Population Connection
The Carbon Crunch
Carbon is in the air; should we care? Teach the class why it is important to pay attention to carbon levels and how the world population and various countries across the globe affect the carbon levels in the atmosphere. High schoolers...
Practical Action
Climate Change - Who's In Control?
How can both individuals and governments respond to climate change and take responsibility to reduce its effects on our environment? Here you will find three lessons filled with discussion, debate, and role-playing...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Safety vs. Energy
Political cartoons are a poignant way to examine energy sources. This analysis handout has scholars examining a cartoon by Joe Heller (a link to his gallery is included for possible extensions). Background information reminds pupils of...
Curated OER
The Price of Beauty: What you don't know might hurt you
Students study cosmetic safety issues and concerns raised by advocacy groups. They create a cosmetic safety brochure designed for the average consumer, to create awareness about cosmetic safety concerns.
Curated OER
Creek Restoration Project
Students gather and analyze scientific data from a local creek. Over weeks or months, students observe their local environment, collect water samples, and evaluate test results. Extension activities are suggested for evaluating...
Curated OER
Shining the Light on Skin
Students investigate the relationships between certain environmental factors and levels of exposure to sunlight. The variables of location, time of year, and day, and the weather which affect the intensity of the sun are explored in this...
Curated OER
Enzymes and Jell-O
Students test for the presence of enzymes in fruit and the specificity of those enzymes. They identify the susceptibility of enzymes to certain environmental factors such as temperature and pH in the enzymes environment.
Curated OER
Double Trouble?
Students investigate cloned meat and animal products. In this food safety lesson, students research the noted Web sites in search of information about cloning and food labelling. Students use their findings to create informative...
Curated OER
Science Lab Safety Procedures
Eighth graders watch a Lab Safety video and discuss particular questions related to lab safety. Lab equipment is then distributed and the students inspect the equipment and record their finding in their journal. Finally, in groups, 8th...
Curated OER
Environmental Risk Management
Students are engaged in cooperative learning strategies and critical thinking activities to introduce topics of analysis, probability, assessment, and management as they apply to environmental risk. They choose a risk from the class...
Teach Engineering
Above-Ground Storage Tanks in the Houston Ship Channel
Introduce your class to storage tank failures caused by major storms with an activity that looks at how the concepts of Archimedes' Principle and Pascal's Law affect the storage tanks along the Houston Ship Channel. The background...
Beyond Benign
Sustainability Bingo
Play a little Bingo and learn a little chemistry. The third installment in a 24-part series gives scholars the opportunity to play a game of Bingo while they review the 12 principles of green chemistry. The principles make up the Bingo...
Just Health Action
What Makes a Community Healthy?
Young people have an opportunity to make it a beautiful day in their neighborhoods with an activity that asks them to identify what is healthy and unhealthy in their community and develop some ideas about what they can do to fix the...
Teach Engineering
Get the Word Out at McDonald's!
To get the word out that the Great Pacific garbage patch (GPGP) contains millions of pounds of non-biodegrading plastics, individuals research the GPGP and write an article for a newsletter. Researchers present their facts in a way that...
NOAA
Prepare for the Storm!
Severe weather can occur with or without warning. Being prepared for any situation makes chances of survival that much greater. A brief activity suggests a list of items for an emergency book bag. The first page provides 12 suggested...
Global Oneness Project
Today’s Native America
The 2016-2017 protests over the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) motivated Camille Seaman to create "We Are Still Here," a photo essay featuring portraits of contemporary Native Americans who protested the pipeline. This eight-page packet,...
Curated OER
Beach Cleanup at a Local Beach
Students participate in an environmental clean-up activity. In this environmental instructional activity, students travel to a local beach. Working in small teams, students collect trash from the local beach. Returning to school,...
National Library of Medicine
Your Environment, Your Health: Chemicals in Your Home
Many people know about chemical pollution, but are all chemicals bad? The third unit in a series of six addresses chemicals common in everyday life. Scholars learn about the chemicals found in their own homes, chemical safety, and...
Curated OER
Degradation and Weathering of Polymeric Materials
Students investigate issues of degradation and weathering of polymeric materials during their useful life. They evaluate photodegradable plastics and their viability as an environmental solution for litter and investigate the qualitative...
NASA
Making Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide
Some like it hot! Scholars observe both exothermic and endothermic reactions as part of the carbon dioxide oxygen cycle. First, scientists demonstrate (or watch) a chemical reaction to create pure oxygen using fire for confirmation....
Curated OER
Frightening Factory Farms
Students discuss existence of and conditions on factory farms, and identify alternatives to factory farms that provide sustainable solutions for food production and environmental safety.
Curated OER
Safe Or Sorry-- Risky And Non- Risky Lunch Box Choices
In this health activity, students discover that some foods are safe to have in a lunch box at room temperature, and some foods are risky and need a cold pack. Students sort common foods as risky (and tell the reason why) or safe....
Curated OER
Wildlife Study Comparison
Environmental science classes read articles about two different scientific studies. One is about the effects of contraceptive chemicals on fertility, and the other is about how a pesticide may be reducing bone density in exposed...
Curated OER
Disasters (Natural & Man-made)
Students chose a natural or man-made disaster, such as a tornado or an oil spill, to research using the assigned web sites. They choose a presentation type from a list which includes poetry, radio broadcasts, and safety brochures, to...