Environmental history Lesson Plans

Learners use M&Ms¿¿ to create a pie graph that expresses their understanding of the composition of air. They watch and conduct several simple experiments to develop an understanding of the properties of air (it has mass, it takes up space, it can move, it exerts pressure, it can do work). Students use the Air Quality Index (AQI) listed in the newspaper to develop awareness of the daily air quality.. In an associated literacy activity, learners explore the environmental history timeline.

Students describe key events in the life of Gandhi. They determine why knowledge of geography is necessary to understand the history of the people in a place or region. They write a summary of how the events in Gandhi's life, influenced by the physical and cultural geography of India/Pakistan, helped India become independent.

Learners create a time line. They research major events and advancements in the development of the plow. They describe and date at least ten major events and advancements in the development of the plow from prehistoric to present day. They analyze the impacts of the advancements of the plow on our lives. * .

Students conduct experiments to learn about the properties of air. In this air properties lesson, students learn about air pollution, air quality, and the composition of air. They graph their findings and use the air quality index to observe the quality of their local air.

Tenth graders create food web displays in the classroom. In this ecology instructional activity, 10th graders identify the different pollutants in the environment and their effect on organisms. They collect samples of sediments from the harbor and analyze their chemical composition.

Learners engage in a variety of activities that address the ethical issues surrounding the Love Canal case study.

Students visit the Konza Prairie and observe different plots. They fill in the accompanying field guide. Students describe the condition of plots that are burned every year, every four years, and not burned at all. They compare the plots, estimating the percent composition of different types of plants. Students key out a flower using a taxonomic key.

Third graders create a KWL chart about water. In this environmental science activity, 3rd graders demonstrate how much water on Earth is usable. They act out the different stages of the water cycle.

Young scholars identify any patterns or differences that emerge in political, economic, environmental, and social history after comparing the events and historical processes between one period and another in the same civilization. They form small groups and complete four charts showing the political, social, economic, and environmental changes between the 19th and 20th centuries in chronological order.

Third graders complete a KWL chart on what they already know about water and what they want to know. As a class, they participate in an activity in which they discover the amount of drinkable water on Earth and are introduced to the water cycle. In groups, they make their own model of an aquifer and experiment with different objects to see the effects of pollution and how water is purified.