Teacher Overview: Earth Expedition - Geology Adventure
Welcome to Earth Expedition, an engaging online adventure designed to introduce students to the fascinating world of geology. In this interactive experience, students will explore the Grand Canyon, one of Earth's greatest geological wonders, as they discover key geological concepts such as minerals, sediment, erosion, and tectonic activity. Through a series of exciting challenges and puzzles, students will learn about the Earth’s layers, the process of rock formation, and the role of earthquakes and volcanoes in shaping our planet.
This adventure is paired with an array of teacher resources to support your lesson planning. These resources include:
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Interactive Online Educational Adventure: An immersive escape room experience where students apply their knowledge of geology to solve puzzles.
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Standards-Based Vocabulary Cards: Vocabulary cards that align with key concepts, designed to reinforce the learning and help students grasp important terms.
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Instructional Video: A video that complements the adventure, offering clear explanations and additional context for each topic covered in the adventure.
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Lesson Plan: A detailed lesson plan that guides you through the adventure, ensuring you can teach the material in an engaging and efficient manner.
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Teaching Dialogue & Answer Key: A script for guiding the class through the adventure and an answer key for quick reference to help assess student progress.
With these resources, you can deliver a comprehensive and interactive lesson on geology, all while motivating students to explore, discover, and engage with the world around them!
Student Link:
https://excavatingadventures.com/blogs/adventures/13-earth-expedition
Lesson Plan: Earth Expedition - Geology Adventure
Grade Level: 4th-5th Grade
Subject: Geology
Topic: Earth’s Layers, Rock Formation, and Tectonic Activity
Duration: 1 Hour
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
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Identify key geological terms and concepts related to the Earth’s structure, including minerals, sediment, erosion, and tectonic activity.
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Explain how geological forces, such as erosion and earthquakes, shape the landscape.
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Understand the process of rock formation and the significance of fossils in studying Earth’s history.
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Apply knowledge gained to complete the online adventure, solving puzzles based on their understanding of geology.
Materials Needed:
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Interactive Online Adventure: Earth Expedition online escape room
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Vocabulary Cards: Standards-based cards to reinforce key geological terms
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Instructional Video: Video overview explaining Earth’s geological processes
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Downloadable Trading Cards: For student reference during the adventure
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Lesson Plan: Step-by-step guide for the teacher
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Answer Key: For quick reference during assessment
Vocabulary:
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Geology: The study of Earth and its rocks.
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Mineral: A naturally occurring solid with a crystal structure.
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Sediment: Small pieces of rock or sand moved by wind, water, or ice.
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Erosion: The process where rock and soil are worn away by natural forces.
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Fossil: The preserved remains or traces of ancient organisms.
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Magma: Molten rock beneath the Earth's surface.
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Crust: The solid outer layer of Earth.
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Earthquake: A sudden shaking of the ground caused by the movement of Earth’s tectonic plates.
Lesson Breakdown:
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Introduction (10 Minutes)
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Objective: Introduce the main concepts of geology.
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Begin with a brief introduction to geology, covering Earth’s layers and how geological forces shape our planet.
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Instructional Video: Show the video that explains geology, including the concepts of sediment, erosion, and plate tectonics.
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Review Vocabulary: Use the downloadable trading cards to review key terms such as geology, sediment, and erosion. Ask students to look for these terms during the adventure.
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Interactive Online Adventure (30 Minutes)
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Objective: Engage students in solving geology-based challenges through the online escape room.
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Students will go through the "Earth Expedition" escape room, which takes them through different locations in the Grand Canyon while solving puzzles related to minerals, sediment, fossils, and the Earth’s layers.
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As they progress through the adventure, students will use their vocabulary cards to reference key concepts and answer questions related to geology.
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Encourage students to take notes on the back of their cards for additional context that may help solve puzzles.
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Discussion & Review (15 Minutes)
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Objective: Reinforce the key concepts and reflect on the adventure.
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After the escape room, hold a class discussion on the challenges they faced and the concepts they encountered.
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Ask students to share what they learned about the processes of erosion, sedimentation, and the role of plate tectonics in shaping Earth’s landscape.
