National Park Service
Reduce Our Carbon Footprint, Let’s Compost!
Roll up your sleeves and get a little dirty with this elementary and middle school compost lesson. All you need is a large plastic container, a couple old newspapers, some organic waste, and a few hundred worms and you're ready to start...
Curated OER
Aerobic/Anaerobic Respiration
Both aerobic and anerobic respiration are introduced in this succinct PowerPoint. The chemical equations for both are included. The last slides give instructions for a lab activity in which pupils use a gas sensor to measure the...
National Wildlife Federation
An Inconvenient Truth in the Classroom
Global warming — what a hot topic! A thorough unit challenges learners to research, read, explore, and write about carbon, its role and increasing nature in our atmosphere, and how global warming is affecting lives and environments...
Curated OER
Carbon Dioxide
High schoolers conduct a series of experiments to explore carbon dioxide properties. In this chemistry lesson, students explain the production and uses of this gas. They measure its amount in soda and waste product of yeast.
Curated OER
Ecological Cycles Part 1
Knowing about the hydrologic cycle is the first step to understanding the carbon cycle. Upper graders discuss the earth's water content, polar ice caps, and the concept of the ecological cycle as it applies to carbon, nitrogen, and other...
National Wildlife Federation
Why All the Wiggling on the Way Up? CO2 in the Atmosphere
The climate change debate, in the political arena, is currently a hot topic! Learners explore carbon dioxide levels in our atmosphere and what this means for the future in the 11th installment of 12. Through an analysis of carbon dioxide...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Climate and Forest Ecosystem Services
Forests, through sequestration, capture excess carbon dioxide in our atmosphere and store it, aiding in climate change. The third installment in a four-part series on how climate impacts forests explores carbon sequestration. Classes...
Will Stegar Foundation
Citizen Climate
Many of the leading scientists in the world are studying climate change, and your learners can join in the discussion with a unit from the Will Steger Foundation. High schoolers work on eight lessons that focus on different aspect of...
Curated OER
Resources for Teaching about Biogeochemical Cycles
Students study the different cycles and Earth's systems. In this investigative activity students study the nitrogen and carbon cycles, play a game pertaining to it and also participate in a class activity.
Curated OER
How Much Carbon is Held by the World's Forests?
Seventh graders identify how much carbon is held by the world's forests. For this forestry instructional activity, 7th graders study the carbon cycle and discuss what role humans have had on climate change. Students write a one page...
NASA
Making Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide
Some like it hot! Scholars observe both exothermic and endothermic reactions as part of the carbon dioxide oxygen cycle. First, scientists demonstrate (or watch) a chemical reaction to create pure oxygen using fire for confirmation....
Chicago Botanic Garden
Historical Climate Cycles
Scientists use ice core samples to obtain temperatures of the earth from 400,000 years ago! The third of five lessons instructs pupils to interpret historical climate data to see changes over time. In part I, participants interpret...
National Wildlife Federation
Why All The Wiggling on the Way Up?
Some of the CO2 emitted by burning fossil fuels is removed from the atmosphere by natural sinks, such as the ocean. The fifth engaging lesson plan in the series of 21 examines the CO2 data from three very different locations. It then...
Rainforest Alliance
Climate Educator Guide
Climate change is a hot topic in the news. Class members examine carbon dioxide data to analyze trends of our atmospheric makeup over time. They also discuss climate and climate change, and determine how these changes are affecting life...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Climate and Earth Systems
The components of the atmosphere have a significant impact on long-term climate change. Learners begin by analyzing the role of carbon dioxide in the earth systems and how varying the levels would affect those systems—and ultimately...
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Forest Floor Investigation
Most living things go unnoticed. Change that using a fun activity about the nutrient cycle. Pupils use hula hoops to mark areas of study and then make observations about the living things they see. They first make surface observations,...
Space Awareness
Transforming Water Into Acid ... And Back
Greenhouse gases affect marine wildlife in life-threatening ways. Through experimentation, your classes explore the acidification of water from the main greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. As they introduce carbon dioxide to water, a pH...
UAF Geophysical Institute
Carbon Footprint
Your young environmentalists can calculate their carbon footprint and discuss ways to reduce it with a worksheet about climate change. After reading a handout about what impact one's carbon footprint can have on the environment, kids...
Space Awareness
Ocean Acidification
Learn the science behind ocean acidification and its effects on ocean wildlife. Young scientists conduct a laboratory investigation that monitors the acidity level of water. While burning a candle, learners capture the carbon dioxide in...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Are Global CO2 Levels Changing?
According to the Mauna Loa observatory, carbon dioxide levels increased by 3 ppm in our atmosphere between 2015–2016. Individuals analyze carbon dioxide data from around the world and then share this with a home group in lesson three of...
Curated OER
Carbon Creating Activity
In this carbon worksheet, students follow directions and use marshmallows and toothpicks to made carbon dioxide and glucose molecules. Students do this to see how carbon changes as a result of photosynthesis.
Curated OER
Hazards: First Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
Examine the environmental hazards associated with volcanoes with a three-part science lesson. In the pre-lab, first graders learn that gas, landslides, ash, and lava are all hazards that come from volcanoes. They then explore hazardous...
Curated OER
Alcoholic Fermentation in Yeast
Biology classes will bubble with excitement as they complete this assignment. Beginning with an informative overview of cellular respiration and fermentation processes, the highlight comes as an experiment in determining the rate of...
Curated OER
Alternative Energy
Students discover the different alternative fuel sources. In this biology lesson, students identify the different stages of the carbon cycle. They explain the pros and cons of using alternative energy.