of slot canyons in the southwest. Good examples. Good

SMITHSONIAN GEM AND MINERAL COLLECTION         NEW URL!
http://www.gimizu.de/sgmcol/
Photos and descriptions of various gemstones and minerals in the collection. Good

THIS PLANET REALLY ROCKS: ALL ABOUT ROCKS AND MINERALS         NEW!
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002289/
A site by and for students on rocks and minerals. Sections: Rockhounding, Fascinating Facts, Rock Sayings, Rock Jokes Fun Activities and Our Field Trip. Good

TOUR OF PARK GEOLOGY – CAVES AND KARST PARKS             NEW!
http://www.nature.nps.gov/geology/tour/caves.cfm
Information from the National Parks Service on the national parks that have caves and karst formations. Includes links to those that have caves and karst features. Good

USGS GEOLOGY RESEARCH AND INFORMATION         NEW!
http://geology.usgs.gov/
"USGS Geology efforts address major societal issues that involve geologic hazards and disasters, climate variability and change, energy and mineral resources, ecosystem and human health, and ground-water availability.  We characterize the geological landscape and also provide the Nation with fundamental geochemical and geophysical data necessary to address these issues. Learn about our science strategy and see how we are working on determining our strategy for the next decade." Sections: In the News, Publications, Data, and More Hazards Information. Includes maps and data collected. Good

U.S. SHOW CAVES DIRECTORY         NEW!
http://www.goodearthgraphics.com/showcave.html
A directory by state of caves open to the public. Good

VIRTUAL AGE DATING
http://www.sciencecourseware.com/VirtualDating/
"Sorry, but you're not likely to find that special someone here, because this is an interactive exercise about Geologic Time. Here you'll learn how geologists and archeologists determine the ages of rocks and ancient artifacts." Good

VIRTUAL GEOMORPHOLOGY         NEW URL!
http://www.staff.amu.edu.pl/~sgp/gw/gw.htm
"I have created a WWW page that is the proposal of table of contents to a non-existent geomorphology text book. The task of this page is linking to other hypertext documents that form the successive pages of the book. The book is contributed by the readership. For example, one person might want to write a page on the fluvial geomorphology, another might want to talk about deserts, and yet another might want to author a section on volcanoes. Other information comes from already existing WWW pages like the World's Drylands. All the pages are linked together, forming a more or less complete text on the subject - the Virtual Geomorphology." Sections include: Geomorphological Systems, Theoretical Geomorphology, Structural Geomorphology, Dynamic Geomorphology, Historical Geomorphology and more. Good

THE VIRTUAL MUSEUM OF MINERALS AND MOLECULES         NEW!
http://virtual-museum.soils.wisc.edu/index.html
"The Virtual Museum of Minerals and Molecules™ is a web-based focal point and resource for 3-D visualizations of molecules and minerals designed for instructional use." Click on Displays for the galleries of mineral molecules. Good

VIRTUAL VACATIONLAND – A VIRTUAL TOUR OF ONLINE RESOURCES FOR EARTH SCIENCE EDUCATION
http://www.bigelow.org/virtual/
Helps students find information and data on earth science topics. Includes: Land Topography, Ocean Bathymetry, Coastal Tides, Ocean Buoy Data, Ocean Temperature, Weather & Climate and Watersheds & Rivers. Good

WHAT IS A CRYSTAL?         NEW!
http://nature.berkeley.edu/classes/eps2//wisc/Lect4.html
An explanation of the formation and composition of crystals. Good

WHAT ON EARTH IS PLATE TECTONICS?         NEW URL!
http://www.nature.nps.gov/geology/usgsnps/pltec/pltec1.html\
A site that explains plate tectonics for beginners. Click on This Dynamic Earth for a more detailed version (see elsewhere on list). Good

BIG ISLAND POOL: IGNEOUS ROCKS AND THE ANATOMY OF A VOLCANO – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/07/gk2/igneous.html
A lesson plan for grades K-2 on volcanoes. "Students will take a virtual visit to the Big Island Pool in Hawaii and see how forces of water (hydrosphere), wind (atmosphere), and geology (lithosphere) mold the Earth in which we live." Excellent

CAVE DWELLING: INVESTIGATING THE STRUCTURE OF CAVES – LESSON PLAN         NEW URL!
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2000/09/05/cave-dwelling/
A lesson plan on caves for grades 6-12. "In this lesson, students examine the structure and formation of caves. Students create a three-dimensional cross-section diorama of a cave in order to illustrate key concepts." Excellent

CAVE FORMATION AGE ESTIMATION – LESSON PLAN         NEW!
http://www.esi.utexas.edu/outreach/caves/lessons/CaveFormationAgeEstimation.pdf
A lesson plan for grades 8-12 on cave age estimation. "Students will investigate actual growth rates of two flowstone formations—one from Inner Space Cavern and one from Natural Bridge Caverns. Students will graph differences in growth rates for each formation to explore variations in past climates. They will then estimate the size of each formation using a scaled photograph. Combining the formation’s size and the average growth rate, they will predict the age of the entire formation; such age estimation will provide a better understanding of the dissolution and deposition processes within a karst environment." Good

COAL EDUCATION LESSON PLANS             NEW INFO!
http://www.coaleducation.org/lessons/lesson.htm
A collection of lesson plans on earth science. Note: These do not focus only on coal but various earth science topics. Excellent

CONTINENTAL DRIFT – LESSON PLAN             NEW!
http://www.ceoe.udel.edu/deepsea/level-1/geology/geology.html
A lesson plan on continental drift for grades 6-8. "Students will: 1/ Understand how Earth changed over a long period of time; and 2/ Understand how scientists developed a theory using fossil evidence." Excellent

CONTOUR MAPS WITH DOGSTAILS – LESSON PLAN         NEW!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/01/g68/dogstails.html
A lesson plan for grades 6-8 on creating contour maps. "Have you ever seen a child construct something from a lump of clay? Were you amazed at the results? During this lesson your students will craft miniature mountains from lumps of clay. They will then translate their mountains into topographic maps. These maps will include vital features and information such as date, orientation, grid, scale, title, author, index, legend, and sources—or DOGSTAILS, for short. When students know what goes into creating a representational map, they are more likely to understand how to analyze the geographic information in other maps." Excellent

EARTH HISTORY – TEACHING MODULE – MIDDLE SCHOOL             NEW!
http://www.fossweb.com/modulesMS/EarthHistory/index.html
"The FOSS Earth History Course emphasizes the use of knowledge and evidence to construct explanations about the processes and systems that have operated over geological time. Students investigate sedimentary rocks and fossils from the Grand Canyon to discover clues that reveal Earth's history. They study the processes that create sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks and organize their observations and inferences into the Rock Cycle. Students use the knowledge and data gained from observing rocks to make inferences about organisms, environments, and events that occurred over Earth's history." A Teaching Module for middle school students on Earth’s history. Go to the Teachers and Parents section for the Course Summary and download the full Teacher’s Guide. Excellent

EARTH MATERIALS – TEACHING MODULE – 3-6         NEW!
http://www.fossweb.com/modules3-6/EarthMaterials/index.html
"The Earth Materials Module consists of four sequential investigations dealing with observable characteristics of solid materials from the earth—rocks and minerals. The focus is on taking materials apart to find what they are made of and putting materials together to better understand their properties. The module introduces fundamental concepts in earth science and takes advantage of the students' intrinsic interest in the subject matter and in the physical world around them." A Teaching Module for grades 3-6 on Earth materials. Go to the Parent/Teacher section, then to the Module Summary to download the full Teacher’s Guide. Excellent

EARTH MOVERS – LESSON PLAN         NEW URL!
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.php?BenchmarkID=4&DocID=163
A lesson plan for grades 9-12 on continental drift. "In this lesson, students will learn about the idea of continental drift and the theory of plate tectonics to ascertain a fuller picture of how land formations on earth's surface are shaped by plates moving below the surface." Excellent

