Search for Gold

We have added an extension idea to our 'Riches in the river´. It is an excellent website which consists of an interactive game where students see how “rich” they can become by mining a gold placer deposit in the Yukon, Canada. The game itself will suit older students, but even without playing the game, the pictures on the background sheet are brilliant. The site is freely available and is described in Teaching Earth Sciences Vol. 35, No. 2, 2010.
All the key elements of mining are illustrated in this photograph above of a large mine on the lower Indian River, Yukon.

Meet Mr. Rock Cycle

Our latest ELI+ activity is ´James Hutton - or ´Mr. Rock Cycle´? This Earthlearningidea encourages pupils to think towards the rock cycle the Hutton way. It gives a series of questions and answers that attempt to outline the possible thoughts of James Hutton as he developed his ideas in the context of what we now call the rock cycle. Your pupils will not only understand how science works but also clarify their understanding of the processes and products of the rock cycle.
This is one of many innovative ideas offered by Earthlearningidea. Please do let us have your thoughts and suggestions.

Playground planets

Following last week´s publication of ´Playground planets´, we have added some reader´s extension ideas - click here to view.
Please send us any further suggestions you may have. Does this activity work well for you?
Have you got any ideas for more Earth in space activities?

Playground planets

Our latest Earthlearningidea is ´Playground planets´. The activity models the relative sizes of the planets and their distances from the Sun. By doing this activity, pupils can:
• list the correct order of the planets from the Sun;
• identify the relative sizes of the planets and the Sun using scaled models;
• place the planets at the correct scaled distances from the Sun;
• appreciate the enormous distances involved and the enormous size of the Sun relative to the planets.
This is one of only three activities in our ´Earth in Space´ category. Can you contribute others? Post a comment on this blog or email us.

Scale of the Universe

Click here to view these amazing images showing the scale of the Universe. Move the blue block at the bottom of the screen to the right for impossibly large and to the left for impossibly small. The image above is showing the ´galaxy´ scale.
This is produced by Cary and Michael Huang.

Have you tried the Earthlearningidea about weathering, i.e. the breakdown of rocks in situ. The activity ´Weathering - rocks breaking up and breaking down´ encourages pupils to match the pictures and descriptions of weathered rocks with the processes of weathering that formed them. It is a task enjoyed by pupils and gives them understanding of the processes and encourages them to look at rocks and buildings around them for signs of weathering.
This activity in one of many simple ideas to teach Earth science, all of which are listed on our website in the Keywords Index.