Earth Science Teaching Resources
Browse printable Earth science worksheets, digital activities and a whole lot more to bring the wonders of our planet to life in your elementary classroom!
This collection of NGSS curriculum-aligned teaching resources has been created by our expert teacher team to save your valuable lesson planning time with differentiated and editable science printables and Google slides.
Looking to learn more about the Earth science curriculum for elementary school, or just need some fresh ideas to engage your students? Read on for a primer from our teacher team!
What Is Earth Science?
We know this one may seem obvious — after all, it's right there in the name! But how do you explain this one to your students? Here's a kid-friendly definition you can use!
Earth Science is the study of our planet Earth and it's a chance to learn about the different layers of the Earth, rocks and minerals, weather patterns and climate, water and oceans and natural resources.
Earth scientists use different tools to study the Earth, including looking at rocks, studying the weather, and even using satellites to take pictures from space. By learning about Earth science, we can better understand the world around us and how we can protect and take care of our planet.
What Does Earth Science Look Like in Elementary School?
When we talk about Earth science (or geology) in elementary school, we aren't pulling out reference tables or digging deep into climatology.
On an elementary level, Earth science covers everything from the layers of the Earth to plate tectonics to erosion and weathering. The goal is to provide students with a basic understanding of the Earth and its processes and to develop kids' scientific inquiry and critical thinking skills, laying the groundwork for the more focused Earth science courses available on a high school level.
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Fossil Coloring Pages
Use our free fossil coloring sheets to explore the different types of fossils.
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Comprehension Worksheets - The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Read and learn about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch with a reading comprehension passage and worksheet pack.
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A Day in the Life of a Water Droplet – Comic Strip Templates
Put your artistic skills to use as you illustrate a day in the life of a water droplet with these printable comic strip templates.
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Tornado Worksheets - Informational Writing (2nd Grade)
Use our printable tornado worksheets and organizers to teach 2nd grade informational writing lessons.
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Weather Vocabulary Puzzles
Make your weather lessons more fun with a set of 14 weather vocabulary puzzles.
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Where Do Natural Resources Come From? Differentiated Worksheet
Explore where natural resources are found with a pair of differentiated natural resource worksheets.
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Environmental Awareness Flip Book - Earth Day Activity
Use this flip book to build awareness of actions that are good and bad for the environment.
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2nd Grade Hurricane Worksheets - Reading Comprehension
Read and learn about hurricanes with our 2nd Grade Hurricane Worksheets resource pack.
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Weather vs. Climate – Teaching Slides and Guided Notes
Teach your students the difference between climate and weather with this set of teaching slides and accompanying guided notes.
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Why Plant a Tree? Infographic Analysis Activity & Posters
Teach about Arbor Day or Earth Day with an infographic poster and a cloze note-taking worksheet about the importance of trees in our environment.
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Recycling Word Search
Build your students’ vocabulary around the topic of recycling with this recycling word search.
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Recycling I Spy and Sort Worksheet
Sort different pieces of trash into their appropriate bins with this I Spy worksheet.
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Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint – Poster and Worksheet
Explore how to reduce your carbon footprint with this poster and accompanying comprehension worksheet.
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How About This Weather? - Worksheet
A worksheet that explores different types of weather and subsequent observable changes.
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Earth Day Word Search - Printable
Identify environmental terms with this Earth Day word search.
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Factors That Influence Weather – Teaching Slide Deck
Teach your students how temperature, wind, humidity, cloud coverage, and air pressure influence weather with this 18-slide instructional slide deck.
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Weather Tools – Cut and Paste Worksheet
Match weather tools with their corresponding picture and description with this cut and paste worksheet.
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How Do Rocks Form? – Informative Text Structure Sequencing Activity
Help students learn about informative text structure and how rocks are formed with an engaging cut-and-paste sorting activity.
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Diagram of a Volcano - Labeling Worksheet
Label the diagram of a volcano with a printable volcano worksheet.
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Weathering vs. Erosion vs. Deposition Vocabulary Game
Guide your students to review weathering, erosion and deposition vocabulary words with this free dice game.
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Weathering, Erosion, and Deposition – Sorting Activity
Categorize examples of deposition, weathering, and erosion with this 24-card sorting activity.
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Weather vs. Climate – Task Cards
Differentiate between weather and climate by answering questions and responding to writing prompts and with this set of 24 task cards.
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Daily Weather Report – Interactive Powerpoint
Encourage your students to become weather reporters with this interactive weather activity.
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Climate Zone Map — Printable Classroom Resource
Print a climate zone map for the classroom to support lessons about the 6 climate types.
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Weather Tools – Instructional Slide Deck
Learn about different weather tools and how to read a weather map with this 20-slide instructional slide deck.
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Landforms of the World - Brochure Template
Add to your bank of landform project ideas with a free Landform Research Brochure.
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My Ecological Footprint - Reference Sheet
Teach your students about the things we do that affect the Earth with an ecological footprint reference sheet.
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Free Volcano Worksheets
Download a set of free volcano worksheets to introduce your students to vocabulary and concepts related to volcanoes and volcanic disasters.
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Slow & Fast Land Changes Worksheet - Cut and Paste
Use a Slow & Fast Land Changes worksheet to discover events that cause changes to the Earth’s surface.
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Tornado in a Jar Science Experiment
Create a Tornado in a Jar with an interactive science experiment slide deck and Tornado in a Jar Science Experiment Worksheets.
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Renewable or Nonrenewable? Earth's Resources Task Cards
Identify natural resources and Earth’s energy sources with a set of 24 renewable and nonrenewable resource task cards.
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Types of Weather – Cut and Paste Worksheet
Use this cut-and-paste science worksheet to match a picture and description with each weather condition.
- Earth Science Worksheets
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- Earth Science Templates
- Earth Science Games
- Earth Science Word Walls
- Earth Science Projects
- Earth Science for Pre-K
- Earth Science for Kindergarten
- Earth Science for 1st Grade
- Earth Science for 2nd Grade
- Earth Science for 3rd Grade
- Earth Science for 4th Grade
- Earth Science for 5th Grade
- Earth Science for 6th Grade