EARTH SCIENCE FLASH CARDS             NEW!
http://quizlet.com/math-and-science/
This is an online flash cards site. Teachers must join but it is free. You can use the flash cards online in a variety of ways (including audio) and you can print them. Earth Science categories include: Deserts, Earth, Forests, Geology, Geoscience, Glaciers, Mountains, Plate Tectonics, Rocks and Minerals and more. Each category has several sets. Flash cards can be used in a variety of ways online and off. They can be used in audio, also. Outstanding. Excellent

EARTH SCIENCE LESSON PLANS             NEW!
http://visearth.ucsd.edu/VisE_teach/lessons/
A collection of Earth science lesson plans for upper elementary grades and up. Excellent

EXPLORATIONS THROUGH TIME – TEACHING MODULES
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/education/explotime.html
A group of teaching modules focusing on the history of life on Earth. Includes: Getting into the Fossil Record, Understanding Geologic Time, and Stories from the Fossil Record. Excellent

EXPLORING CAVES – CURRICULUM UNIT         NEW URL!
http://egsc.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/teachers-packets/exploringcaves/
"Exploring Caves is an interdisciplinary set of materials on caves for grades K-3. Caves entail at least five scientific disciplines: earth science, hydrology, mapping, biology, and anthropology. Each of these disciplines involves a unique content area as well as the development of particular intellectual skills. This unit aims at helping teachers to sort and organize the most important ideas in this rich scientific area. Detailed lesson plans serve as ways to pass these ideas on to very young students." Start with the Introduction, then the Teacher’s Guide, then Explore Caves. This contains four sections: Cave Types, Cave Animals, Cave Care and America’s Caves. Then a 5-chapter story followed by 5 lessons. Outstanding. Excellent

FOSSILS AND GEOLOGIC TIME – LESSON PLAN         NEW URL!
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.php?DocID=44
A lesson plan for grades 9-12 on fossils and geologic time. "This lesson is based on an online booklet that provides an introduction to the study of earth's history, published by the USGS. Using careful analogies and written historical records, the authors help students understand the development of the geologic time scale, including how this depended on gathering evidence and making comparisons. The major time periods in earth's history are introduced, as well as are fossils and the role they play in helping us understand this history.
Students will likely have been introduced to the geologic time scale in earlier grades, so this lesson is structured loosely to enable you to adapt the content to match the levels and needs of your particular students. Prerequisite knowledge for this lesson includes the idea that: "Sediments of sand and smaller particles (sometimes containing the remains of organisms) are gradually buried and are cemented together by dissolved minerals to form solid rock again."" Excellent

FOSSILS AND ROCKS – CURRICULUM UNIT         NEW!
http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/docs/elemsci/gr4ucesc.html
A curriculum unit for 4^th grade students on fossils and rocks. "This unit combines the Earth Science and Life Science broad fields. Students will acquire an understanding of processes of rock formation. The study of fossils gives students another perspective of geologic time, allowing them to examine evidence of plants and animals which existed on the Earth a long time ago. In the unit, students should be able to gain an understanding of how scientists make inferences from indirect observations." Excellent

GEOLOGICAL FIELD TRIPS TO THE GRAND CANYON AND GLACIERS – LESSON PLANS         NEW!
http://www.can-do.com/uci/lessons98/Canyon.html
Two lessons about a virtual field trip to the Grand Canyon and to Glaciers. For grades 4-8. Excellent

GEOLOGY LESSON PLANS         NEW!
http://eduref.org/cgi-bin/lessons.cgi/Science/Geology
Lesson plans for grades K-12 on geology topics. Excellent

GOLD: FROM THE MINE TO YOU – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/16/g912/frommine.html
A lesson plan on gold for grades 9-12. "This lesson asks students to focus on gold and the process that takes it from miners to jewelers. By learning about this process, students will be encouraged to think about the individuals behind the production process and the environmental and human impacts associated with producing their belongings." Excellent

HOW ARE ISLANDS FORMED? – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/04/g35/bowerformed.html
A lesson plan on land formation for grades 3-5. "This lesson will provide students with information about how islands are formed, including a basic knowledge of plate tectonics. Using the islands of Hawaii as an example, students will learn about the earth processes that cause the formation of islands over time, including volcanoes and "hot spots." Excellent

HOW SEDIMENTARY ROCKS ARE FORMED – LESSON PLAN             NEW URL!
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.php?BenchmarkID=4&DocID=174
A lesson plan for grades 6-8 on rocks. "This lesson briefly reviews the rock cycle in general, then focuses on sedimentary rocks. Research tells us: "It is especially important that students come to understand how sedimentary rock is formed periodically, embedding plant and animal remains and leaving a record of the sequence in which the plants and animals appeared and disappeared." Excellent

HOW WAS THE GRAND CANYON FORMED? – LESSON PLAN         NEW!
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/ebook/rocks2/rock_index.html
A lesson plan for grades 3-5 on the formation of the Grand Canyon. "In this lesson, students will learn about how the Grand Canyon was formed, focusing on how the process of erosion enabled its rock layers to be deposited. They will examine the canyon's layers to see what the area probably looked like when the layers were created. Students will conclude by creating posters illustrating and describing what the Grand Canyon looks like today and what it looked like when one of its layers was formed." Excellent

INTRODUCTION TO THE GRAND CANYON – LESSON PLAN     NEW!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/07/gk2/canyonk2.html
A lesson plan on the Grand Canyon for grades K-2. "This lesson introduces students to canyons and has them compare canyons to mountains and plains. They will look at photographs of three canyons and then focus on the Grand Canyon, discussing how the Colorado River carved it into its present form. They will conclude by drawing pictures of the Grand Canyon and writing captions or drawing additional pictures to describe how the canyon was formed." Excellent

KARST (CAVE) RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS         NEW!
http://www.karstwaters.org/educationlinks/plans.htm
Lesson plans and activities for teachers on caves and caverns. Excellent

LANDFORMS – TEACHING MODULE – 3-6         NEW!
http://www.fossweb.com/modules3-6/Landforms/index.html
"The Landforms Module consists of five investigations that introduce students to these fundamental concepts in earth science: change takes place when things interact; all things change over time; patterns of interaction and change are useful in explaining landforms. Students also learn about some of the tools and techniques used by cartographers and use them to depict landforms." A Teaching Module for grades 3-6 on landforms. Go to the Parent/Teacher section, then to the Module Summary to download the full Teacher’s Guide. Excellent

LAYERS OF THE GRAND CANYON – LESSON PLAN             NEW!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/07/g912/canyon912.html
A lesson plan for grades 9-12 on the layering of the rock in the Grand Canyon. "After learning the basics of how the Grand Canyon was formed, students will investigate the canyon's layers and learn about the geologic time periods when they were deposited. They will conclude by writing newspaper articles from the perspective of scientists researching the canyon's layers." Excellent

MARK TWAIN’S CAVE – LESSON PLAN             NEW!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/04/g35/tgtwain.html
A lesson plan for grades 3-5 in which students learn about the cave in Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. "In this lesson, students will learn about the cave described in Mark Twain's famous novel, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. They will read a passage from the book and learn about how the cave has been used throughout history. Students will explore the Internet to learn about the geology of the real-life cave and about animals and plants that live in caves." Excellent

MINERAL AND ROCK CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES         NEW!
http://www.mii.org/Classroom_Demonstrations.html
A set of downloadable pdf’s with classroom activities and demonstrations with rocks and minerals. For upper elementary. Note: They have teacher packets with curriculum units for a fee. Also free printables. Excellent

MINERALS, CRYSTALS AND GEMS – CURRICULUM UNIT             NEW!
http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/educators/lesson_plans/minerals/index.html
A curriculum unit on minerals, crystals and gems for grades 3-8. "The goal of this issue of Smithsonian in Your Classroom is in part to introduce students to the basics of mineral science, but also to teach the scientific process by instructing students how to observe, form hypotheses, and draw conclusions. Minerals are an ideal subject for this because they are readily available, they are intrinsic to daily life, and they appeal to students. By using minerals as a stepping-stone to learning the scientific process, students will find that science is not the sole domain of adults in lab coats, but an exciting process in which they can make their own discoveries." Excellent

