Curated OER
Exploring our National Parks
Young scholars utilize maps/Atlases to find key spatial information, locate U.S. National Parks, characterize the geography of a specific region, and create a National Park brochure.
Teach Engineering
Designing a Winning Guest Village in the Saguaro National Park
Don't desert a resource on the desert! Scholars work in groups to build on their ideas from the previous lesson to design a sustainable guest village in the Saguaro National Park. Each group produces a PowerPoint presentation to share...
Teach Engineering
Designing a Sustainable Guest Village in the Saguaro National Park
Brainstorm ideas to design a sustainable guest village in the Sonoran Desert. The first installment of a nine-part unit teaches young environmental scientists about the basics of the Saguaro National Park and about sustainable design....
Curated OER
Photography and the National Park Service
During the 1800s the United States was expanding westward; land was there for the taking. Kids explore how some early photographers used their photography to influenced the US Congress to save areas like Mirror Lake. They complete a...
Curated OER
Urban Life: What Lives In Our Local Park?
Fifth graders participate in activities during a visit to Central Park. In this urban life lesson, 5th graders visit Central Park where they explore pond dipping, stream chemistry, and play a native plant Bingo game.
Curated OER
Stewardship of Yosemite National Park
Middle schoolers devise a plan that would be true to John Muir's spirit of stewardship toward Yosemite. They analyze a core map to determine the original plan and usage of the park and compare the original plan to a current park map.
Curated OER
Central Park Field Trip
Young scholars visit the park to observe signs of spring in the forest and pond environments. In this field trip lesson, students explore the park for various items
Curated OER
Mapping the National Parks
Pupils research national parks. In this science lesson, students view a video about the national parks and discuss the environments found within the national parks.
Curated OER
Regionalism as Seen Through the National Parks
Fifth graders see a video of some of our country's national parks. As each one is introduced they write down its name and location and star* the areas they find unique and interesting. After the video is over they share at least one of...
Curated OER
Communities
The study of types of communties is the focus of this presentation. Details are given about the differences between rural, urban, and suburban communities. Use this presentation to provoke a class discussion about the various activities...
Curated OER
Urbanization and Native Hawaiian Plants
Fourth graders research plants native to the Hawaiian Islands. Using the plants, they identify its purpose in the watershed and ways to help protect them from extinction. They survey a area of land and discover ways in which to bring...
Curated OER
Landscaping and Urban Forestry - Lesson 4 (Grades 5-6)
Young scholars discuss reasons to plant trees and the best locations for cooling. They analyze two homes identifying types and locations of trees, and location of the central air conditioners. The benefits of shade, the process of...
Curated OER
Impervious Surfaces
Middle schoolers comprehend impervious surfaces. They recognize the problems caused by impervous surfaces. Students observe how land use can influence impervious surfaces. They chose four of the seven basic land surface, middle schoolers...
Curated OER
Life in a Big Urban City in the Gilded Age
While this presentation is not heavy in text it more than makes up for it with the telling images of life in New York at the turn of the century. Use as a supplemental lecture tool when covering immigration, tenements, Shirtwaist...
Curated OER
The City in Black and White and Color: An interdisciplinary approach to teaching life in the city using literature, social studies, art, and photography.
Learners design an artistic and literary collage of contemporary urban life that seeks to interpret, analyze, and evaluate its mettle. They integrate their impressions of urban life with established views, thereby enriching their...
Curated OER
Where Do You Live?
Second graders study and compare rural, suburban, and urban communities. They play a board game, read books about communities, and complete several other activities regarding the different types of communities. Several extension and...
Curated OER
Design Your Own Suburb
Students view and discuss urban and suburban scenes; and list the features of their ideal town and discuss whether these features can be found in cities and suburbs. They draw mental maps of a city and a suburb and brainstorm and list...
Curated OER
URBAN WILDERNESS AND PARKS
Student examine the need for and the problems of wilderness areas which are located close to urban centers. They discuss their concept of wilderness, write down their perceptions and report to the class.
Curated OER
Selecting Trees for Urban Environments
Pupils consider the best place to plant a tree. In this environment instructional activity, students identify urban locations that are compatible with particular tree types. Pupils decide what trees would go where and why they would...
Curated OER
Urban Safari: A Walk on the Wild Side
Students discover the urban ecosystem through a series of activities. They explore both the biotic and abiotic factors of the urban environment.
Curated OER
Boston Park System
Students complete a variety of activities that go along with the study of and possible fieldtrip to the Emerald Necklace park system in Boston, MA. They discover how urban conditions influenced the creation of city parks.
Curated OER
Columbus Park
Pupils complete activities that go along with the study of and possible fieldtrip to Columbus Park in Chicago, IL. They discover how urban conditions influenced the creation of city parks. They examine the preservation of historic...
Curated OER
Park Problems
Students calculate park acreage and map the distribution of parks in Austin, TX using GIS. Students use a specific website to find the information.
Curated OER
Water Pollution Lesson Plan: All Messed Up
Students map and calculate the area of the school parking lot and then the volume of water falling on the school parking lot. They map the route surface runoff will take to the nearest water body and describe the roles that human...