American Forest Foundation
Who Speaks for the Trees?
Help young conservationists appreciate the important role that trees play in ecosystems around the world with this collection of six engaging activities. From a shared reading and class discussion of Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, to in an depth...
Rain Bird Corporation
Rain Forest Teaching Curriculum
Take young naturalists on an exploration of the world's tropical rainforests with this extensive collection of lessons and activities. Whether its creating leaf and flower prints or investigating the absorption spectrum of chlorophyl,...
Montana Natural History Center
Studying Grassland Ecosystems
At first glance, grassland ecosystems might seem dull and uninteresting, but once you start to explore it's amazing the things you'll find! Through this series of engaging lessons, activities, and experiments, elementary students examine...
Curated OER
The Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change
Learners analyze the impact of climate variability and change utilizing a broad span of topics over a wide range of grade levels. This three lesson unit is easily adapted for the various instructional levels listed.
Curated OER
Themes to Encourage Awareness of Environmental Changes on the Shoreline of Connecticut in Elementary School Students: The Case of Kelsey Island
Students begin the lesson by developing a map of Kelsey Island by following specific instructions. In groups, they are given a block of ice in which they tie a rope around and drag over various rocks for different distances. They...
Curated OER
Disposing Garbage
Students explore environmental cleanliness by completing a worksheet in class. In this waste management lesson, students identify the technological advances in society and how they increase waste production our planet is unable to deal...
Curated OER
Comparing Deciduous and Evergreen Trees
Learners investigate nature by identifying different plants and trees. In this environmental field trip, students participate in a British Columbia expedition in which they identify cedar, pine, hemlock and Douglas fir trees. Learners...
Curated OER
Reading Miss Lady Bird's Wildflowers
Students discover the impact "Lady Bird" Johnson had on America by reading a short biography. In this historical persons lesson, students read a multi page biography of the former first lady and write a summary of her life's work....
Curated OER
The Effects of Weather on People
Young scholars discover the causes of different types of weather and it's effect on society. In this environmental lesson, students utilize the Internet to examine cloud types, normal weather conditions and the type of weather...
Curated OER
De-composers - Terrarium
Students explore the environment by building a mock ecosystem. In this rainforest analysis lesson plan, students define many environmental and rainforest related vocabulary terms and discuss the current status of our planet's...
Curated OER
Our Lives and the Four Seasons
Students compare and contrast the four seasons. Using this information, they determine the plant, animal and environmental activities that can be enjoyed in each season. They discuss why the seasons must change and how humans adapt to them.
Curated OER
Decomposers- Nurse Logs
Pupils investigate temperate forest ecosystems. In this environmental lesson, students discover different forms of decomposition and its effect on the environment.
Curated OER
Disaster Cycles
Students explore what causes natural disasters. For this environmental lesson plan, students will spend four weeks using activities to help in their understanding of the Hydrological Cycle, Hurricanes, Plate Tectonics, and the Recovery...
Curated OER
Exploring Fish Anatomy and Commercial Fishing Gear
Pupils investigate commercial fishing by exploring the technical methods. In this environmental lesson, students identify the fish that are most commonly consumed by humans and trace their path from ocean to plate. Pupils examine live...
Curated OER
Plants Alive! How Plants Grow and Move
Young scholars explore how plants move in response to the environment. For this plant lesson, students engage in three different experiments to investigate how plants grow and move. Resources available in English and French.
Curated OER
Fish Hazards
Students study the Pacific salmon and see the different challenges they face. In this environment lesson students complete several activities that show how humans have affected the salmon environment. These activities have varying...
Curated OER
Looking At Leaves
Students investigate the different leaves of Wisconsin. They gather samples of leaves in order to compare to the samples taken from Puerto Rico. They make observations and collect data recording the size, shape, and texture of the...
Curated OER
Making a Human Tree
Students explore botany by defining the anatomy of a tree. In this environmental exploration activity, students research plant vocabulary terms and discuss the uses of each word. Students create a "human" tree by role-playing as one of...
Curated OER
Seed Germination
Students germinate a Mung Bean seed. In this seed lesson students conduct an experiment germinating a Mung Bean. They apply three different treatments to the seeds: dry, moist, and underwater incubation.
Curated OER
"Garden Springs Gardeners"
First graders ponder the question of how plants help their lives. They observe and compare properties of several different plants. Differentiate between living organisms and nonliving objects.
Curated OER
Affecting Transportation Choices-Walk, Don't Ride!
Learners discuss methods of transportation they use and create a trip tally to determine which methods they use the most.
Curated OER
Rainforest Deforestation and the Water Cycle
Young scholars create terrariums (mini rainforests). They observe and discuss the life processes that occur in their terrariums and how changes in these processes affect the plants and organisms inside. They collect and graph data and...
Curated OER
Are You Balanced With Your Environment?
Students discuss the impact of not keeping the environment in balance for future generations. As a class, they are introduced to the concept of "Balance of Nature" and what it means. In groups, they research the role of trees and how to...
Curated OER
Getting the Oil Out
Young scholars discover ways of obtaining oil by participating in an experiment. In this natural resource activity, students identify diagrams of oil derricks and pumps in order to visualize how oil is retrieved from the earth. Young...