A MODEL OF THREE FAULTS – CURRICULUM UNIT             NEW URL!
http://www.earthsciweek.org/forteachers/faults_cont.html
A curriculum unit for grades 7-12 on faults. Sections: Background, Instructions, Application, Extensions, Part One, Part Two, Part Three and Model. Excellent

MOUNTAIN CREATION – A DRAMA EXPLORATION – LESSON PLAN             NEW!
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/educators/lessons/grade-3-4/Mountains.aspx
A lesson plan for grades K-4 on mountain formation. "After examining a poem about mountain creation from a Native American perspective and watching a scientifically-accurate film about mountain formation, students will write their own mountain-creation legend and use dramatization to demonstrate their understanding of one of the three ways a mountain can be formed. Additionally, they will create a mountain-shaped poem to conclude the lesson." Excellent

MOUNTAINS "FOLD, FAULT, ERUPT AND ERODE" - LESSON PLAN       
http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview.cgi?LPid=2216
A lesson plan for 5^th grade students on the four forms of mountain formation. Students learn about them and then re-create them in the classroom. Excellent

PEBBLES, SAND AND SILT – TEACHING MODULE – K-2         NEW!
http://www.fossweb.com/modulesK-2/PebblesSandandSilt/index.html
"The Pebbles, Sand, and Silt Module consists of four sequential investigations, each designed to introduce concepts in earth science. The investigations provide experiences that heighten students' awareness of rocks as earth materials and natural resources. They will come to know rocks by many names and in a variety of sizes. Pebbles and sand are the same material—just different sizes." A Teaching Module for grades KI-2 on pebbles, sand and silt. Go to the Parent/Teacher Info to the Module Summary page to download a full Teacher’s Guide. Excellent

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PLACES: THE FOSSIL RECORD – LESSON PLAN         NEW!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/04/g912/fossil.html
A lesson plan for grades 9-12 on how plate tectonics has changed the physical characteristics of places. "This lesson asks students to consider how the movement of the Earth's tectonic plates alters the physical characteristics of places over geologic time. Students will investigate how climate has changed in specific world regions since the time of the dinosaurs and will write paragraphs explaining their findings." Excellent

THE RING OF FIRE – LESSON PLAN
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/15/g912/ring.html
A lesson plan for grades 9-12 on the geographic region known as the "Ring of Fire". "Becoming educated in physical geography requires an understanding of the theory of plate tectonics and the Earth's geological history. In this lesson, students will learn more about these concepts as they investigate the region known as the Ring of Fire, where 75% of the Earth's active and dormant volcanoes are located." Excellent

ROCK HUNTERS – LESSON PLAN         NEW URL!
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.php?BenchmarkID=12&DocID=365
A lesson plan for grades K-2 on rocks. "This lesson centers on students making detailed observations of rocks. Through their observations, students will begin to develop an understanding that there are many types of rocks with a multitude of different attributes. Although students in the K-2 level are not yet ready to learn about the names of different kinds of rocks or the geological reasons for different rock formations, they are ready to understand that there are many sizes and shapes of rocks in our environment. They are able to recognize that our earth has sand, which is very small particles of rock; pebbles and small rocks that they may find in the dirt; and large mountains." Excellent

ROCKS AND MINERALS: IT’S ALL ABOUT THE ROCKS - ALSO IN WEBSITES SECTION             NEW!
http://www.rocksandminerals4u.com/index.html
"Information, activities, and lesson plans on rocks, minerals, and crystals designed for students and teachers. Here’s what you can do at Rocks And Minerals 4 U: • Learn: We have loads of information in one handy location! You’ll find pages about formation, identification, classification and use of minerals, rocks and crystals. • Share: Looking for great lesson plans for sharing your love of rocks, minerals or crystals? Browse through our lesson plans, puzzles, or rock club activities for fun, innovative ways to bring the gifts of the earth into your life. If you love geology like we do, rocksandminerals4u.com is your one-stop rock, mineral and crystal resource." Includes lesson plans. Excellent

ROCKS AND MINERALS THEME UNIT             NEW!
http://edhelper.com/rocks_and_minerals.htm
Various activities on rocks and minerals. Includes: Quizzes, Reading Comprehensions, Puzzles, Printables, and more. Excellent

SALT: UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL – LESSON PLAN         NEW URL!
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.php?BenchmarkID=12&DocID=173
A lesson plan for grades 3-5 on salt. "In this lesson, students will predict, observe, and explain the details of salt as they view it under a variety of magnifications. They will observe salt with the naked eye, and then under a hand lens, microscope, and the electron microscope (the electron image is via the Internet). In order to complete this lesson, it is important that students have previous experience working with hand lenses and microscopes." Excellent

SAMPLING ROCKS – LESSON PLAN         NEW URL!
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.php?BenchmarkID=9&DocID=110
A lesson plan for grades K-2 on rocks. "In this lesson, students will collect and analyze a sample of rocks from the schoolyard. Students will array the collected rocks by characteristics such as size, weight, and color, to see if any generalizations can be made about the types of rocks that can be found in the schoolyard." Excellent

SCEC REGIONAL SEISMOLOGY MODULE         NEW!
http://www.data.scec.org/Module/module.html
A learning module for high school students on seismology. "This SCEC educational module has been designed to provide students with the opportunity to interactively investigate the nature of earthquakes. The module has been divided into three major sections, "What is an Earthquake?", "The Distribution of Earthquakes", and "Measuring Earthquakes". Each section presents background material and interactive learning activities allowing students to understand such characteristics of earthquakes as their associated faults, rates of occurrence, magnitudes, and geographic distribution." Includes 14 activities. Excellent

SHAPE IT UP! – LESSON PLAN         NEW!
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.php?DocID=536
A lesson plan for grades 3-5 on earth’s changing landscape. "This lesson is based on an extremely child-friendly, free online game called Shape It Up. It helps students visualize and understand change in the landscape caused by geologic processes. It also helps convey a sense of the scale and rate of change. It does this by visualizing different amounts of elapsed time in the natural life cycle of four landscapes and the change agents that create them: wind, water, glaciers, and volcanoes.
Shape It Up quickly rewards correct answers and gently redirects erroneous answers to prompt students to try again. Because of the student-friendly interface, students of all abilities will feel gratified, comfortable, and confident as they learn to visually identify a landscape feature and match it with the force of nature that changes it at three different stages in its life cycle." Excellent

SOIL EROSION – LESSON PLAN             NEW!
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.php?BenchmarkID=4&DocID=454
A lesson plan on soil erosion for grades 6-8. "This lesson briefly focuses specifically on soil erosion caused by water runoff. Students are now ready to learn how topsoil is formed over hundreds of years and this lesson will focus on how, if not properly anchored, it can be washed away quickly." Excellent

THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INTEGRATED GPS NETWORK EDUCATION MODULE – PLATE TECTONICS         NEW!
http://scign.jpl.nasa.gov/learn/oview.htm
"This educational module was designed to allow students to interactively explore the use of SCIGN and its data in earthquake studies. It is divided into four major sections: Plate Tectonics, Earthquakes, GPS, and Space Technology at Work. All of the sections include background material and activities; the first three sections focus primarily on introducing satellite technology and tectonic phenomena, and the final section serves to integrate knowledge learned in the first three by allowing students to use real SCIGN data in their investigations into plate tectonics, earthquakes, and GPS." Sections: Overview, Plate Tectonics, Earthquakes, GPS, Space Technology at Work, Activities, Glossary and more. Excellent

TO BUILD AN ISLAND – LESSON PLAN         NEW!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/04/gk2/bowerbuild.html
A lesson plan for grades K-2 on the geography of islands. "This lesson will give students a basic overview of the geography of islands. They will learn where islands are located throughout the world and will study two very different island groups (the Philippines and the British Isles) to illustrate the diversity of the world's islands. Students will explore the islands' flora and fauna, languages, and climates and cultures." Excellent

