New ReviewWater is essential for life—and understanding the importance of clean drinking water is essential in understanding sustainability! Show your environmental science class the basics of water testing and treatment through a week-long...

New ReviewDo great gardeners really have green thumbs—or just really great soil? Environmental scholars discover what makes Earth's soil and soil quality so important through research and experimentation. Learners also develop an understanding of...

Beauty and Capitalism—not two words you usually see together. John Ruskin, a prominent political thinker definitely did not think so. Teach pupils about the political theory behind aesthetics and why some countries may value beauty over...

If renewable energy means a never-ending supply of power, why aren't we already using it? A brief video clip, part of a large Energy unit from NOVA, discusses the limitless energy humans obtain from solar, geothermal, and tidal sources....

Did you know that, as the world's population increases, its demand for energy increases at an even faster rate? Learners watch a short video about the world's energy crisis before discussing the sustainable alternative energy sources....

When you think about environmental sustainability, the Ford Motor Company probably isn't the first company to come to mind. A four-lesson unit introduces learners to the idea of sustainability and environmental stewardship. It describes...

How do green plastics reduce waste and environmental pollution? Budding scientists create and test a variety of compounds used in green plastics during an insightful experiment. Beginning with startling statistics and ending with...

One in every seven truckloads of perishable foods delivered to grocery stores gets thrown away. Is there anything that can be done with this waste? One solution is to recycle the old produce and turn it into fertilizer. The video, part...

Are some packaging materials superior to others? Using sustainability as a guide, scholars analyze different packing materials to describe their life cycles. They create puzzles to communicate their findings.

How do the products you use rate on a greeness scale? Scholars use a tool to analyze shampoos and cars for their sustainability. They consider factors that affect the environment, the economy, and equity. This is the ninth lesson in a...

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...

What makes one product greener than another? Ecology scholars analyze sustainability and lifecycle through a thought-provoking activity. Individuals pick a product, then examine its components to determine its overall impact on the world...

Need to take your teaching of energy concepts to another level? Check out a strategic video that examines standard PS3D in the Next Generation Science Standards. Filled with examples, scenarios, and connections to the life sciences, the...

The human impact on the earth's systems often has unintended consequences.  A comprehensive video lesson builds a progression for teaching the standards ESS3C in elementary through secondary classrooms. Instruction focuses on the human...

Mars or bust. An engaging STEM unit has scholars design a base that allows scientists to live on Mars. Along the way, they learn about building science and space science.

Thomas Malthus posed the most famous, and most easily disproven, theory about projected population growth in economic history. What did he get wrong—and why? Explore the Malthusian Theory of Population with a Crash Course video that...

What are the factors that limit growth and expansion? As part of their study of Catalina Island, class members view the West of the West's documentary Magic Isle and research William Wrigley and the Santa Catalina Island Company. After...

What happens when a non-native species is introduced onto an island? Santa Cruz Island, part of the Channel Island chain located off the coast of southern California, provides the perfect laboratory for young environmental scientists to...

Examine the impact the fishing industry has on local ecosystems. The hands-on lesson begins with an experiment that tests the effectiveness of fish-based fertilizers. It continues with a computer-based module that simulates sustainable...

Teaching a man to fish has an environmental impact. Through a series of four lessons, learners study the science of fishery management. Their study involves analyzing data to develop a management strategy for specific fish and common...

Investigate aspects of sustainable cities and relate them to where you live! A detailed lesson first investigates the definition of sustainability. Learners then explore human impact on the environment and social justice. Their final...

Not all technology is digital. Teach learners about the low-tech maker movement with a photo essay about six artisans from California and two articles about the local creator movement. After tackling the photo essay in small groups,...

First, young citizens learn about water consumption by doing some research themselves on their home water usage and sharing their findings with the class. Then, they do some brainstorming and devise a plan to reduce water consumption.

Even if a school has gone digital, chances are there's still plenty of paper being used. The three activities help scholars learn about the environmental impact of paper and another consumer products of their choosing, the issue of...