Berkshire Museum
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle: Sorting Through Personal Choices
Raise children's awareness about the importance of conservation with this hands-on science lesson. Start by breaking the class into groups and having them collect trash from around the school or local park. Students then use the provided...
National Museum of the American Indian
The A:Shiwi (Zuni) People: A Study in Environment, Adaptation, and Agricultural Practices
Discover the connection of native peoples to their natural world, including cultural and agricultural practices, by studying the Zuni people of the American Southwest. This lesson includes examining a poster's photographs, reading...
Curated OER
Our Environment
Students examine the world's environmental dilemmas and create project depicting how to improve the environment. They study ten endangered species.
Curated OER
Trash to Gas
Middle schoolers experiment with biomass materials as alternative energy sources. In this biomass material lesson, students participate in an experiment with cow manure to determine how it can be used as an energy source. They record...
Beyond Benign
Orb-It
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...
Curated OER
The Study of Urban and Suburban Environments within the Mystic River Watershed
High school students examine their own water-based environments, within the Mystic Watershed. As the learners engage in inquiry-based, hands-on projects, critical thinking skills and problem-solving, the project will lead them to cross...
Curated OER
Graphing Toad/ Frog Respiration
Learners measure respiratory rates on live toads, and the effect water temperature has on their findings. In this scientific method lesson plan, students record their findings and present them in a graph, comparing the results.
Curated OER
Hygiene Potato Graphs
Fifth graders discuss the importance of proper hygiene. After watching their teacher peel potatoes, they discuss why she was wearing rubber gloves. They demonstrate how to wash their hands properly and why one should never touch...
Curated OER
The Mozart Effect
Music has been said to effect short term memory. Learners test out this hypothesis, graphing how knowledge retention in a biology classroom changes when music is played in the background. In the end, a better appreciation of the dynamics...
Curated OER
Cycles and Starting Mealworms
Here is a fascinating lesson about the life cycles of plants and animals, and other cycles found in nature. Learners explore the cycle of the moon, the tides, and other sequences of events in every day life. The big activity is the...
SeaWorld
Marvelous Manatees
Here is an interesting lesson on the manatee for your upper graders or middle schoolers. A game is played where learners work together to complete a successful manatee migration. It's a board game, and all of the game components are...
Baylor College
Needs of Plants
What better way to learn about plant life than by creating a class garden? Young botanists start with a brief discussion about radishes before planting seeds and watching them grow. To determine the importance of water,...
Curated OER
Environment: Water & Air
The introduction to the activity mentions a sailor's limited capacity to store drinking water on his ship. Pupils then set up an overnight experiment to remove freshwater from salt water by distillation. There is a math and map activity...
Curated OER
How Does Your Blue Bonnet Grow?
Learners explore the conditions needed to grow Texas Blue Bonnets. In this Blue Bonnet planting instructional activity, students recognize the differences in Texas Blue Bonnet. Learners record their findings in a graphs and analyze their...
Curated OER
Digital Video Lesson Plan: Brine Shrimp
Students participate in classroom experiment to gain better understanding of type of environment brine shrimp can best survive. Students then explore effects of common saltwater pollutants on survival of animals in sea.
Curated OER
Leaves: All-Natural Solar Collectors
Take a good look at tree leaves and notice the adaptations for collecting solar energy. Pupils trace the margins of five different leaves onto graph paper and count the number of squares covered. They then relate this infomation to the...
Curated OER
Technology Integration Project Weather Unit Plan
Students use a variety of technology-assisted weather observation tools to observe and record local weather. They identify, measure and record weather conditions, summarize types of clouds and make graphs of their observations. Students...
Curated OER
Perceived Risks
Young scholars rank a list of everyday risks to compare with classmates. They rate each risk on both its ability to be controlled and its observability in the environment. Results are graphed.
Curated OER
Leaves, the Sun, and the Water Cycle
As a way to combine life and physical science, or simply as an investigation of plant transpiration, this instructional activity is sure to inspire! Middle schoolers capture the moisture given off by plants that are placed in different...
Curated OER
Particles: Size Makes All the Difference
High schoolers plot particle sizes of common airborne materials on a log scale. They read an article on particle size and its relationship to the ability to pass through the lungs, into the bloodstream, and eventually into the cells...
Curated OER
Types of Marine Debris
Students conduct an experiment. In this marine debris and environment protection lesson, students categorize trash into piles, predict whether these trash items will sink, float or be picked up and carried by the wind and then test...
Curated OER
The Life Cycle of the Mealworm
Fourth graders provide a habitat for live mealworms and observe their life cycle. In this animal life cycle and scientific inquiry lesson, 4th graders create a habitat for a live mealworm and observe and record related data as it grows....
Curated OER
Particulate Matter
Seventh graders examine the different types of pollutants. In this environmental science lesson, 7th graders observe particulate matter under a microscope. They explain how these can affect once health when breathed in large quantities...
Curated OER
Charting the Changes in Our School Forest
Fourth graders investigate the ecosystem and how forests are disappearing. For this environmental protection lesson, 4th graders analyze the changes in their school for 2 weeks. Students practice identifying trees, birds, and...