Pulitzer Center
Extractive Industries
Here is a chance for environmental studies classes to take a critical look at crises occurring around the globe by reading articles and viewing video clips. The human activities under scrutiny are the extraction of oil, logging, and...
Amnesty International
Human Rights and Service Learning (Part 1)
What better way is there to teach about human rights than by seeing them firsthand? Introduce your class or club to the spirit of service through a myriad of service project ideas. First in a series of human rights instructional...
Curated OER
Writing Environmental Laws Refer To Reading Material
Students examine the steps and decisions that are made when drafting an environmental statute. They examine the interplay of opinions, values, beliefs, and science in the development of law. They identify methods to obtain information...
Curated OER
Economics, Ecology, & Ethics
Pupils are introduced to the concepts of economics in a ethical way. In groups, they examine a shift in an economy and discover the effects of the shift. After reading an article, they evaluate it and they write their own conclusion to...
Curated OER
Sugar Bush Sap Production - Human Environmental Impact on Sap Sand
Eleventh graders compare the amount of sugar sand present in tree sap. In this environmental science instructional activity, 11th graders measure different tree circumference. They prepare a report and share findings in class.
Curated OER
Chocolate Chip Cookie Mining
To understand the impact coal mining has on the environment, pupils will extract chocolate chips from a cookie. Imagine the cookie is the environment and the chips are the coal. Instruct them to mine as many chips as they can, then have...
Beyond Benign
Decision Graphic Introduction
E is for economics, environment, and social equity. The fifth installment of a 15-part series has scholars first considering ecological impacts, such as determining how much water it takes to produce a can of soda. They then use decision...
Curated OER
Watering Our Prairie Farms
After reading an article about irrigation on Canadian farms, learners participate in a discussion. They individually write an opinion paper about the surrounding issues. A instructional activity like this can be used in an earth science...
Curated OER
Stopping Deforestation in the Amazon: A Publicity Campaign
Students investigate the environment by designing a group project. In this ecology lesson, students identify the man made threats to the Amazon while reading environmentally conscience vocabulary terms. Students collaborate in groups...
Curated OER
Toward a Sustainable Agriculture
Read about sustainable agriculture and complete related Internet activities. After reading background information about the economics of sustainable agriculture and the problems with the industrial food system, your students click on...
Curated OER
Environmental Action
Students investigate an environmental problem in order to find and propose possible solutions. The problem is real to add to the engagement of the lesson. This is found through conducting research and then brainstorming is done in small...
Curated OER
Economics -- Third Grade
Third graders read the Dr. Seuss book The Lorax. In groups, they answer questions that are related to economics and distribution of goods. They also identify the environmental issues present in the book and perform a skit in front of the...
Curated OER
Kildare, USA: An Environmental Health Simulation
Your biology class plays the role of epidemiologist when a mysterious illness breaks out in Kildare, USA. Using interviews with doctors, patients, and local citizens, maps, the results from different materials sampling, they work to...
Redefining Progress
Have and Have-Not
Is there a correlation between a country's wealth and the extent of its ecological footprint? What exactly constitutes an ecological footprint, and how does one country stack up against the rest? This is a unique lesson to incorporate...
Theodore Roosevelt Association
Roosevelt's Legacy: Conservation
The legacy of Theodore Roosevelt carries through modern American politics, economics, foreign policy, and society. But his proudest and most profound efforts were in the world of conservation, and in preserving the natural beauty of...
Curated OER
And Justice for All?
Students explore the history of the environmental justice movement. They examine how discrimination promotes environmental illness in low income communities. Students explain why minority and low income groups have less economic and...
Curated OER
Sand Dollars
Pupils debate the issues of economic prosperity, cultural preservation and environmental preservation by examining the development of land in the Bahamas.
Curated OER
Materials, Let's Do the Life Cycle
Students examine environmental and social impacts of products that consumers buy. In this environmental stewardship activity, students play a game that requires them to consider real costs of products. Students consider the environmental...
Curated OER
Investigations in Aid: Identifying the Need
Young scholars investigate the needs in emerging nations. In this emerging nations lesson, students research the conditions for needs in the given countries. Young scholars are assigned to the country groups of Honduras, Nigeria, Bosnia,...
Curated OER
Materials: Hidden Costs, Mapping the Source and Cost of Raw Materials.
Students map connections among raw materials. In this environmental stewardship lesson, students design strategies to minimize the use of raw materials and discuss how to use more sustainable materials.
Curated OER
Must We Shoot Bambi?
Students explore the deer population. In this environmental activity, students participate in a hands-on activity to better understand the concept of controlling the deer population.
Curated OER
Urban Ecosystems 2: Why are There Cities? A Historical Perspective
Second in a series of five lessons, this lesson encourages preteens to consider cities as urban ecosystems. First, they keep a food diary for a few days. They visit the Natrional Agricultural Statistics Service website for current data...
Curated OER
The Social and Economic Impact of Wildlife and Natural Resource Management
Students develop an understanding of environmental laws and regulations. In this research lesson, students utilize information that involves controversial issues of wildlife and society.
Curated OER
I'm Dreaming of a Sustainable Christmas
Students examine global trade. In this global economics lesson, students visit websites to learn about trade with China and the environmental damage of global trade.