UNDERSTANDING GEOLOGIC TIME – CURRICULUM UNIT         NEW!
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/education/explorations/tours/geotime/geotime.html
A unit on geologic time for grades 5-10. "Understanding Geologic Time is an informational tour in which students gain a basic understanding of geologic time, the evidence for events in Earth’s history, relative and absolute dating techniques, and the significance of the Geologic Time Scale."  Includes a Teacher’s Guide, lesson plans and more. Excellent

WHERE DID THAT PENCIL COME FROM? THE STUDY OF NATURAL RESOURCES – LESSON PLAN             NEW!
http://www.econedlink.org/lessons/index.php?lid=303&type=educator
A lesson plan for grades 3-5 on natural resources. "The students will determine what goods can be produced from physical features such as rivers, lakes, mountains, and plains by looking at maps. Additionally, they will discuss the process these goods go through from nature to consumer." Excellent

THE DANGEROUS EARTH – A LEARNING MODULE
http://www.wiley.com/college/murck/index_old.html
Includes five exercises: What is Geology?, Subsidence and Collapse, Earthquakes, Tsunami!, and Volcanoes. Also Related Web Links. Very Good

DELVING INTO THE GRAND CANYON – LESSON PLAN             NEW!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/07/g68/canyon68.html
A lesson plan on how the Grand Canyon was formed for grades 6-8.. "In this lesson, students will learn about how the Grand Canyon was formed and what the region looked like at the time each layer of rock was deposited. They will draw diagrams of the canyon and its layers and write captions to describe what they have drawn." Very Good

EARTH SCIENCE LESSON PLANS         NEW!
http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/lessons.cgi/Science/Earth_Science
Eleven lesson plans for earth science for grades 2-12. Very Good

EARTH SCIENCE LESSON PLANS
http://sciencespot.net/Pages/classearth.html#Anchor3
A collection of brief earth science lesson plans such as Snicker’s Science, Ride the Rock Cycle and Simply Sediment. The lesson plans originated through a junior high school but are adaptable to other grades. Very Good

GET THE LATEST DRIFT ON SOILS             NEW!
http://library.thinkquest.org/J003195F/definiti.htm
A site for students by students on soil for elementary students. Sections: Table of Contents, What is Soil, Soil Formation, Soil Composition, Soil Profile, Soil Types, Soil Conservation, Soil Activities, Our Local Soil and more. Very Good

GETTING SPECIFIC ABOUT MINERALS – CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
http://scifiles.larc.nasa.gov/educators/activities/2003_2004/inclass/getting_minerals.html
A printable classroom activity sheet for identifying minerals. Very Good

GOLD MINE – CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
http://www.reachoutmichigan.org/funexperiments/agesubject/lessons/newton/goldmine.html
A Newton’s Apple experiment in which students use beads to simulate panning for gold, read about gold mining and build a miniature "gold" mine. Very Good

HANDS-ON EARTH SCIENCE ACTIVITIES & LESSON PLANS
http://www.jclahr.com/science/earth_science/index.html
A list activities and lesson plans for earth science. Includes: Earthshaking Lab Lesson Plan, Animation of an Earthquake, The Earth’s Core, and more. Very Good

HOW DO WE USE OUR LAND? – UNIT             NEW!
http://www.mii.org/pdfs/landuse.pdf
A curriculum unit for upper elementary students on land use. Includes activities, coloring pages and more. From the Mineral Information Institute. Very Good

GEMS – HOW DO GEMSTONES GET THEIR COLORS? – LESSON PLAN
http://www.reachoutmichigan.org/funexperiments/agesubject/lessons/newton/gems11.html
A Newton’s Apple lesson on gemstones with a classroom activity. Very Good

LANDFORMS POWERPOINTS             NEW!
http://geography.pppst.com/landforms.html
Free PowerPoint presentations on several topics about landforms including: What are Landforms?, Mountains, Islands, Coasts, and much more. Very Good

LEARNING FROM THE FOSSIL RECORD – LESSON PLANS
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/fosrec/Learning.html
Lesson plans on fossils for junior/senior high students. Very Good

MOUNTAIN MAKER, EARTH SHAKER – CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/tryit/tectonics/
A classroom activity on plate tectonics. "This activity lets you manipulate tectonic plates. Pull the plates apart and push them together and watch what happens to the Earth." Click the links for more information. Very Good

A RECIPE FOR SOIL – LESSON PLAN
http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview.cgi?LPid=2508
A lesson plan on soil for 4^th grade students. "Students make soil using local materials and compare plant growth in natural and student-made soil." Very Good

ROCK CYCLE FUDGE – LESSON PLAN
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/ScienceRockCycleFudge58.htm
A lesson plan for grades 5-8 in which students make fudge with various inclusions such as nuts and marshmallows. Very Good

ROCKS – LESSON PLAN             NEW!
http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/free-lesson-plans/rocks.cfm
A lesson plan for grades 6-8 on rocks. "Students will understand the following: 1/ Old rocks on Earth’s surface are gradually reduced to tiny pieces, or sediments, by erosion caused by water, wind, or glacial ice. 2/ Sedimentary rock is formed when those small pieces of rock are compressed into larger rock formations. 3/ Erosion breaks the rock down again and the cycle continues." Very Good

SEAFLOOR SPREADING AND SUBDUCTION MODEL – CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
http://www.jclahr.com/science/earth_science/platemod/index.html
"This report describes how to build a model of the outer 300 km (180 miles) of the Earth that can be used to develop a better understanding of the principal features of plate tectonics, including sea-floor spreading, the pattern of magnetic stripes frozen into the sea floor, transform faulting, thrust faulting, subduction, and volcanism. In addition to a paper copy of this report, the materials required are a cardboard shoebox, glue, scissors, straight edge, and safety razor blade." Very Good

SPELUNKING – HOW ARE CAVES FORMED? – LESSON PLAN
http://www.reachoutmichigan.org/funexperiments/agesubject/lessons/newton/spelunk01.html
A Newton’s Apple lesson on cave formation with a classroom activity. Very Good

STRONG CHEMISTRY – GEMSTONE LESSON PLAN             NEW!
http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/free-lesson-plans/strong-chemistry.cfm
A lesson plan for grades 6-8 on the properties of gemstones. "Students will: • review basic facts about diamonds, such as what they are, where they come from, and their basic properties; • review the definitions of minerals and gemstones and learn about their properties; • select a gemstone to research, such as sapphire, ruby, topaz, or jade; • create a poster that shows the gemstone’s appearance, properties and chemical makeup." Very Good

THEMATIC UNIT ON ROCKS AND MINERALS
http://www.libsci.sc.edu/miller/rocks.htm
A unit on rocks and minerals for primary students. "Students will expand their knowledge of rocks by exploring the characteristics of local rocks." Very Good

UNIT ON EROSION
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/ScienceSSMDUnitOnErosion46.htm
A curriculum unit on erosion for grades 4-6. Very Good

WORLD LANDFORMS – ALSO IN WEBSITES SECTION         NEW!
http://www.mrnussbaum.com/wlandforms.htm
Information and activities on landforms for students. Very Good

CAVE LESSON PLANS             NEW!
http://www.lostrivercave.com/lessonplans.html
A collection of lesson plans by grade level on caves. Most relate to the Lost River cave but several are general. Good

THE CHANGING EARTH – LESSON PLAN
http://ofcn.org/cyber.serv/academy/ace/sci/cecsci/cecsci018.html
A lesson plan for grades 3-4 on the earth. "The purpose of this activity package is to provide easy and enjoyable science activities and observations which will give students evidence, illustrations and visualizations for some of the changes in the earth's crust. It will also develop in them an awareness of the importance of man's role in sharing with nature in the changes to be made in the future." Good

CLASSIFYING ROCKS AND MINERALS – LESSON PLAN
http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview.cgi?LPid=2492
A lesson plan for 4^th grade student on rocks. "Students identify rock types by observing key characteristics." Good

