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...
Kenan Fellows
Effects of a Golf Course on Stream Health
Is the golf course causing issues in the stream? Find out with a resource that has groups perform chemical water tests to analyze the effects of a golf course on a stream. Pupils collect water above and below the course and analyze the...
Forest Foundation
Fire - How Does it Relate to You?
Forest fires can be a necessary step in keeping a forest healthy, but what happens when they get out of control? Learners investigate the causes and effects of forest fires in two specific areas, culminating in a report about the ways...
Curated OER
What Are Erosion and Sediments?
Middle schoolers create experiments in class based on the erosion of Earth. In this erosion lesson, students perform a lab in class replicating the effects of erosion. Middle schoolers finally draw their own conclusions based on the...
National Institute of Open Schooling
Air Pollution
Seventy percent of the air pollution in China is due to car exhaust. Under the umbrella of environmental chemistry, learners extensively explore air pollution. From the makeup of our atmosphere to sources of major air pollutants, classes...
Curated OER
Making Your Own Sampling Tools
Students examine cause-and-effect relationship between human attitudes and behavior in the environment. They also assist citizens in increasing their sensitivity and stewardship for the environment.
Curated OER
Getting our Paws into the Cause
Twelfth graders examine local, state, and/or national animal welfare organization. In this Social Studies instructional activity, 12th graders research their identified organization. Students develop a planned intervention strategy to...
Curated OER
Big Arky, A Real Arkansas Monster
Middle schoolers examine the world of the Arkansas alligator and topics that are related to wetland environments. They pay attention to the relationship between geography, climate, environment, and the animals who live there. A role-play...
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
A Student Exploration of the Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States
Let the data drive the science. Learners examine data provided in resources to discover connections between climate change and health of vulnerable populations. They study trends and present findings using their choice of projects.
Curated OER
Storms and Extreme Weather
Young scholars explore hurricanes and tornadoes by conducting an experiment. In this weather pattern lesson, students define many extreme weather vocabulary terms and discuss the relationship with static electricity. Young scholars...
Curated OER
Government Lesson Plan - Number 14
Students analyze data on air pollution in Maryland. They evaluate the effectiveness of government actions to improve air quality. Each group recommends actions that would improve air quality on the federal, state and local level.
Curated OER
Cancer Research
Students participate in a class demonstration to see how many Americans are affected by cancer in their lifetime. In this public health lesson, students are placed in situations that allow them to experience how relevant cancer research...
Curated OER
Nutrient Enrichment vs. Oxygen Depletion
Learners investigate how excess nutrients enter a body of water, and the harmful effects they have on aquatic organisms.
Curated OER
Environment: How'd That Pollution Get There?
Pupils examine how global wind and water patterns aid in the spread of worldwide pollution. In groups, they read articles about the domino effect of pollution and create posters displaying its journey. On blank world maps, students...
Curated OER
Water Quality and Dissolved Oxygen
Pupils investigate the relationship between dissolved oxygen and organic materials and aquatic organisms. This is a 3-lesson series in which students explore dissolved oxygen and then design an experiment testing the effects of changes.
Curated OER
Organic Materials in an Aquatic Ecosystem
Students evaluate the relationship between oxygen levels and the amount of organic matter in an aquatic ecosystem. They explain the relationship between oxygen levels, bacteria and the breakdown of organic matter using an indicator...
Curated OER
Pipeline to the Coral Reefs
High schoolers discuss the relationship of density to stratification. In this marine science lesson plan, students create a model of upwelling events using cold and warm water. They discuss how water phenomena affect coral reefs.
Curated OER
Where to shop?
Pupils study a topic of an environmental nature that is relevant to them (as individuals) on a local level, but with global implications. They consider whether their family's shopping habits have any lasting effects on the environment.
Curated OER
Changing Planet: Ocean Acidification - the Chemistry is Less than Basic!
A video and laboratory investigation are highlights to this activity on acidification of ocean water due to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide. Using bromothymol blue (BTB) as an indicator, pupils analyze the amount of carbon dioxide...
Curated OER
The Rain Forest
Students explain the basics of the tropical rain forest ecosystem. They list the four general layers of vegetation found in the tropical rain forest.
Curated OER
TE Activity: Trash Talkin'
Students collect and categorize solid waste produced in the classroom. They weigh the waste that has been collected over one week's time, and separate it into recyclable and non-recyclable waste. They talk about the role of engineers in...
National Wildlife Federation
Branching Out – Exploring Dendrochronology
Tree rings from North America give a continuous history of El Nino intensity over the last 1,100 years. Scholars learn how scientists use tree rings to create timelines demonstrating variations in weather patterns. The cumulative...
Curated OER
The Water We Drink
Third graders relate that the quality of their drinking water is subject to the condition of the environment and water found in streams and creeks in their community. They track the travel of a wad of paper from a student's desk to a...
Curated OER
T3 Lesson Plan: Number 3
Sixth graders investigate local water. In this water cycle lesson, 6th graders take samples from surrounding water sources. Students record data from the samples, compare and graph the results.