Laying out the rock cycle

Today's new videos are 'Laying out the rock cycle'.

Pupils are asked to place a series of rock cycle products in the correct places on a diagram of the rock cycle, then to consider how all these are linked by rock cycle processes.
Other teaching videos and a copy of the Dynamic rock cycle workshop can be found in our new Teaching videos and workshops page on the website.

NEW - online workshops and teaching videos 

Freeze-thaw weathering

The new activity today is 'Breaking up – classroom freeze-thaw weathering; showing how freezing and thawing can break porous rocks in the classroom'.

This activity is a classroom demonstration of the physical weathering process, freezing and thawing.
Also, you may like to try 'Ice power' to accompany this.
Other weathering processes can be found in the alphabetical index or by using the search engine.

Teaching videos

New ELI teaching videos! A new teaching video will be published every two weeks. Videos and question scripts will show how, by using the CASE methodology, Earthlearningideas can be used to develop critical thinking skills as well as knowledge and understanding.
 Video - Explanation of CASE
 Video - 'Atmosphere and ocean in a tank' - an example of using the CASE method of teaching


The videos plus their associated question scripts can be found on our website under ELI Teaching Videos

Create your own music - inspired by the natural world

Today's new ELI is 'Geo-music - music inspired by all things ‘geo’: create your own geo-music'

Much of our great music was and is inspired by the natural world. This activity encourages pupils to listen to such music and to compose their own.
The activity creates a cross-curricular link between the sciences and arts.
Other cross-curricular activities can be found in Teaching strategies and in Children's Fun on our website.

Ideas for Home Schooling

In these very difficult circumstances, many of you will be working from home and trying to think of ideas for your pupils or for children at home.
Earthlearningidea has a Children's Fun page which may help.

Alternatively, you can find topics by using either the search engine or the alphabetical index. Each activity has a suggested age range (usually on the second page).

New ELI today ‘Tagging’ nitrogen atoms – to explore the nitrogen cycle: a thought experiment to investigate nitrogen cycle processes'

Drawings showing the cycling of matter are abstract concepts and so difficult for pupils to understand. Using the pretend ‘tagging’ method helps them to gain a more concrete idea of the different steps involved and so can be used to teach or consolidate understanding of the nitrogen and other cycles.
More activities involving chemistry in Earth science can be found in Teaching strategies on the website.