Cave Unit Lesson Plan

This unit is usually done following a unit on rocks and minerals. It follows naturally from that topic, but could easily be taught as a stand-alone.

Here's the sequence of the unit (hit the links for information, activities, overheads and internet resources.

I. Introduction: titillating discussion.

II. How caves are formed:

A. discussion (for teacher) or (for students) (will include worksheets)

B. notes (overheads included)

C. Acid Rock lab activity (testing various mineral's reactivity to weak acid)

III. Cave formations:

A. discussion

B. notes (with overheads)

C. coloring book pages to download (page 1 and page 2)

D. Crystal Drip lab activity (grow a stalactite using Epsom salts)

IV. Cave life:

A. discussion

B. notes with overheads

V. How caves are explored:

A. discussion: use the material on the "exploring caves" page as a basis.

B. guest speaker: call your local caving club (use the NSS's caving club locator) and invite someone to visit your class with their equipment. Your students will love it!

C. "Mysteries Underground" video (National Geographic) with worksheet. Get it! It's awesome!

C. cave drawing activity of an imaginary cave (click for examples from my class)

D. story writing ("How I found and explored my cave").

VI. How caves are mapped:discussion and mapping activity

VII. Cave protection: discussion, notes, overhead, NPR radio special