CRYSTAL CREATIONS – GROW SPIKES OF CRYSTALS IN THE SUN- CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
http://www.exploratorium.edu/science_explorer/crystal.html
A simple classroom activity for elementary students in which they grow crystals. Good

DIGGING THE EARTH’S CRUST - LESSON PLAN
http://www.reachoutmichigan.org/funexperiments/agesubject/lessons/dig.html
A lesson plan for upper elementary students on the Earth’s crust. Students discuss various questions and then examine the different kinds of materials that make up the Earth’s crust. Good

EARTHQUAKE ANALYSIS – CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
http://scifiles.larc.nasa.gov/text/educators/activities/2002_2003/inclass/earthquake_analysis.html
A classroom activity in which students analyze data to locate recent earthquakes. Good

EDIBLE ROCK FAMILIES – CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
http://scifiles.larc.nasa.gov/educators/activities/2003_2004/athome/edible_families.html
Students bake cookies to resemble igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. Good

FRACTURES IN CHEESE – LESSON PLAN
http://www.madsci.org/experiments/archive/871082838.Es.html
A lesson plan for K-3 students on fractures. Students use slices of cheese to see how fractures grow in size. This is then related to plate tectonics. Good

FROSTY EFFECTS – CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
http://scifiles.larc.nasa.gov/educators/activities/2003_2004/inclass/frosty_effects.html
A classroom activity in which students demonstrate the effect of frost on rocks. Good

GLACIER CLIMBING – CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
http://www.reachoutmichigan.org/funexperiments/agesubject/lessons/newton/glaciers.html
A Newton’s Apple experiment in which students read about glaciers and create glacier movement. Good

GRAVITY AND EROSION – LESSON PLAN
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/ScienceGravityErosionMassWasting8.htm
A lesson plan for grade 8 on erosion. "Objectives: TLW explain how gravity affects erosion and deposition, TLW differentiate between rapid and slow mass wasting." Note: We believe TLW is short for "The learner will". Good

GREAT BALLS OF FIRE! – CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
http://scifiles.larc.nasa.gov/text/educators/activities/2002_2003/inclass/balls_fire.html
A classroom activity in which students investigate meteor impacts on the Earth’s surface. Good

JUST HOW DO THOSE PLATES MOVE? – CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
http://scifiles.larc.nasa.gov/text/educators/activities/2002_2003/inclass/plates_move.html
A classroom activity in which students use common materials to understand plate tectonics. Good

KARST TOPOGRAPHY – LESSON PLAN             NEW!
http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Science/Geology/GLG0001.html
A lesson plan for grades 4-6 on karst topography. "Students build a model mountain and observe effects of rain on Karst topography." Good

LA VIE EN CAVERNE! – LASCAUX CAVES IN FRANCE – LESSON PLAN
http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=416
A lesson plan for grades 3-5 on caves and cave paintings. "Speleology, the scientific study of caves, began in France with Edouard Martel. It's only appropriate that elementary French students learn their cave-art vocabulary by studying the caves of France. In this highly kinetic lesson, students will explore cave paintings of France and create their own cave-wall art for the classroom." Good

LAND MASS FORMATION DEMONSTRATION – CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
http://www.fi.edu/tfi/activity/earth/earth-7.html
A classroom activity for grades K-6 on land formation. Good

MAGIC SALT CRYSTAL GARDEN – CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
http://scifiles.larc.nasa.gov/educators/activities/2003_2004/athome/magic_garden.html
A classroom activity in which students use salt and water to create a "crystal garden". Good

METAMORPHIC ROCK PANCAKES – LESSON PLAN
http://ofcn.org/cyber.serv/academy/ace/sci/cecsci/cecsci044.html
A lesson plan for grades 2-8 on metamorphic rocks. Students make pancakes to study how metamorphic rocks are created through heat and pressure. Good

MINERAL IDENTIFICATION LAB – LESSON PLAN         NEW!
http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Science/Geology/GLG0201.html
A lesson plan for grades 6-12 on identifying minerals. "Using the Amethyst Galleries, Inc. mineral database web site, students search for minerals by entering the known characteristics, such as streak, hardness, color, etc. Since many minerals share similar traits, there can be more than one correct answer. Finally, using what they have learned about identifying minerals, the students are asked to identify the difference between gold and pyrite." Good

MINERAL REPLACEMENT IN FOSSIL FORMATION – LESSON PLAN
http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview.cgi?LPid=2589
A 4^th grade lesson plan in which plaster of Paris is used to show two ways minerals are formed. Good

MODELED TO A FAULT – CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
http://scifiles.larc.nasa.gov/text/educators/activities/2002_2003/inclass/modeled_fault.html
A classroom activity in which students model three types of faults. Good

MOUNTAIN BUILDING – LESSON PLAN
http://ofcn.org/cyber.serv/academy/ace/sci/cecsci/cecsci141.html
A lesson plan for grade 4 and up on mountains. "This activity was a part of a series of lessons in a continuing study of Change. It was designed to give the students hands-on experience manipulating and controlling some of the variables in one type of Change, soil erosion." Good

PLANT GROWTH MINERAL EXPERIMENT         NEW!
http://www.mii.org/pdfs/plants.pdf
"7 coloring & activity pages of information about the important role of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphate in healthy plants. There are 13 other elements necessary for healthy plants." For elementary students. Good

ROCK CANDY CLASSROOM ACTIVITY         NEW!
http://candy.about.com/od/hardcandyrecipes/r/rock_candy.htm
Instructions for making rock candy forming sugar crystals. Good

ROCK COLLECTING – CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/earthspace7.html
A classroom activity for grades 2-4 on rock identification. "Students will practice classifying rocks in the categories sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic." Good

THE ROCK CYCLE – CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
http://scifiles.larc.nasa.gov/educators/activities/2003_2004/athome/rock_cycle.html
A classroom activity in which students use crayon shavings to demonstrate the rock cycle. Good

THE ROCK RECIPE – CLASSROOM ACTIVITY             NEW URL!
http://www.schools.utah.gov/curr/science/core/4th/4thsciber/rocks/html/rocks.htm
A classroom activity in which students "create" rocks with food. Good

ROCK SLIDESHOW – CLASSROOM ACTIVITY             NEW!
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/ebook/rocks2/rock_index.html
A primary level slideshow with photos and descriptions of rocks. Good

WHAT’S YOUR STONE? GEMSTONES AND THEIR STORIES – LESSON PLAN         NEW!
http://www.firstladies.org/curriculum/curriculum.aspx?Curriculum=1528
A lesson plan for upper elementary grades on gemstones. "Group students by month of birth.  Using the list below, assign each group their gemstone.  As beginning gemologists, their task is to research their stone and learn its composition, describe it, locate sources on a map, create pictures/drawings of notable examples of their stone, describe the stories, legends, or curses related to their stone, etc" Good

YOU GOT THE WHOLE WORLD IN YOUR HANDS – CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
http://scifiles.larc.nasa.gov/text/educators/activities/2002_2003/inclass/world_hands.html
A classroom activity in which students use a foam ball and art materials to understand the layers of the Earth. Good

CERTAINTIES OF SOIL WEBQUEST             NEW!
https://karenpfingsten.pbworks.com/w/page/34353847/Certainties-About-Soil-Webquest
A webquest for 4^th grade students on soil. "Wanda Worm is very worried.  She just graduated Creepy Crawly College and now has to go out into the world and make a home for herself.  Her parents are worried that she has not learned what the best type of soil is for her future.  They have decided to hire an up and coming ecologist to help inform Wanda of her choices." Excellent

DISCOVERING ROCKS – WEBQUEST
http://www.webmonkeyplus.com/rocks/introduction.htm
A webquest for upper elementary students on rock. "The Mayor of Rocktopia has been quoted as saying, "A rock is a rock, is a rock. They don't have a cycle. There are water cycles, life cycles and even bi cycles. But, there's no such thing as rock cycles." Since Rocktopia depends on money from tourists who visit Rocktopia to see its wonderful rocks of all kinds. Rocktopia can not afford to lose tourist dollars because of a Mayor who doesn't know a thing about rocks. He makes rocks sound silly and unimportant. It is your job to demonstrate to the Mayor that rocks do have a natural cycle to them just as water has a cycle." Excellent

