Science Experiments: Earth Science

Designed to engage students in grades 5 through 8, Science Experiments: Earth Science is filled with fun experiments that will strengthen students' understanding of the scientific method. Featuring a range of activities to highlight key aspects of lab skills, geology, oceanography, meteorology, and astronomy, each experiment provides an educational, hands-on experience that leads to a clear conclusion. Every experiment includes a data collection table or questions for students to answer, so students can record their observations throughout the process of conducting each one.

Students will learn basic lab skills by completing activities involving metric measurements, the scientific method, forming hypotheses, and lab techniques. Geology experiments include gases in magma, characteristics of the Earth, volcanoes, rocks, and earthquakes, while oceanography will have students studying surface tension, salinity, density of solutions, currents, and heat capacities of sand and water. Meteorology focuses on weather factors such as the Coriolis Effect, dew points, windchill, and air pressure. Amazing aspects of astronomy highlight planetary motion, light years, seasons of the year, planetary orbits, and the Greenhouse Effect.

To support the skills you are already teaching your students, each experiment is formatted to be in line with the scientific method. Introductions engage the inquisitive nature of students by asking questions requiring them to form well-supported hypotheses. An objective clearly states the goal of the experiment, which you can also write on the board to highlight what is to be learned and show your alignment with state science standards. Procedures provide easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions, so students have a clear understanding of the process of each experiment. Included illustrations give visual cues on how to set up and perform certain experiments, while the index and materials list saves you time determining what ingredients you may need. Science Experiments: Earth Science saves you even more classroom preparation time by including reproducible handouts for distribution to students. Answer keys are included, so grading will be quick as well.