For New Hampshire’s April school vacation week, when none of us is actually going anywhere, we decided to focus on things we could do if we did have some sort of wild vacation adventure and ended up on a deserted island- how could we problem-solve our way through being stranded and get back home again?

We’ll start by making a compass from materials we (hopefully) have lying around so that we can find north and the other cardinal directions- this is a pretty quick activity that touches on our magnetic field and the Earth’s core.

Erosion is a geologic process that wears down and moves rocks and soil. Most erosion is caused by wind, water, and ice, often in the form of glaciers. The surface of the earth is constantly changing due to erosion.

This activity is good for younger learners, and there is some mess potential!

Weather: it’s more than just a conversation-starter.

What causes weather, how do we study it, and what is the weather like on other planets? Learn all about it in today’s lesson, geared toward middle-school learners!

Learn how clouds form—and see it in action!—with this at-home science lesson and video demonstration.