Education Resource Hub

Thanks for visiting the North Carolina Geological Survey's Education Resource Hub. This database is curated by Amy Pitts, the Education and Outreach Coordinator for the NC Geological Survey and contains links to resources that may be of use to anyone with the goal of teaching or learning about geology and earth science.

Our Current Resources

Elementary School

• Rock Cycle Race Game Activity - a hands-on race to the finish game to learn about rocks, rock formation, and the rock cycle
  • Targeted Grade Level(s): 4th and 6th
  • NC DPI Science Standard(s): ESS.4.2.2
• Rock Cycle Dice Game - a hand-on activity for students to journey through the rock cycle by rolling the rock cycle dice
  • Targeted Grade Level(s): 4th and 6th
  • NC DPI Science Standard(s): ESS.4.2.2
• Rock vs. Mineral Foldable - a hands-on activity for students to review rock and mineral concepts
  • Targeted Grade Level: 4th
  • NC DPI Science Standard(s): ESS.4.2, ESS.4.2.1, ESS.4.2.2
• Tectonic Plate Boundary Foldable - a hands-on activity for students to review tectonic plate boundaries and the landforms created by their interactions
  • Targeted Grade Level: 6th
  • NC DPI Science Standard(s): ESS.6.2, ESS.6.2.2
• Pasta Quake - a hand-on activity to demonstrate the energy released by earthquakes
  • Targeted Grade Level: 6th
  • NC DPI Science Standard(s): PS.6.3.1, ESS.6.2.2

Middle School

• Geologic Timescale Activity - a hands-on activity to learn about geologic time, including important events and fossils by constructing a scaled model of geologic time
  • Targeted Grade Level: 8th
  • NC DPI Science Standard(s): ESS.8.1, ESS.8.1.1

High School

• Mt. Idaho - a lesson and activities for topographic maps
  • Targeted Grade Level(s): 9th - 12th
  • NC DPI Science Standard(s): ESS.EES.2, ESS.EES.2.4
• Geologists Rock - an lesson and activity on the role of geologists in a "real world" scenario
  • Targeted Grade Level(s): 9th - 12th
    • Geology Careers Powerpoint Slides
    • Lesson and Activity
    • Factsheets, Everyday Geology Handouts
• Geology of a Cell Phone - a lesson and activity ideas about minerals and critical minerals in cell phones
  • Targeted Grade Level(s): 9th through 12th
  • NC DPI Science Standard(s): ESS.EES.5, ESS.EES.5.1, ESS.EES.5.5, ESS.EES.56, ESS.EES.6
• Plate Tectonics Activity - a hands-on activity to learn about tectonic plate boundaries, interactions, and landform creation
  • Targeted Grade Level(s): 9th through 12th
  • NC DPI Science Standard(s): ESS.EES.2, ESS.EES.2.2
• Resource Rescue Challenge - an escape room-type challenge full of puzzles to solve about geologic resources used in everyday life
  • This activity doesn't target a specific Earth and Environmental Science standard, but is a great resource to use to show students how geology and geologic resources are critical to their lives
  • Resource Rescue Challenge Answer Key

All Age Learners

• Geoscience Word Search - kids of all ages can have fun finding geoscience words in our newest Word Search puzzle
• Rock and Mineral Crossword Puzzle - a great wrap-up for your 4th grade rock and mineral lesson, or for kids of all ages!
• Gold Rush Maze - help Rocky dig his way through tunnels to find gold

Interactive Maps and Content

• Rock or Mineral? - an interactive Storymap lesson about the difference and similarities between rocks and minerals and how to tell them apart
• The Gold Standard - an interactive Storymap lesson all about gold
• North Carolina Gold - an interactive Storymap about gold in North Carolina
• Mineral Mayhem - an interactive Storymap lesson about minerals
• Geologic Maps - an interactive Storymap lesson about geologic maps
• Downtown Raleigh ROCKS - an interactive tour of some of the building stones used in Raleigh, NC

Factsheets

• Emeralds - information about North Carolina's state gemstone
• Earthquake Factsheet - information about earthquakes - where they happen, why they happen, and how we measure them
• 2020 Sparta Earthquake Quick Facts - learn 10 facts about the 2020 earthquake in Sparta, NC
• Lithium in North Carolina Factsheet - information about lithium and lithium production in North Carolina (Please note: this document is two pages and might be slow to load; please be patient as it loads that second page)
• Igneous Rocks Factsheet
• Metamorphic Rocks Factsheet
• Sedimentary Rocks Factsheet

Lunchtime Discovery Series talks by NCGS Geologists

• North Carolina Geology Rocks! - Senior Geologist Amy Pitts takes you on a geologic history tour of some of North Carolina's most recognizable landforms, from the Outer Banks to the Blue Ridge Mountains and places in between 
• There's a Lot to See Here: An Introduction to Western North Carolina Geology - Senior Geologist Bart Cattanach introduces you to the geology of western North Carolina
• Get the Dirt on Forensic Geology at the NC Geological Survey - Dr. Heather Hanna teaches you how the NC Geological Survey has assisted law enforcement in homicide investigations

This Database is Growing

Our Resource Hub is having a growth spurt so we appreciate your patience as we grow the resources we provide.  If you have a resource need or would like our education and outreach department to develop a resource for you during our growth period, please contact the Education and Outreach Geologist Amy Pitts.