Curated OER
Changing Planet: The Warming of Our Large Lakes - Reasons for Concern
Another A+ lesson on the impact of climate change comes to you from the National Earth Science Teachers Association. In this installment, learners model the stratification of water in lakes due to temperature differences. The lab also...
Michigan Sea Grant
Environmental Decision Making
Pupils participate in a board game activity in which landing on a space called "Decision Card" presents them with a land-use situation to consider and decide how to act. In order to advance in Hydropoly, players must think critically and...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
What van Leeuwenhoek Saw
When van Leeuwenhoek saw cells and single-celled organisms for the first time, he knew these small things were a big deal! Share his discoveries with young learners through a narrated video, model-building activity, and scale study....
Curated OER
Pollution Assessment: Is Wood Lake a Good Lake?
Students become aware of pollution in Richfield Minnesota's Wood Lake, identify sources of pollution in Wood Lake, learn to use variables, equations, spreadsheets and modeling software, and generate solutions for the problem.
Curated OER
the New Explorers:Into the Depths
Students explore the self preservation mechanism that is inherent in the Great Lakes. They examine how scientists are studying Great Lakes, and what their predictions are for these national treasures.
Chicago Botanic Garden
Review and Assessment: Causes and Effects of Climate Changes
The last activity in the series of five is a short one where individuals show what they've learned about the causes and effects of climate change. Working independently, they fill in a graphic organizer, then compare their notes with a...
US Environmental Protection Agency
Non-Point Source Pollution
Investigate the different types of pollution that storm drain runoff carries into oceans, lakes, rivers, and streams with this class demonstration. Using an aquarium and an assortment of everyday items that contaminants like motor oil,...
Curated OER
Lake Effect
Fourth graders explore some of the effects Great Salt Lake has on Utah's local weather/temperature moderation, lake effect storms, and temperature inversions. They observe the differences of specific heat between soil and water and...
Curated OER
The Interdependence of Birds and the Great Salt Lake Ecosystem
Tenth graders participate in the "Checks and Balances" game. This game lets them experience the interdependence of oragnisms specific to the Great Salt Lake. They recieved informaton about food chains, food webs, trophic levels various...
Curated OER
Let the River Run
Students explore the environment by reading a story in class. In this water formation lesson, students define environmental terms such as rivers, streams, gulf, oceans and lakes. Students read the story A River Ran Wild and discuss the...
Curated OER
P.O.V.'s Borders Picture Project: Lesson 1 - Air
Take photos of human activities that impact air quality. Collaborative groups present one of the photographs, identifying how the activity contributes to air quality and what can be done to minimize the impact. As one in a series of...
Curated OER
Snapshot Day Definitions & Activities
In this watershed worksheet, students read through related definitions and complete 17 short answer questions about deposition and erosion in the Hudson River.
Curated OER
The Human Impact on the Environment
Despite the typos and formatting issues, the Word document found here has some great potential. There are two questions that ask learners to put several events in a logical order; these could easily be made into a card sort activity....
Curated OER
Getting Around in the Water
Young scientists who are learning about the variety of environments that animals live in use a activity in order to choose animals that live, primarily, in water environments. There are eight pictures on the activity, and learners must...
Curated OER
Ducks in the Flow: Resources about Surface Ocean Currants for the Upper Elementary Classroom
Young scholars investigate surface ocean currents. In this oceanography lesson, students work in small groups to create models that demonstrate surface currents, the Coriolis Effect, and how surface currents move debris. This lesson...
Curated OER
Air: Air Quality Picture Project
Students recognize which activities contribute to poor air quality and which contribute to good air quality. They discover how air quality is measured, and come up with ways that humans can have a positive affect on air quality.
Curated OER
Rising Temperatures Threaten Penguins
Learners examine the continent of Antarctica, then read a news article about the decline in the Antarctic penguin population. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a discussion and vocabulary activity,...
Curated OER
Exploring National Marine Sanctuaries
Learners research marine ecosystems by creating class presentations. In this oceanography instructional activity, students research the different locations of marine sanctuaries by identifying them on a transparency map in class....
Curated OER
The Impact of Water Pollution on Global Peace
Tenth graders participate in hands-on activities that require them to consider the implications of water pollution. In this environmental stewardship lesson, 10th graders conduct 6 experiments pertaining to water pollution and discuss...
Curated OER
The Impact of Acid Rain and the Greenhouse Effect on the Environment
Students study acid rain and complete several activities that show how it affects the environment. They role play members of the community involved in a major decision involving the protection of the environment.
Curated OER
Why Do Geese Fly South For the Winter?
Fifth graders examine migration by tracing animal migration routes on a map. In this animal life lesson, 5th graders observe a map of North America and read about the migration patterns of geese. Students trace the path most geese take...
Curated OER
Splish Splash
Students study drinking water. In this environment lesson, students draw the path of drinking water from the place of precipitation to the tap after researching a map and information from the United States Geological Survey water...
Curated OER
Peace Corps Challenge Game- Water Quality
Students advocate for clean water. In this water pollution lesson, students play the Peace Corps Challenge Game, discuss the effects of polluted water and write a letter to the mayor of Wanzuzu highlighting the situation of the fish's...
Curated OER
Invasive Mussels
In this ecology worksheet, students study a fact sheet on invasive mussels. They answer 8 short answer questions about it after reading the provided information.