THE EARTH’S HISTORY WEBQUEST
http://www.caledonia.k12.mi.us/k12resource/ETAWeb/earth/HistoryoftheEarth.htm
A webquest for 4^th grade students on the geologic history of the Earth. "The Earth has been around a long time. At one time the Earth looked very different than now. All of the continents were connected in one big glob. One way we know this is through the study of fossils. You will find some information on fossils and journey through the Earth's layers where you will learn about plate tectonics, volcanoes, earthquakes and the rock cycle. Let's begin our journey of the history of the Earth." Excellent

EROSION AND THE GRAND CANYON – WEBQUEST
http://coe.west.asu.edu/students/moesterle/WQ/web_quest.htm
A webquest for upper elementary/middle school students on erosion. "Do you think that you could create the Grand Canyon with your garden hose? How about erode the side of a mountain with your house fan? Sound impossible? Well it is not as hard as you think. With the right tools and about 1 million years you too can shape history! Read on to find more!" "Working in your lab groups, your task is to explore each of the activities in the process section. Your group is to follow the steps described in each activity. The group recorder should report the group findings for each activity. After you have completed all of the activities, your group will create a Power Point presentation that will incorporate your findings from each activity as well as a reflection that will tie it all together. You will then present your findings to the class by giving a slide show in Power Point." Excellent

GEOLOGIC RESEARCH FACILITY – BUILDING SITE – WEBQUEST             NEW!
http://www.williamsclass.com/SixthScienceWork/GeologyWebquestRocks.htm
A webquest in which students must create a building site recommendation with certain geologic restrictions. "The first major concerns for the research facility and community is that the site be located near a plate tectonic boundary and that a description of this plate boundary be included in the report. If location is not close to a plate boundary they wish to know about the closest boundary to that location.
The second wish is that a famous dormant or active volcano be located near the proposed research facility site. If a volcano is not near the site they request that there be a major mountain or range of mountains near its facility. They request that a detailed report be given on this volcano or mountain.  The reason for the need of a volcano or mountain range is that much of the research carried out by this research company deals with the Earth’s geology.
The research facility and residential community must be built in an area that is accessible to an airport, major highway or ocean shipping. The research organization would like you to include in this report a brief summary of the climate. It is also important to also include a summary of the local nationality and culture associated with each location. To this date none of the original proposals have provided this information. This is one of the major reasons that the research firm has looked to you to research and report back to them about each of the proposed building site locations. Remember that this research company is very interested in a report about the geology and culture associated with each of the proposed building sites." Excellent

GEOLOGIC TIME TRAVEL GEOLOGY BROCHURE – WEBQUEST             NEW!
http://www.williamsclass.com/SixthScienceWork/GeologicTimeBrochure.htm
A webquest on geologic time for 6^th grade students. "Have you ever imagined what it might be like to travel back into time and view what Earth was like in the past? It is your job to invite travelers to a past world in time. If you are ready and willing check out the link above about the task that is ahead in your future." Excellent

GET READY TO ROCK AND ROLL – ROCK CYCLE WEBQUEST
http://academics.uww.edu/cni/webquest/HallOfFame/rocks/index.htm
A webquest for middle school students on the rock cycle. "You are now beginning your journey through the life of a Rock here on earth. It's going to be dangerous and a little crazy, but if you stay focused and complete this adventure you just might be able to conquer the mission at the end!" Excellent

IT’S ALL ABOUT ROCKS – WEBQUEST             NEW!
http://www.uvm.edu/~inquiryb/webquest/fa05/lstarr/ROCKSWebquest.html
A webquest on rocks for 4^th grade students. "We have been learning about rocks in class and I have created this webquest for you as beginner rock hunters to become experts about rocks! I want you to learn more and more about rocks so you can take this information with you throughout your journey of life.  You will be searching websites throughout the internet to gather information to complete your tasks on this webquest.  By the end of this webquest you will learn so much, that you can surprise everyone about your rock expertise!" We found a couple of broken links. Excellent

MARVELOUS MINERALS – WEBQUEST
http://www.bgsu.edu/colleges/library/crc/webquest/minerals.html
A webquest on minerals for 3^rd grade students. "As a class, the students will discover the wonderful world of minerals. They will discover that rocks are different types of minerals. They will also be challenged to redefine some everyday items as minerals." Excellent

MR. VAANDERING’S GEOLOGY WEBQUEST         NEW!
http://vaandering.weebly.com/
A webquest for 2^nd grade students on the science of geology. " In this WebQuest, you will have the opportunity to see what it's like to be a geologist.  You will discover some of the Earth's landforms and water features and learn about how they may change.  Along the way, you'll get to solve a fun challenge too!" Uses video clips. Very detailed. Outstanding. Excellent

MT. ROCKALOT – ROCK CYCLE WEBQUEST
http://logan.k12.il.us/les27/rocks/rocktop.htm
A webquest for 4^th grade students on rocks. "You have been chosen to be part of a team of scientists that will become experts on the Rock Cycle.  You will learn about the Rock Cycle as you climb Mt. Rockalot, the tallest mountain known on the World Wide Web.  As on any mountain climb, you will climb Mt. Rockalot in stages, stopping to rest at camps.  At each camp you will be asked to perform one or more tasks before climbing again.  For your team to be successful, you must complete the tasks and post your team's flag at the top of the mountain." Excellent

PLATE TECTONICS: A ROCKY HISTORY OF AN IDEA             NEW!
http://www.ccs.k12.in.us/Creekside/Teams/Seven/three/CBartley/Webquest%20on%20The%20Dynamic%20Crust.htm
A webquest for middle school students on plate tectonics. "Imagine you are about to complete a four-year college degree to become a certified teacher. All you have left to do is successfully teach a class of teenagers a lesson in science. Sounds easy enough!? Your team will first need to learn the material well and then design a way to teach it. After you teach your class, you will create a way to find out if they learned the concepts. Remember, be creative and detail-oriented because without a good grade on this assignment, you may not get your teaching diploma."   Excellent

ROCK CAMP WEBQUEST – A WEBQUEST FOR TEACHERS             NEW!
http://www.dragonflyenterprises.org/RockCamp-Web01/index.html
"Web Quest: Reading the Rocks is designed to strengthen Tennessee teachers' understanding of earth science concepts. The information should give you an overview of some of the important beginning concepts for the third through sixth grade science curriculum in Tennessee. In 3rd-8th grades, earth science will be integrated into the curriculum. During the sixth grade, there will be a focus on earth and space science. At the seventh and eighth grade, students will continue to build on their earth science information as the focus changes to life science and physical science. Between the 3rd and 8th grades, students should learn to "read the rocks."
This Web Quest will concentrate on the topics of plate tectonics, the principle of uniformity, the rock cycle, fossils and extinction. The goal is for teachers to gain a greater understanding of the study of earth science as we consider the way we teach these concepts to students. Asking questions that provoke thoughtful consideration of science concepts helps to build deeper understanding. The following question is important when considering "big ideas" in the study of science:
A fundamental principle of Earth Science is 'the present is the key to the past.' Why is this statement such an important tenet of Earth Science? (American Museum of Natural History)
Developing questions for students and encouraging students to create their own questions are essential when investigating scientific phenomena. This Web Quest is a series of seven activities in the form of questions and investigations." Excellent

THE ROCK CYCLE – WEBQUEST         NEW!
http://garfield.wyandotte.org/knappd/rock%20cycle%20webquest/index.htm
A webquest for elementary students on the rock cycle. "Introduction:  We have been studying the Earth and rock cycle in class.  Most of what we have learned has come from our readings and class discussion, as well as a few activities.  This web quest is designed to help you gain a deeper understanding of the rock cycle by using internet resources.  You will be working on the tasks listed below independently.  Take your time to read through all information and directions.  Have fun!" Excellent

