Sedimentary structures - graded bedding

'Sedimentary structures - graded bedding: make your own graded bed – one depositional event, but with coarse to fine sediment'

This ELI is a teacher demonstration (or a small group activity) showing the origins of graded bedding. It can be used in any lesson dealing with the origin of sediments and the interpretation of past environments.
Our website has many more activities related to sedimentary structures.

When are soft rocks tough, and hard rocks weak?

New ELI today - 'When are soft rocks tough, and hard rocks weak? A discussion about the toughness/resistance of rocks in different places'

The simple idea, which generally holds, of tough rocks forming hills and headlands and weaker rocks, valleys and bays, does not always apply. This activity looks for evidence of when and why it is not always true.
Many activities related to rock resistance can be found on our website.

Bringing a fossil 'back to life'

A popular ELI is 'Running the fossilisation film backwards; bringing a fossil ‘back to life’'

This is a thought experiment, including possible re-enactment, to recreate the likely ‘final moments’ of an animal which later became a fossil. The activity provides examples of how to ‘run the fossilisation film’ backwards to help pupils to visualise what a fossil may have looked and acted like during life and in the few moments before death.
Many more fossil-related activities can be found on our website.

Jelly Babies (TM) and Geological maps

The new ELI today is an ELI+ written for older pupils who are learning about 3D geological maps. 'The sliced Jelly Babies^TM approach to understanding 3D geological maps; use Jelly Babies^TM cut at the dip angle to highlight structures on geological maps'

This activity shows the dip of fold limbs on a geological map using sliced jelly sweets to show bedding plane dips.
Many more activities related to geological maps can be found listed in the alphabetical index or by using the search engine

Choose the power source

'Which power source? – solving the crisis in Kiama: searching for all the power sources that could be developed in a mythical country'

 

Pupils study a map to find clues to the different energy sources that could be exploited in a mythical country. Possible power sources with some of their advantages and disadvantages are shown in a table provided in the activity.

Many more Earthlearningideas related to power sources can be found on our website.

Greenhouse effect

New ELI today - 'Is the greenhouse effect happening outside today? A classroom discussion to consolidate understanding about the greenhouse effect'.

This activity involves a discussion to reinforce learning and to counter misconceptions about the greenhouse effect.
Earthlearningideas involving climate change can be found in teaching strategies on our website.

Evidence given by dinosaur footprints

'The meeting of the dinosaurs - 100 million years ago; the evidence given by dinosaur footprints'

Fossil tracks, such as footprints, can provide a great deal of evidence about the environment at the time when they were made and about how the animals lived and moved.
Other activities involving dinosaurs can be found on our website.