Curated OER
Vibration and Pitch
Fifth graders investigate the relation between vibrations and pitch. They observe and discuss an experiment involving a bicycle and a piece of cardboard in the spokes, listen to a comb with cardboard, and listen to various sounds and...
Curated OER
Daisyworld: Stella Mac or PC
Learners investigate Daisyworld, a very simple planet that has only two species of life on its surface - white and black daisies, and bare ground. They construct a Stella model of Daisyworld and perform guided experiments to explore the...
Curated OER
The Water Cycle and Global Warming
Students study the flow of water in the environment. In this water cycle activity students evaluate the consequences of changes in the water cycle using data.
Curated OER
The Crusty Fossils
Students identify some of the different species of crabs and tell how they adapt themselves to their environment. They discuss the evolution and stages of development of the crabs. They identify the Phylum Arthropoda and the Class...
Curated OER
Holy Habitats or Meet Metamorphosis
Students examine the metamorphosis of frogs and how it adapts to its environment. They research how world pollutants are effecting the amphibian population.
Curated OER
Centennial: Mammoths to man
Students research and investigate woolly mammoths in order to determine what caused their extinction in Utah. They research how Utah changed in the time after the mammoth disappeared.
Curated OER
To Light or Not to Light
Students examine the role of light and dark in a living environment. In this photosynthesis instructional activity, students hypothesize about the best environment for plant growth, record observations using plant seeds in various light...
Curated OER
A Tree for all Seasons
Students investigate seasons. In this environment lesson, students describe the four seasons by drawing an appropriate tree for each season.
Curated OER
Mercury Emissions: "Cap and Trade" Game
Students identify the role of government in protecting the environment, and participate in a game where they run a profitable or unprofitable power plant in changing market conditions. They summarize the pros and cons of emissions credit...
Curated OER
Home Sweet Home
Learners examine the change in the diversity of animals living in an area before and after development. In order to do this, students need to have access to an area near their school which is undeveloped. A good, "real life" lesson.
Curated OER
Packing Materials
Learners observe the effects of water on four different packing materials to determine which ones are more soluble. They then decide which material would be a good packing material to use for the environment and which may be a bad...
Curated OER
Jamestown Colony
Third graders explore cooperation between British settlers and Native Americans in the Jamestown Colony. They describe how the colonists and Powhatan Indians depended on the environment for their survival. Students write a report on the...
Curated OER
Our Special Planet Earth
Students explore what is special about our planet. They explore the various climates that are found on the planet Earth. Students create an advertisement to convince people why their favorite environment would be the best place to visit.
Curated OER
Biocomplexity Lab Activity: Measuring Water pH
Students test unknown solutions for pH levels to determine which organism can live in each environment. They name three substances that they think are acids. Students determine a solution is an acid or base. They define the term pH.
Curated OER
School Site Ecosystem
Fourth graders are introduced to the concept of ecosystem; specifically, the interrelationships among plants and animals within an ecosystem, and their relationships to the environment in which they live and interact.
Curated OER
Oh Deer!
Students discuss the components necessary to keep animal populations alive . Then they participate in a game where they interact as deer, food, water, and shelter. The activity demonstrates that nature is not static, but changes with the...
Curated OER
What Makes a House a House
Students examine the ways in which the environment influences the house design. They describe how the physical environment, weather and local materials influence the type of house a family builds. They draw a house according to a given...
Curated OER
Sun Seeking Plants
Students investigate the story "The Tiny Seed" by Eric Carle. This story is used to introduce the children to the concept that seeds change and grow into plants when conditions in the environment including temperature, light, water and...
Curated OER
Methods of Heat Transfer
Eighth graders discuss the forms of heat transfer that relate to the human body. Discussion revolves around the ability of different designs of hats to change the rate of heat transfer to and from the body. Students then experiment...
Curated OER
What is Drought?
Students explore and conduct an experiment on the effects of drought on the environment. They define what drought is and the impact that a shortage of rainfall can have on agriculture, municipal water supplies, tourism, recreation, etc.
Curated OER
Environmental Jobs
Young scholars evaluate whether particular jobs have a positive or negative impact on the environment. In this career exploration lesson, students complete a worksheet in pairs to determine if and why various jobs impact the environment.
Curated OER
Hurricanes and Climate
Students investigate maps and data to learn about the connections between hurricanes and climate. In this exploratory lesson plan students describe and graph the 6 regions where hurricanes happen and discuss how hurricanes have changed...
Curated OER
Using the Problem Solving Wheel
Students solve problems about air quality. In this air quality lesson, students receive a scenario from the problem wheel and find solutions to the air quality problem. Students write a paragraph summarizing what they learned.
Curated OER
Movement of Air Diorama Activity
Learners make a diorama to illustrate the process of mechanical airflow. For this movement of air lesson, students discuss ventilation and air movement indoors. Learners discuss ventilation systems and study pictures of the systems....