ROCKS AND MINERALS– WEBQUEST         NEW NAME!
http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/webrocksanmr.html
A webquest on rocks and minerals for middle school students. "You have been informed that there are three basic types of rocks, sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic. Your task is to answer the following essential question: How might you determine which rock would make a better kitchen countertop, granite, marble, or shale? You will need to develop a web essay explaining your choice for the best kitchen countertop. You will need to know all about your rock, including the type of rock it is, formation and uses." Excellent

ROCKS AND MINERALS DETECTIVES – WEBQUEST
http://cte.jhu.edu/techacademy/fellows/brannon/webquest/kmbindex.html
A webquest for upper elementary students on rocks and minerals. "Several local geologists found out that we are studying Our Changing Earth and Rocks and Minerals and have asked for our help.  They would like us to help them by becoming rocks and minerals detectives.  Our job will be to collect clues about rocks and minerals that are used in our area and to share our findings with the community in the form of a multimedia presentation." Note: We found one broken link on this site. Excellent

THE THREE LITTLE PIGS: A SCIENTIFIC HOME CONSTRUCTION CHALLENGE (FOSSILS AND ROCKS) – WEBQUEST         NEW!
http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/de/webquests/threelittlepigs/index.htm
A webquest on rocks and fossils for elementary students. "The three little pigs have been having some rather bad luck with home construction. Their last home, the one made of brick, is old and is now showing signs of wear and tear. They are ready for something different, new, and exciting.  They have asked your architectural firm to design a new house for them, one that will last longer and keep out both the weather and the wolves that tend to come to their door.  You have been studying rocks at school so you feel up to the challenge. You are excited about using nature's own materials for construction.   In this web quest, you will research the rock types available for building a new home for the three little pigs. You will recommend a rock type for construction, and present the design of the house to them in hopes that you will be awarded the contract to build." We found some broken links. Excellent

WEBQUEST GEOLOGY             NEW!
http://www.zunal.com/webquest.php?w=93074
A webquest on geology for grades 3-5. "Welcome, adventurers! Do you know what a geologist is? These scientists travel all over the planet to discover what makes up the Earth. Did you know that the Earth you live in is made up of many different materials, especially different types of rocks. Some rocks are older than others and they are all unique! Rocks are important because they tell the Earth’s history and they are a natural, usable resource. The National Geological Society needs you to find some rock specimens to put in their New Letter. Your findings, in the form of a table with information the two rocks of your choice. The letter must be published by Friday, so let’s get to work!" Excellent

WHO WANTS TO BE A ROCK STAR? – WEBQUEST             NEW!
http://visalia.k12.ca.us/techcoach/rocks/
A webquest for 2^nd grade students on rocks. "Did you hear the news?  Roger Rocker and the producers of the famous TV show," Who Wants to be  a Rock Star ?" are coming to Visalia to audition students for the show!  Auditions will be held in the school cafeteria and all second graders are invited to try out.  In order to be selected to perform on the show, students must demonstrate that they know all about rocks, soils, and fossils.   This webquest will help prepare you for the audition.  Follow the process and you will learn important facts about the rocks, soils, and fossils that make up our earth.  You can audition for the show, and you can be a Rock Star!" Excellent

CAVES – WEBQUEST
http://oneweb.utc.edu/~deborah-mcallister/imax/caves.htm
A webquest on caves for grades 6-8. "Right below the surface of the earth, there are thousands of caves.  Each cave is its own ecosystem with a unique beginning, formations, and life forms.  Exploring a cave can reveal how living things interact with a non-living environment. In your group, you will create a class presentation 6-8 minutes long covering all aspects of your cave topic." Very Good

GEOLOGY WEBQUEST             NEW!
http://questgarden.com/104/54/8/100605131939/
A webquest on geology for grades 9-10. "In this WebQuest you will find the evidence that supports the theory of Plate Techtonics, discover the geologic history of the Pacific Northwest, identify the types of plate boundaries in the Pacific Northwest, the type of activity they can cause and how we respond to that activity and finally compare the types of plate boundaries in the Pacific Northwest to other areas of the world and how those areas respond to the techtonic activity that they face."  Very Good

INSIDE EARTH WEBQUEST             NEW!
http://www.mrconant.org/science/webquests/insideearth/index.html
A webquest for middle school students on the Earth’s interior. "This WebQuest is divided into sections similar to your "Inside Earth" text book. When you come to a link (always in orange), click it. The link will bring you to an outside Web site that will provide you with information on the above topics. After reading the entire Web page answer the questions that follow." Very Good

MINERALS WEBQUEST
http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/webmineralsmr.html
A webquest on minerals for upper elementary/ middle school students. "In this WebQuest you will be working together with a group of students in class. Each group will answer the Task or Quest(ion). As a member of the group you will explore Webpages from people all over the world who care about Minerals. Because these are real Webpages we're tapping into, not things made just for schools, the reading level might challenge you. Feel free to use the online Webster dictionary or one in your classroom. You'll begin with everyone in your group getting some background before dividing into roles where people on your team become experts on one part of the topic." Note: We found two broken links on this site. Very Good

THE ROCK CYCLE – WEBQUEST             NEW!
http://mscase.webs.com/therockcycle.htm
A webquest on rocks for middle school students. "Welcome to the Rock Cycle WebQuest. In this quest, you will gather information about the rock cycle, plate tectonics, the 3 types of rocks, erosion, fossils, and rock formation. You will be given a packet in which to complete all of the information you gather during your quest. Remember to visit only the web sites linked to this quest." Excellent

ROCK VARNISH – WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE? – WEBQUEST
http://www.eduscapes.com/nature/rocvarnsh/act.htm
A webquest for upper elementary students on rock varnish. "You are a writer for Nature is Cool magazine. No one has ever written an article about rock varnish before. Most of the other writers don't care about rock varnish. They don't think rock varnish is cool. The Mission- Convince people that rock varnish is an interesting part of nature." Very Good

ROCKIN’ RESEARCH: A WEBQUEST ABOUT ROCKS         NEW!
http://www.ccps.org/chms/research/ipock/index.html
A webquest for elementary students about rocks. "Our class has been learning about rocks and minerals in science for the past few weeks. Because we are serious geologists, we need to use scientific resources to get more information about rocks. One place geologists in Maryland can get information is from the Maryland Geological Survey. You and another geologist will share a computer while gathering information. Later, you will make your own project to show what you have learned." Easily adapted to use NJ’s Geological Survey. Very Good

ROCKS WEBQUEST
http://schoolweb.missouri.edu/sheldon.k12.mo.us/compton/rocksmineralswq/intro.html
A webquest on rocks for grade 6. "After you return from your field trip to the construction site with your rock or mineral you will research websites to find out the type of rock  you found.  You will then perform tests on your rock to determine the name  of  your rock or mineral.  Finally, you  will  create a visual presentation about your rock to present at the Rockhound Club meeting." Very Good

ROCKS, ROCKS AND MORE ROCKS – WEBQUEST         NEW!
http://www.campbell.k12.ky.us/links/webquest/gray/rocks.html
A webquest on rocks for 3^rd grade students. "As expert rock and mineral students you will be using the internet resources below to gather information for the 1st grade students.  You will be following the research below to complete the note sheet you have been given.  With the information you gather on your note sheet you will then create a lesson for the 1st grade students.  You and your partner will have a choice of lessons you will create.  You may: 1.  Create a brochure.    2.  Create a poster displaying your information.  3.  Create a picture book with the information you collect." We found a few broken links on this site. Very Good

