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Environmental Law-Making
Learners go through the process of creating and passing a federal law. They select an environmental issue, research related policies for the issue, draft the bill, discuss it among committee members, bring it before the class and bring...
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It's Genetic--Or Is It?
Students identify examples of the interplay between genes and environment on certain traits and discuss how the Human Genome Project has led to a greater understanding of the role of genes on complex traits.
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Mini-Unit: Natural Resources
Students explore how their choices affect others. In this character development and ecology lesson, students debate choice-making issues. Students listen to The Lorax by Dr. Seuss and identify choices the characters made about tree...
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Beaver, or not?
Students study the role of the beaver in Illinois during the 1800's and how overtrapping cause the near extinction of the beaver colonies in Illinois by 1900. Students role play various people in 1945 who have an opinion about the...
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Genetically-Modified Food
Students investigate the pros and cons of genetic engineering. They watch a short Bill Moyers video, conduct Internet research, create a poster, participate in a pro/con debate, and write an essay expressing their personal feelings on...
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Yellowstone Fires
Students assume the role of environmental biologists and help several government agencies resolve the debate surrounding "let it burn" policies in national parks.
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Benefits of Cycling
Fourth graders discuss cycling and create a list of good effects from cycling. In this cycling lesson, 4th graders design a leaflet or poster to encourage cycling. Students debate the benefits of cycling.
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A Campfire Conversation
Young scholars examine point of view as it relates to public issues. In this point of view lesson, students become familiar with the point of view of John Muir and Theodore Roosevelt about the wilderness. Young scholars debate if the...
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Culture, Crisis and Population Explosion: A Deweyan Approach in the Classroom
Students read various arguments posed by John Dewey when it comes to population growth. In groups, they use magazine articles and the internet to find issues related to populations and complete experiments to identify the challenges...
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Air and Weather
Second graders study Earth's materials. In this air and weather lesson plan, 2nd graders note changes in the weather and examine tools that help us study the weather. Students analyze how changes in the environment make changes in the...
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Sonoran Desert
Students discuss the complicated environmental issues that face different people today. They establish legal positions surrounding several different scenarios.
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Problem-Based Research Lesson: Wal-Mart Debate
To prepare for class, learners will read several articles (links included). Students discuss the articles, and ways to deal with the proliferation of big-box stores in rural areas. The class takes two minutes to generate a research...
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Youth Voices: Fair Access to Resources and Quality of Life
Student delegates conduct "United Nations" style session in which they are challenged to develop resolution or resolutions that address how to feed growing population, taking into consideration quality of life and impact on environment.
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Clearcutting: Sustainable Forestry?
Young scholars explore the conflicts between the economy and the environment by focusing on forest management in Maine. They read pamphlets on siliviculture and clear-cutting as well as those by environmental groups then conduct a debate...
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A Changing Planet
Students describe climate change and the future impact it could have on our physical environment. They identify the regions of the world that would encounter the most significant effects of a global warming.
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Problems in Pollutia
Fifth graders, in groups, pretend as if they live in the imaginary kingdom called Pollutia. They make recommendations about environmental issues and give short speechs on how each problem should be solved.
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The Lorax
Third graders identify and list five problems presented in The Lorax by Dr. Seuss. They relate these problems to current environmental issues and debate how to make a difference then participate in different activities to improve their...
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Global Warming Investigation Guide
Students expllore the issue of global warming. They investigate how temperature changes naturally over time and by location. In addition, they explore the different areas where human activities might be affecting
climate and write a...
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Sand Dollars
Pupils debate the issues of economic prosperity, cultural preservation and environmental preservation by examining the development of land in the Bahamas.
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Lesson Plan: Global Warming
Students explore the concept of global warming. In this climate change lesson, students explore the provided links to PBS NOW sources and research the greenhouse effect and the effects of global warming. Students support their stances on...
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Jacksonian Democracy
Learners determine how technological advancements have formed history. In this Jacksonian democracy lesson, students research innovations of the era and then compare them to the technological innovations of today. Learners also debate...
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Ice Age Challenge Game
Students use a website to do various projects about the ice age and discover the route taken by the first arrivals are unknown and are the subject of a great deal of debate and research.
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Transnational Pollution: Why Are You Dumping on Me?
Pupils research transnational pollution and role-play a hypothetical case of transnational pollution involving the Danube River. They practice, develop and defend a position in a debate and evaluate each other's presentations.
National First Ladies' Library
Executive Order 9066: Japanese-American Internment
Students analyze conditions under which sections of United States Constitution are superceded, research history of Native Americans, African Americans, and Japanese Americans, and debate policy of reparations for various minority groups...