University of Southern California
Human Impact on the Sea
How far does the human hand reach? Five interactive lessons lead classes through a unit exploring the human impact on ocean resources, pollution, and even extinction. Learners discover how their decisions affect the ocean environment...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
The Anthropocene: Human Impact on the Environment
Will human existence define an epoch? Many scientists think we are in a new epoch, the anthropocene, defined by humans and our impact on the environment. An online interactive demonstrates the immense impact humans have had on every part...
Curated OER
Endangered Species 1: Why are Species Endangered?
Emerging ecologists examine endangered species by visiting the US Environmental Protection Agency website. They consider human contribution to the decline of different species. They research an endangered animal and then craft a poster...
American Museum of Natural History
What's This?: Early Humans
Early humans crafted shelters out of whatever materials they could find. A one-question quiz asks learners to identify the type of bones used to construct the hut pictured in a display.
Curated OER
How Do Species Become Extinct?
Students examine reasons that animals become extinct. They participate in a simulation to discover that animals loss of home is the main factor that puts species near extinction in North America. Students examine over-hunting and...
NOAA
Climate Is Our Friend…Isn’t It?: Make an Extinction Polyhedron
Climate affects populations in different ways. Scholars research extinct organisms and mass extinctions in part three of the 10-installment Discover Your Changing World series. They create graphic organizers, then fill in the information...
Curated OER
Meet the Tiger
Here is an excellent lesson tigers that has a research component. Integrated into the lesson is the premise that God created animals and the human responsibility to care for them. At learning centers students visit various Websites and...
Curated OER
Extinction Extravagance
Students brainstorm and discuss what it means for a species to be considered endangered and/or extinct. They research animals in Puerto Rico and choose one that is considered endangered and create a poster about it. In addition, they...
American Museum of Natural History
Extreme Mammals
Extreme characteristics can create some unusual mammals. Learners flip through a slide show of some of the most interesting mammals that are both living and extinct. Implement as a remote learning resource or use in-class to review...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
EarthViewer
Can you imagine Washington DC and London as close neighbors occupying the same continent? Learners will be fascinated as they step back in time and discover the evolution of the earth's continents and oceans from 4.5 billion years ago to...
Curated OER
PASSENGER PIGEONS: NOMADS LOST
Students explore the concept and implications of extinction using the example of the Passenger Pigeon, once an extremely abundant species that was completely eliminated by humans.
Curated OER
Sustainability and Extinction
Galapagos Penguins are the only penguins on earth that live north of the equator (in the wild). In this last lesson plan a discussion on how the Galapagos islands developed their populations and diversity sparks the introduction. Two...
Curated OER
Extinction Trade Questions
There are many ethical and moral issues surrounding critically endangered species. Use these higher-level thinking questions to help high schoolers examine ecological, socioeconomic, and political scenarios about human impacts on...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
EarthViewer
Almost complete annihilation of the plants and animals on the Earth has occurred at least five times in the past. Young scientists explore each of these events. They learn about the evidence and conclusions for each event and connect...
Curated OER
Cougar or Human: Which Needs Protection?
High schoolers research the biology and natural history of the cougar. Students conduct Internet research to determine how cougars have been protected by humans and how it is affected by human decisions. High schoolers write about...
Curated OER
Wild Dog Urine
Students investigate biology by researching wild animals. In this animal extinction lesson, students research African wild dogs and discuss the impact of the environment on their survival. Students read and analyze an article titled...
Curated OER
Where Are the Dinosaurs?
Students explore the concept of extinction by studying dinosaurs. For this dinosaur lesson, students distinguish between extinct creatures and those that still exist.
Curated OER
The Responsibility of Preservation
Upper elementary and middle schoolers study the case of the ivory-billed woodpecker, a bird that was once-thought to be extinct. Learners explore the responsibility of people to preserve habitats, and take care of the animals who live in...
Community Resources for Science
Food Webs/Clipfish
Human impact on habitats can be alarming. A hands-on activity has learners explore the impact of human interactions with different environments using a gamified approach. They simulate the impact of a species' abundance under different...
Safe Routes to School
Pollution & Evolution
Bring together a study of two major scientific topics with a lesson on the relationship between pollution and evolution. With the help of a PowerPoint presentation, hands-on activity. and class demonstration young scientists learn how...
Curated OER
Where are the Dinosaurs?
Students construct their own diorama based on the life of a dinosaur. In this dinosaur lesson, students create models of dinosaurs and dinosaurs' eggs to explore the life cycle of this extinct species.
Curated OER
Classroom Cladogram of Vertebrate/Human Evolution
Students build a Colossal Classroom Cladogram of vertebrate evolution. After putting it together, they show the gradual, mosaic accumulation of the traits which we, as humans, possess.
K12 Reader
Endangered Species
Your learners have likely heard about animals going extinct. By reading this passage, they can find out some reasons why this happens and how to protect endangered species. After reading, individuals respond to five related questions.
K12 Reader
Habitat Destruction
What happens when an animal becomes endangered or extinct? Explore the ways that human influence throughout the environment has threatened the existence of other species with a reading passage. After reading the paragraphs, kids answer...