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
Hoot Chapter Book Test
If you need a quick reading assessment for Carl Hiaasen's Hoot, use these 20 questions to see how well your learners comprehend the story. The final question prompts kids to write a short essay about the story's environmental impact....
Curated OER
Environmental Chemistry
Eighth graders are introduced to the topic of Environmental Chemistry. In groups, they review the steps within the scientific method and develop their own hypothesis and design an experiment. They solve equations related to the...
Curated OER
Environmental Issues
Students investigate the natural resources on earth by reading a book in class. In this environmental lesson, students read select pages from the book Alaska by Rebecca Stefoff and discuss their feelings on the material. Students write...
Global Oneness Project
Bearing Witness
A controversial construction project in South America, the Belo Monte dam, is endangering local cultures, ecosystems, and communities. High schoolers create a concept map based on an online article they read before engaging in discussion...
Curated OER
Conscientious Catalyst
Young scholars access prior knowledge to list careers working with the environment. In this environmental careers lesson, students create a want ad for environmental jobs. Young scholars complete job applications for specific...
Curated OER
Soil, Designing the Small Farm of the Future
Young scholars examine the history of farming. In this environmental farming activity, students explore the web and complete a variety of activities in order to understand the necessity of local, sustainable, and small farms for the...
Curated OER
Our Population and Its Impact on the Planet
Students explore environmental problems due to the growing worldwide human population and examine the growth rate. They also discuss possible ways to stabilize population growth and increase sustainable development.
Curated OER
Destructive Impact of Environment on Artifacts
Young scholars recognize that artifacts are destroyed over time. In this environmental factors on artifacts lesson, students experiment and observe through the microscope to find the environmental impact on artifacts. Young scholars...
Curated OER
Models as Tools for Ecosystem Management
Fifth graders explore the concept of environmental management. In this ecosystem lesson, 5th graders discover how models help scientists learn more about managing ecosystems. Students create their own model, make observations and...
Curated OER
Oil: Impact of a Resource
Middle schoolers discover the history and method of oil production. In this natural resource lesson plan, students investigate early oil production. Middle schoolers discuss the challenges of turning natural resources into safe products.
Curated OER
Environmental Concerns (1) Analysis of Lead in Paint (2) Analysis of Water
A scenario and background information are provided for two different open-ended experiments that experienced chemistry classes can perform toward the end of the school year. In the first, they design a method for testing flakes of paint...
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
What is Drought? No Rain, No Water
How can climate change affect our water supply? Have kids read a passage about the water cycle and water conservation, which includes six questions that challenge them to use context clues.
Curated OER
The Zabbaleen, Cairo's Garbage Workers
Here is a fascinating human geography study of the Zabbaleen. They are a sub-class of people who work as garbage collectors in Cairo, Egypt. I can't say enough good things about this resource in my limited space here. It is fabulous! If...
Intel
Composting: Why Bother?
The first STEM lesson in a group of 10 explores composting. After discussing how to make a better tomorrow, classes are challenged to track garbage in their communities, visit a local waste management facility, and conduct a survey about...
California Academy of Science
Greening Your Middle School
Middle schoolers redesign their school to make it more energy efficient, and create a model of their design. Learners get together in groups of 5, and they take on the task of making their school more energy efficient. To do this, they...
US Department of Energy
Geothermal Energy
With Earth Day quickly approaching, as well as many science fairs, why not challenge your class to investigate geothermal energy or other renewable energy resources? There are five driving questions explored in depth here, as well as...
PBS
Going Green
Trash is where it's at! Using bags of garbage collected from the school, learners sort the contents into categories based on type of material and collect data on the results. The data may include weight, volume, and/or percent of the trash.
Poetry Class
Tackling Climate Change
Get your kids thinking about climate change with a series of activities that include creating a ditty box poem for the planet, a poem that identifies concepts or objects they would want to preserve.
University of Southern California
What's the Catch?
There must be a catch! A comprehensive lesson looks at ocean fishing concerns through a set of five hands-on activities. Learners become aware of the risks of seafood contamination and factors that have affected the ocean environment.
Curated OER
Sustainable Island Development
Students explain how the basic human needs of a large group of people can be met. They describe and evaluate alternative methods for providing water and food, producing electricity, handling wastes, and transporting goods and people....
Curated OER
Tread Lightly: Our Changing Climate
Students examine the concept of climate change. In this environmental studies lesson, students research Internet and print sources regarding global warming and discuss their research findings as well as their impressions.
eGFI
Zero-Energy Home Design
Challenge young engineers to design a one-bedroom scale house that would collect and maintain as much heat as possible. Special constraints must be adhered to, but creativity is also allowed. Diagrams and background information are...
Curated OER
Community Action
Fifth graders decide how one uses resources within a particular bioregion. In this decision making lesson, 5th graders consider the biodiversity and complexity of the ecosystem. Students select a resource (water, paper, electricity)...