Earth Science Mini-Challenges

Mini-Challenges are short, auto-graded science activities that give students checks for understanding with immediate feedback.
Add any Earth Science Mini-Challenge to your LMS in just a few clicks. Open an activity, scroll to the bottom, and use Embed (Canvas or Schoology) or Share the Link (Google Classroom). Students may retry until successful, then submit a screenshot of their score for credit.

Google Form: Suggest a Mini-Challenge Topic or Activity

Scientific and Engineering Practices

Nature of Science

Sort

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Nature of Science

4 Questions

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Scientific Law vs. Theory

5 Questions

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Scientific Investigations

Crossword

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Solar System & Space Objects

Timeline of How Understanding

of Our Solar System has Changed

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Sort Characteristics

of Inner and Outer Planets

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Objects in Our Solar System

Vocabulary Review

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Objects in Our Solar System

Vocabulary Review Part Two

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Label the Diagram

of the Solar System

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Planet Distance from Sun

Graph & 3 Questions

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Planet Distance from the Sun Graph vs. Year Length

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Arrange Objects in

Our Solar System by Size

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Gravity and Orbits

PhET Simulation and 5 Questions

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Earth–Moon–Sun System

Moon Phases Diagram

Drag and Drop

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Seasons Diagram

Drag and Drop

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Tides

Drag and Drop

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Moon Phases, Neap & Spring Tides:

Two Short Activities

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Moon’s Effect on Tides: Short Reading, Graph, and Data Analysis: 5 Questions

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Earth Materials & Geologic Processes

Layers of Earth’s Geosphere

Drag and Drop

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Plate Boundaries

Sort the Boundary Types

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Igneous, Sedimentary, & Metamorphic Rock Sort

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Weathering, Erosion,

& Deposition Sort

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Soil Erosion Graph

3 Questions

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Using Fossils to Order

Rock Layers (Easier)

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Using Fossils to Order

Rock Layers (Challenging)

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Fossils in Rock Layers

5 Questions

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Oceans & Earth’s Water Systems (Coming Soon)

Coming Soon

Earth’s Atmosphere

Atmosphere Structure & Composition

Layers of the Atmosphere

Drag and Drop

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Atmosphere Composition

Drag and Drop

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Energy in the Atmosphere

Earth’s Energy Budget

Drag and Drop Diagram

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Earth’s Energy Budget

Cloze Activity

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PhET’s Greenhouse Effect

Drag and Drop Diagram

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Water Cycle

Drag and Drop Diagram

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Convection Currents

Demo and Questions

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Weather Systems & Patterns

High and Low Pressure

Weather Map Activities

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Weather Map Symbols

Drag and Drop

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Cold Fronts

Drag and Drop Diagram

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Human Impacts on Earth Systems

Renewable vs. Nonrenewable

Energy Sources Sort

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Natural vs. Human Caused

Air Pollution Sort

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Sea Level Rise

Cause and Effect Sort

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Thank you to Elizabeth Spike and the Clean Air Partners for support in creating these mini-challenges!