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Review the vocabulary words and how they appeared in the adventure. Ask students to give examples of how the concepts were applied.
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Assessment (5 Minutes)
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Objective: Evaluate understanding of the concepts through a short reflection or quiz.
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Use the answer key to assess students’ answers from the escape room questions.
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Optionally, have students write down a brief reflection on what they learned, citing at least two key concepts they encountered during the adventure.
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Conclusion:
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Wrap up the lesson by emphasizing the importance of geology in understanding Earth’s history and how scientists study the planet’s physical changes over time. Encourage students to continue exploring geology through other hands-on activities and investigations.
Additional Resources:
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Standards-based vocabulary cards for review and reinforcement.
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Lesson plan for step-by-step guidance.
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Answer key for quick assessments.
Teacher Reference Guide: Earth Expedition - Geology Adventure
Welcome to the Earth Expedition lesson! In this exciting journey, students will explore the Grand Canyon, one of Earth’s most fascinating geological wonders, and dive deep into the processes that shape our planet. The objective of this lesson is to help students understand the core concepts of geology, including the study of Earth’s layers, the formation of rocks, the role of erosion, and how tectonic activity shapes the landscape. Students will also learn about important geological vocabulary such as minerals, sediment, fossils, and more. Throughout this adventure, students will solve puzzles based on their knowledge of geology, reinforcing key concepts in an interactive and engaging way.
The journey begins at Matter Basecamp, where students are introduced to geology, the study of Earth and its rocks. They'll learn that geologists explore landforms, fossils, minerals, and how Earth’s surface changes over time. Moving on to Mineral Cavern, they’ll discover that minerals are naturally occurring solids with specific properties like hardness and color. In Sediment Slide, students will explore the movement of sediment—small pieces of rock or sand that are transported by water, wind, and ice, and how this contributes to the formation of landforms.
As students progress, they’ll encounter erosion at Erosion Edge, where they will learn how forces like wind, water, and glaciers wear down rock and soil, shaping the landscape. They will also explore fossils in Fossil Field, understanding how the remains or traces of ancient organisms are preserved and how fossils help scientists learn about Earth's history. From there, they’ll venture into Lava Rock Passage, where they’ll learn about magma, molten rock beneath Earth's surface, which becomes lava when it erupts and forms igneous rocks as it cools.
The next stop, Crust Crack Crossing, introduces Earth’s crust, the solid outer layer of the planet, followed by a visit to Fault Line Exhibit, where students will explore earthquakes—the sudden shaking of the ground caused by movement along faults. Finally, in Gemstone Grotto, they will discover gemstones, valuable minerals that are cut and polished for use in jewelry.
Throughout the adventure, students will use vocabulary cards to reinforce key terms and concepts. These cards provide a valuable reference as they progress through the escape room, solving challenges related to the properties of matter, the Earth's structure, and geological processes. The instructional video will provide a foundational overview of geology, helping students understand the basics of Earth’s formation and the forces that shape it. The answer key will serve as a guide to quickly assess students’ understanding as they work through the adventure.
By the end of the adventure, students will have explored the Grand Canyon's geological features and understood how natural processes such as erosion, sedimentation, and plate tectonics work together to shape Earth’s surface. This lesson provides a hands-on, engaging way to learn about geology and will spark curiosity about Earth’s ongoing transformation.
Teacher Answer Sheet: Earth Expedition – Geology Adventure
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What is the study of Earth’s rocks and landforms?
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Answer: Geology
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What is a naturally occurring solid with a crystal structure?
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Answer: Mineral
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What do we call small pieces of rock or sand moved by water or wind?
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Answer: Sediment
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What process wears away rock and moves it elsewhere?
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Answer: Erosion
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What do scientists call preserved remains of ancient organisms?
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Answer: Fossil
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What is the name for melted rock beneath the Earth’s surface?
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Answer: Magma
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What do we call Earth’s solid outer layer?
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Answer: Crust
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What do we call the sudden shaking caused by movement in Earth’s crust?
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Answer: Earthquake
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Which type of mineral is valued for beauty and used in jewelry after being polished?
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Answer: Gemstone
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