Curated OER
What Is in the Water?
Students compare bottled water qualities to water found naturally in a pond habitat. They research their state's laws/regulations in regard to bottled water and study the advertising, cost, and quality of brands of bottled water. They...
NOAA
Marine Policy
Save the oceans! The 22nd installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program focuses on laws and marine policy. Pupils take part in an activity investigating fisheries stock data.
Curated OER
TE Lesson: How Clean is that Water?
Students examine the factors the affect water quality, and allow for animals and plants to live. They look at how engineers apply water quality information when making stream modifications in order to ensure drinking water quality. They...
Curated OER
The Other Water Cycle
Students examine human impacts on the water cycle. They compare/contrast the permeability of various materials for the purpose of engineering landscape drainage systems, and answer discussion questions.
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Can We Absorb Nanoparticle Pollutants?
Just because we can't see it doesn't mean it isn't there! A growing concern for environmental scientists is toxic nanoparticles in our air and water. Young scholars conduct an experiment to demonstrate how these particles can cross our...
Curated OER
Toxic Torts
Twelfth graders examine the role of courts in environmental law enforcement. Using examples, they identify civil cases brought against large corporations for violating environmental laws. They define new vocabulary and discuss the...
Curated OER
TE Activity: Oil Spill Cleanup
Students experiment by creating an oil spill and trying a number of clean up methods. They determine which methods are the least costly and most effective. They role play as an environmental engineer and as an oil company owner who must...
Curated OER
Oil Spill
Students explore an important role of environmental engineers by studying the Exxon Valdez oil spill. They experiment with different strategies in order to clean up their own manufactured oil spill.
Curated OER
Pass the Jug
Students discuss water rights. For this science lesson, students simulate an exercise whereby they begin to understand the meaning of water allocation and limited water supplies by actually passing out water from a jug.
Curated OER
Who Dirtied the Water?
Learners develop a greater understanding and concern for the plight of our coastal waterways. Students begin to recognize that we are all partially responsible for water pollution.
Teach Engineering
Density Column Lab - Part 1
Mass and density — aren't they the same thing? This activity has groups use balance beams and water displacement to measure several objects. The pupils use the measurements to calculate the density of the objects.
Curated OER
The Dirty Water Project
Students investigate different methods (aeration and filtering) for removing pollutants from water. They design and build their own water filters. Students identify the pollutants in a water sample using sight and smell, explore what...
Curated OER
Acid Rain Effects
Get out the goggles and conduct a simple experiment to model and explore the harmful effects of acid rain (vinegar) on living (green leaf and eggshell) and non-living (paper clip) objects. Young chemists observe and describe the harmful...
Curated OER
Moving without Wheels
Students observe a simple water cycle model to better understand its role in pollutant transport. This activity shows one way in which pollution is affected by the water cycle; it simulates a point source of pollution in a lake and the...
Curated OER
From Lake to Tap
Middle schoolers use the Internet to study how water is treated to make it safe to drink. They use a tutorial on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's website to gain this information. They complete a worksheet for the assessment...
Curated OER
Groundwater Detectives
Learners measure the pH of soil samples from a hypothetical site to locate a contaminant spill and will predict the direction of groundwater flow using mathematical modeling. They use the engineering design process to develop...
Curated OER
Straining out the Dirt
Students design and construct a water filter using activated carbon, cotton and other materials to remove chocolate powder from water. They test and record their observations, and complete a KWL chart.
Curated OER
Lesson 12 - Landfills, Leaks and Spills
Students define spill, leaks and landfills and identify the environmental problems caused by them. They complete worksheets and a quiz.
Curated OER
Landfills, Leaks and Spills
Students define spills, leaks and landfills. Students list environmental problems caused by spills,leaks and landfills. Students access the Internet to complete Prediction lab report worksheets, etc. Students test/quiz over their...
Curated OER
Activity #5 Environmental Effects
Young scholars explain the implications of particle theory of The Law of Conservation of Matter for problems of pollution and waste disposal. They describe, in terms of atoms and molecules, what happens to materials when they are...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Can Small Pollutants Harm Aquatic Organisms?
Nanoparticles have toxic effects on plant and animal life—even though you can't see them. The second instructional activity of a two-part series has young scientists conduct an experiment that exposes plant and animals to nanoparticle...
Curated OER
Pea Soup Ponds
Students perform an experiment where they learn how water can be polluted by algal bloom. They grow algae with different concentrations of fertilizers or nutrients and analyze their results.
Curated OER
Snack Attack: Food Packaging Activity
Students design and create packaging material for food. In this snack attack lesson, students design a package to protect a food item from heat and water. Students consider costs of materials, design, and test the package to see if it is...
Curated OER
Rockets on a Shoestring Budget
Students, operating under simulated budget constraints, build pop-rockets and launch them. Working in pairs, they complete budget worksheets and use their "Blast Off Bucks" to pay for the construction. They then redesign their rockets...