Young scientists create a compost bag, predict changes, and after one month, examine the bag to observe the changes that have occurred.

Get your hands dirty with an interactive lesson that showcases the process of decomposing and returning nutrients back into the soil. After building a compost pile, pupils regularly observe the...

As part of a study of the life cycle of compost, class members examine the differences between green waste disposal and backyard composting.

What should go in the trash, and what can be composted? Guide your young conservationists through the process of composing their trash with a activity about the different ways we can dispose of garbage. Using a trash bag with clean...

What happens at the end of a plant's life cycle? Show kids the natural way that plants show that they're decomposing, as well as the importance of compost, with a lesson about living organisms. After reading Log Cabin by Anne Schreiber,...

Make those microbes warm up water. Pupils first investigate water pumps, then design a water circulation system that uses solar energy. A bioreactor in the system takes energy from compost and helps heat water.

Does everything in the trash can belong there? Conduct a waste audit with your class by collecting a day's worth of garbage, separating it into recyclables, non-recyclables, or food waste, and properly distributing what they find into...

Now you have a new excuse not to do your homework. A long-term experiment has learners explore cellulose-digesting enzymes. They simulate how paper breaks down in a compost bin. There's no need to blame your dog for eating your homework...

Nanofibers can be made through electrospinning or force spinning in order to reduce the negative impact on the environment. Pupils study the role of fibers and dye on the environment through a series of five hands-on activities. Then,...

Trying to plan an engaging elementary science unit on natural resources? Conserve your energy! This five-part series of lessons and hands-on activities has exactly what you need to teach young scholars about the importance of conservation.

A read-aloud anthology closely examines human impact on the Earth while boosting reading comprehension skills. Through stories, scholars examine the concepts of natural resources, pollution, garbage, and recycling and brainstorm...

Organic or mineral? How does the matter matter? Second graders use their knowledge of the rock cycle to label the different components in garden soil.

Whether you are teaching environmental science in junior high or studying recycling in kindergarten, there is something for all in this set of lessons designed for environmental education. The 110-page packet comes with tips for...

Compare waste a percent at a time. The resource contains an infographic on food waste. Using images, the informative activity describes the amount and types of food waste that occur. Pupils compare the percentage of waste from their...

Easy doesn't always mean better. In an era with pre-packaged everything, learners consider the environmental impact of the convenient trend. They critique the packaging of food and how waste impacts cost and then look for solutions.

Where does our garbage go? What is the difference between a recyclable and non-recyclable item? Pose these important, but often overlooked, questions to your class and invite them to consider the lasting and damaging effects of the...

Here is a 20-box bingo card to use when exploring ways that humans impact the environment. Various environmentally aware activities are listed in the boxes, and learners circulate the room to find someone who practices the different...

How are vegetables beneficial to a healthy diet? Have kids examine different types of vegetables, such as zucchini, broccoli, and carrots, and determine which parts of the plant they represent. Then, they taste the vegetables as a...

Note the way that plants change during the season by adopting a plant on your school campus. After your class chooses their plant, they research the plant's needs, how it differs from other plants, find ways to support their plant's...

Sift through soil and learn about why it's important for organic processes. After discussing what makes up soil, such as the living organisms and what types of soil have more nutrients, kids sample layers of mulch and deeper soil to...

Do 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...

A series of hands-on, outdoor activities increase understanding of agricultural terms, soil management, pest control, and more. Plan ahead for this one as it requires a number of supplies and could be messy. Activities include...