ARE ALL SANDS CREATED THE SAME? WEBQUEST             NEW!
http://web.utk.edu/~ctmelear/ossabaw/patti/default.html
A webquest on sand for 12^th grade students. "We are going to take an internet trip to see different sands from places here in the United States and from other countries. Then through a link to a website we will learn how to exchange sands with people in different locations, much like trading baseball cards. Sand collectors are serious and excited about their sand exchange hobby as you will see from just this one website.   We will also look through a website of a differently designed periodic chart made to help explain why some elements in a charged state form certain minerals and gain a better understanding of why.   Here are some questions we will try to answer during our sand exploration. Do all beaches really have only white sand? Do all sands have the same feel, texture and grain size (think of a boulder, a pebble)? Where do sand particles originate, mountains, the seabed, deserts? What minerals may be associated with some of the sands you view." You will need to add your own links. Good

BEYOND SEA LEVEL: PLATE TECTONICS – WEBQUEST
http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/kearny/plate/
A webquest for grades 9-12 on plate tectonics. Consists of an introduction and four lessons each with a question and links. Good

DANCING CONTINENTS WEBQUEST             NEW!
http://members.cox.net/mcelroy1/webquest2.html
A webquest on plate tectonics for upper elementary students. "Imagine a group of young geologists getting together one night at a house and one comes up with the idea of conducting a séance in order to talk with one of the greatest geologists of all times, Alfred Wegner.  The lights go dim, then darkness and wham you are in touch with Alfred Wegner, the father of the theory of Continental Drift. " Good

EARTH’S SOIL WEBQUEST         NEW!
http://www.stjschools.org/jhenderson/webintro.html
A webquest for 2^nd grade students on soil. "Our Earth is changing! What is making it change? Is it animals, nature, or humans? Explore what soil is made of and how it changes." Good

IS THAT YOUR FINAL ANSWER? – SOIL WEBQUEST         NEW!
http://cte.jhu.edu/techacademy/web/2000/ravenscroft/webquest.htm
A webquest on soil for elementary students. "Your group has purchased land and will be moving and building a beautiful house. The land was very reasonable. After purchasing the land the group traveled to inspect it. The land is located on the very top of a very steep mountain. There are lots of rocks but very few trees and no brush. It is like a desert on a mountaintop. Your job before you move is to investigate the area where you live and find (postulate) a way to grow plant and a vegetable garden. Your team’s mission is to explore soil from numerous locations. The team must get soil samples from different locations to find out what elements make up good soil. Your group must find information about the composition of soil in order to correct the soil where you purchased the land." Some links are broken. Good

IT’S JUST A THEORY – PLATE TECTONICS WEBQUEST         NEW!
http://sydney.edu.au/science/uniserve_science/school/quests/plattect.html
A webquest for middle school students on plate tectonics. "The task of the group as a whole is to outline what is meant by the "Theory of Plate Tectonics", outline the development of the theory and provide evidence to support or reject the theory. The task of each individual in the group is to supply the evidence that would be provided by a particular geologist or scientist. A "job description" for the assumed profession should also be included." Good

THE RESTLESS EARTH – AN INVESTIGATION OF PLATE TECTONICS – WEBQUEST       
http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/hawthorne/platetectonics/
A webquest for upper elementary students on plate tectonics. "The editors of "Earth," the weekly science supplement to the "San Diego Times," are planning a series of articles and poster displays on "The Restless Earth." Your company has been hired to do the background research and to prepare poster reports that can be used as classroom displays to prove that theme. You must think about how the earth acquired its present shape. What are the forces involved? How do these forces affect the choices humans make in interacting with the earth? How will the earth's crust change in the future?" Note: We found a couple of broken links on this site. Good

ROCK CYCLE WEBQUEST         NEW!
http://sites.google.com/site/rockcyclewebquest/mission-complete-/home
A webquest for primary students on the rock cycle. "You have undertaken a challenging but enjoyable task.  With the knowledge that you gain from your research and critical thinking skills you will understand and be able to communicate with confidence the process of the rock cycle." Good

ROCK FORMATION WEBQUEST         NEW!
http://moore.portlandschools.org/ibook/rockquest.html
A webquest for elementary students on rocks. "Several local geologists found out that we are studying Our Changing Earth and Rocks and Minerals and have asked for our help.  They would like us to help them by becoming rock detectives (and not the music kind). Your job will be to collect clues about rocks and how they are formed and to share your findings with the community in the form of a multimedia presentation." You’ll need to add your own links, theirs are broken. Good

ROCK MY WORLD – WEBQUEST         NEW!
http://www.zunal.com/webquest.php?w=71648
A webquest on rocks for grades 9-12. "Are you ready to ROCK? Are you ready to RUMBLE? Prepare to Rock my world. This website will give you all the details about Rock. Its classification, cycle or transformation and examples." This is suitable for grades 6 and up. Good

ROCKS – WEBQUEST         NEW!
http://www.mcsdk12.org/curr/webquests/rocks/rockswebquest.htm
A webquest on rocks for elementary students. "Rocks are everywhere. They have been on the earth for over four billion years.  The rock you pick up from the ground might have once been part of a mountain or cave. It might have been around when dinosaurs roamed the earth." Good

ROCKS AND MINERALS WEBQUEST         NEW!
http://www.lewistonschools.net/schools/camelot/DKuntz/WebQuest/html/intro.htm
A webquest on rocks and minerals for elementary students. "In this web quest, you will be learning the basic facts about rocks and minerals." Very Basic. Good

ROCKS AND MINERALS: CLASSIFYING ROCKS – WEBQUEST         NEW!
http://www.eats.ecsd.net/curricular/webquest/rocks_minerals/
A webquest for primary students on rocks and minerals. "Would you like to be a "Rock Hound"?  Could you identify rocks that you have collected into the 3 basic categories?  Can you tell how these 3 basic rock categories have been formed?  Use your nose to sniff out the answers to these questions and more about rocks and minerals!!" All the links are broken; you’ll need to add your own. Good

ROCKS AND MORE ROCKS! WEBQUEST         NEW!
http://www.kn.sbc.com/wired/fil/pages/webrocksansa.html
A webquest for 8^th grade students on rocks. "Picture this: you and a team of learners are presented with the task of describing an elephant. But instead of looking to an encyclopedia or a zoo exhibit, you are each blindfolded and guided to a real elephant. Each of you touches a different part of the animal: one, the soft and delicate tip of the elephant's trunk; another, the hard tusk of ivory; and a third, the wrinkled hide around the elephant's belly.
Based upon what each of you learned, one thinks an elephant is smooth and soft, another would say an elephant is smooth and hard, while the last would conclude that elephants are rough and soft. What's the truth? When we study complex topics, we are often like the elephant examiners: there's usually a lot more to a topic that we don't learn about after only a quick exploration.
This is particularly true when we use the Internet for our research because many people post their personal opinions or only know a sliver of the whole story. In the following WebQuest, you will use the power of teamwork and the abundant resources on the Internet to learn all about ROCKS and the ROCK CYCLE. Each person on your team will learn one piece of the puzzle and then you will come together to get a better understanding of the topic." Good

ROCKS, ROCKS, ROCKS – WEBQUEST             NEW!
http://www.dedham.k12.ma.us/webquest/bk/Rocks.htm
A webquest for 1^st grade students on rocks. "Rocks, Rocks, Rocks is a web quest which is designed for first grade children.  This web quest introduces  children to the world of rocks, while exploring the internet.     Be a Riverdale Rockhound.  Learn about rocks.  Gather some interesting rocks. Make a rock collection!" The three links are broken; you’ll need to add your own. Good

THE THEORY OF PANGAEA – WEBQUEST         NEW!
http://www.uvm.edu/~inquiryb/webquest/fa02/brown/
A webquest for 5^th grade students on Pangaea and continental drift. "Today you are going to investigate the theory of Pangaea. What does the word Pangaea mean?  What scientist came up with this theory?  What evidence supports the theory of Pangaea? In your web-quest report you should answer the questions above. You should also find pictures that show what happened to the earth's surface during the separation of Pangaea." Good

Prepared by the Cumberland County AVA Center staff. Please call #856-451-0817 or email: avacenter@cumbavac.org with questions or suggestions for future web site lists. This list is also posted on our website at http://www.salemcountyava.org