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 primary classroom!
This collection of Australian science 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 primary 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 Primary School?
When we talk about Earth science (or geology) in primary school, we aren't pulling out reference tables or digging deep into climatology.
On the primary 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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How About This Weather? - Worksheet
Explore different types of weather and subsequent observable changes with this 5-page worksheet pack.
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How Do Rocks Form? – Explanation Text Structure Sorting Task
A sorting task to help students learn about the structure of an explanation text.
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Let's Get Ready to Rock! – Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for the information report from the Year 3 magazine (Issue 2).
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Natural Disasters PowerPoint
A 45 slide editable PowerPoint template for teaching a unit on natural disasters.
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The Water Cycle – Reading Comprehension Worksheet
Enhance your students’ comprehension and science vocabulary skills with this water cycle worksheet.
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Water is Life - Instructional PowerPoint
Learn about the importance of water to life on Earth, along with where water comes from, with an instructional slide deck.
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Months and Seasons Worksheet - Matching Activity
Order the months of the year and match them with their corresponding seasons with a cut-and-paste activity.
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Diagram of a Volcano - Labelling Worksheet
Label the volcano diagram with a printable worksheet.
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What Are Floods? Comprehension Worksheet
Read and learn about flooding with a printable reading comprehension worksheet.
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Weathering vs. Erosion Worksheet Pack
Support student understanding of weathering and erosion with this reading comprehension passage, worksheet and accompanying vocabulary activities.
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Weathering, Erosion and Deposition – Sorting Activity
Categorise examples of deposition, weathering and erosion with this 24-card sorting activity.
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Natural Disaster Word Wall Vocabulary
Use this teacher-created resource to explore natural disaster vocabulary with your primary school students.
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Informative Texts Writing Task - Weather
A fact file about weather and scaffolding sheet which can be used to write an informative text.
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Plate Tectonics Cloze Activity
A cloze activity to use when learning about the layers of the Earth and plate tectonics.
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The Water Cycle – Interactive Activity
Practise matching vocabulary terms, labelling a diagram, sorting examples and more with this interactive water cycle activity.
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Natural Disasters Inquiry Task - Newspaper Report
Use our 3-page graphic organiser to research and report on a significant natural disaster from the last 100 years.
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Water Cycle Diagram
Display this water cycle diagram when teaching about the continuous movement of water above and on the surface of the Earth.
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Fossicking for Fossils – Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for an information report from the Year 5 magazine (Issue 2).
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Four Seasons Spinner Activity — Southern Hemisphere
Print a four seasons spinner activity to expand students' understanding of the different times of the year.
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Weathering, Erosion and Deposition Mini-Book
Introduce your students to the different slow changes to Earth’s surface with a printable mini-book designed for year 4 and 5 students.
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Weathering, Erosion and Deposition – Teaching Slides
Learn about the different types of weathering, effects of erosion, results of deposition and more with this set of teaching slides.
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The Water Cycle - Cut and Paste Worksheet
Sequence the steps in the water cycle with a cut-and-sort worksheet.
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Four Seasons Tree Activity
Create a visual representation of the 4 seasons with a printable tree template.
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Impacts of Floods PowerPoint
A 17-slide editable PowerPoint template about floods and their impact on communities.
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Natural Disasters Effects and Management Worksheet
An activity to use when exploring the potential effects of natural disasters, and how to manage these.
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Weathering, Erosion & Deposition Interactive Activity
Use this set of interactive activities to strengthen student understanding of weathering, erosion and deposition concepts.
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The Importance of Soil – Comprehension Worksheets
Teach your students about the importance of soil to plants, animals and humans with this differentiated reading comprehension passage with accompanying questions.
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Why Is Soil Important? Teaching Slides
Explain to your students how living things depend on soil with this informative teaching presentation perfect for primary school science lessons.
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Water Sources Teaching Slides and Workbook
Learn all about water sources and how it relates to the water cycle with this teaching presentation and matching workbook.
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Explanation Text Writing Task – How Does the Water Cycle Work?
A scaffolded writing task for students to complete when learning about the explanation text type.
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Water Cycle Crossword Puzzle
Review water cycle vocabulary with a crossword puzzle.
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Water Cycle Sort – Sorting Activity
Use knowledge of the steps in the water cycle to categorise examples with this sorting activity.
- Earth Science Worksheets
- Earth Science Posters
- Earth Science Teaching Presentations
- Earth Science Games
- Earth Science Templates
- Earth Science for Foundation Year
- Earth Science for Year 1
- Earth Science for Year 2
- Earth Science for Year 3
- Earth Science for Year 4
- Earth Science for Year 5
- Earth Science for Year 6