American Chemical Society
Norbert Rillieux, Thermodynamics and Chemical Engineering
The man who invented the earliest examples of chemical engineering was an American-born, French-educated, free man of color before the Civil War, and went on to translate Egyptian hieroglyphics. There is something of interest for almost...
American Chemical Society
The Discovery of Fullerenes
Carbon is the most common element on earth, so the innovative discovery of a new type of carbon molecule won the 1996 Nobel Prize. In the ready-to-go instructional activity, scholars learn about C60 and how it has opened up the entire...
Curated OER
A Tour Down the Hudson River
Students discuss how the Hudson River is an ecosystem made up of both biotic and abiotic factors. They view the PowerPoint the Journal Down the Hudson River. Students become aware of where the Hudson River begins and ends, the plant and...
Curated OER
Dissolved Oxygen and Temperature
Students are shown how temperature affects dissolved oxygen and they create a graph showing this relationship. They think about the adaptations of animals to live in different water temperatures. Students test four different water...
Curated OER
Dissolved Oxygen Introduction
High schoolers are shown how dissolved oxygen enters the water. They are taught the difference between a water sample that has been exposed to the air and one that has not. Students brainstorm what organisms need to survive. They use...
Curated OER
Is Our Water Healthy?
Students test water for a least one chemical characteristic. They hypothesize how a storm event might change the chemical characteristics of a stream. Students collect water samples and use the chemical test to test the water.
Curated OER
Zebra Mussel Population Simulation
Students are taught how to format and enter data into an Excel spreadsheet. They make a graph, and interpret graphed data. Students discuss the possible impacts of zebra mussels on the Hudson river. They graph zebra mussel data.
Curated OER
Water Chestnut Graphing Activity
Students are taught how to format and enter data into an Excel spreadsheet. They make a graph and interpret graphed data. Students discuss possible impacts of water chestnut invasion. They graph data on water chestnut. Students report...
Curated OER
Bottled Water vs. Tap Water
Young scholars analyze the similarities and differences between tap water and bottled water. They make informed decisions about their use of each. Students are asked if they drink mostly tap water straight from the tap or water fountain....
Curated OER
Wastewater
Students discuss what happens to their wastewater. They read about the wastewater treatment process. Students are asked what types of things get flushed down toilets or goes down drains in sinks and showers. They are taught what happens...
Curated OER
Polymers and Products from Petroleum
Over four sessions, learners survey the production and use of polymers and petroleum products. First, they participate in a kinesthetic activity to demonstrate how polymers act, and review a list of common products made from polymers....
Curated OER
Understanding the Indoor Environment: The Movement of Air
Students discuss HVAC to assess prior knowledge. Students create a rubric to assess their modals of HVAC units, and build the models according to instructions and discussion by the teacher.
Curated OER
I Wood if I Could
Tenth graders investigate the process of how specific products are made from trees. For this chemistry lesson, groups of students must choose among ice cream, bubble gum, paper, toothpaste and lipstick. They research, design and produce...
Curated OER
Aquatic Ecosystem Exploration
Students visit a local stream, pond, creek, or river and collect macroinvertebrates. They sort macroinvertebrates and identify each species using a dichotomous key. Students decide on trophic levels and construct a possible food web for...
Curated OER
Runoff: Intro to Watersheds
Students are taught that a watershed is, what types of basic land cover are impermeable and permeable to water. They trace the flow of water around their school and around their home. Students determine what watershed their school is a...
Curated OER
Invasives and Marsh Birds
Students are taught that invasive plant removal can have a variety of impacts. They are shown this by using graphs. Students view maps of vegetation change on Iona Island. They discuss implications of changes on marsh birds using data...
Curated OER
Renewable Energy in Connecticut - Softening Our Footprint through Sustainable Energy Use
Students explore energy conservation. In this environmental lesson plan, students will look at data showing the amounts of energy used, our carbon footprint, and will research a power source. This unit allows for a deeper understanding...
Curated OER
Dissolved Oxygen and Photosynthesis: 1
High schoolers are taught that plants produce oxygen underwater, and they design an experiment that test this question. They discuss whether plants give off oxygen, and how to measure this. Students measure the increase in dissolved...
Curated OER
Draw your Conclusions
Students analyze data from a student discussion website and write a report on the outcome of an investigation regarding their local water quality. As part of a larger unit students then post the summary of their investigation on the...
Curated OER
Egg Measurement
Students explore measurement and units. They measure eggs to determine their density, mass and percent composition. An inquiry approach is used for students to ascertain the mass.
Curated OER
Building an Electric Motor
Learners study different motors and how they convert electrical energy to mechanical energy. In this motor lesson students make a model of an electric motor and examine how it can be used to do work.
Curated OER
The World's Forests
Students examine the world's forests. In this forest lesson, students gain knowledge about the sustainability of forests. Students break into groups and brainstorm why forests are so important to our world. Students discuss what can be...
Curated OER
Invention Project
Students study air pollution and design inventions to prevent indoor environment problems. In this air pollution inventions lesson, students read about and discuss famous inventors and inventions. Students then research indoor air...
Curated OER
Deck of Word Cards
Learners study vocabulary words associated with indoor air quality. In this air quality lesson, students participate in a word card game where they write sentences for the vocabulary words given. Learners then check the original teacher...