NOAA
How Do We Know?: Make Additional Weather Sensors; Set Up a Home Weather Station
Viewers learn about three different weather measurement tools in installment five of the 10-part Discover Your Changing World series. They build weather vanes to collect data on wind speed, barometers to determine air pressure, and...
NOAA
The Methane Circus
Step right up! An engaging research-centered lesson, the third in a series of six, has young archaeologists study the amazing animals of the Cambrian explosion. Working in groups, they profile a breathtaking and odd creature and learn...
Curated OER
Rainforest Unit
Students investigate the Rainforest. In this Rainforest lesson, students research magazines, journals and the Internet to create a "Save the Rainforest" slogan. Students will record local rainfall amounts and create a graph comparing...
Curated OER
Biomimicry, Nature: Architecture of the Future
Students explore the relationship between nature and architecture. For this cross curriculum history, culture, and architecture lesson, students observe and discuss structures visible in nature. Students view websites in which Native...
Curated OER
Fall Around the World
What is autumn like in Shanghai? How much rain falls during September in Sydney? Is Moscow cold in October? Take a virtual trip around the world with a research assignment on autumn in different countries. After learners answer questions...
Curated OER
Does Cloud Type Affect Rainfall?
Student uses MY NASA DATA to obtain precipitation and cloud type data. They create graphs of data within MY NASA DATA. They compare different cloud types as well as precipitation types. They describe graphs of the precipitation and cloud...
Curated OER
Survival of the Fastest: Predator and Prey in the African Savannah
Students explore the predator-prey relationship using an interactive game. In this biology lesson, students compare their physical attributes. They explain how predators develop to make it stronger and efficient as hunters. Each...
Curated OER
Comparing Temperatures and Latitudes
Eighth graders collect weather data from a variety of cities at the same latitudes, but on different continents. They organize data using spreadsheet program, generate graphs, and incorporate into a word processing document. Students...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
European Explorers
To compare how the Spanish, French, and English approached the exploration of North America, class groups examine primary source documents and become experts on one of four explorers: Francisco Coronado, Robert LaSalle, Samuel de...
Curated OER
Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System
Wow! What a lesson plan! Six terrific activities are described in great detail, in this 31-page document! Learners will model and explain cloud formation, sketch and identify certain cloud types, calculate and compare incoming and...
Curated OER
Understanding Climate Change
Explore the causes and effects of a warming planet with your students.
Curated OER
Cooking with the Sun
Students explore using energy from the sun for heating and cooking as they build and compare the performance of four solar cooker designs. This excellent two-day lesson has groups of students build and test a variety of solar cookers....
Curated OER
Are You an Energy Efficient Consumer?
In this energy consumption learning exercise, students use on line resources to explore the energy use by different countries around the world. Students compare the amount of light emitted by different countries and their carbon...
Curated OER
Using Repeat Photography to Map Environmental Hazards
Learners investigate the changes of their environment by experimenting with photography. In this environmental observation lesson, students compare historic photographs of areas with pictures they have just taken. Learners...
Curated OER
The Atmosphere Then and Now
Students recall details about the formation of the earth and early atmosphere. They name the layers of the atmosphere and compare amounts of atmospheric nitrogen, oxygen, and argon. Formulate questions about global warming.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Measuring Biodiversity in Gorongosa
Take your biology class' understanding of biodiversity to a whole new level! Ecology scholars use data to calculate three different diversity indices based on the organisms in the Gorongosa National Park. The four-part activity uses an...
College Board
2010 AP® Environmental Science Free-Response Questions
Scientists rely heavily on data to make predictions and find solutions. Young scholars become scientists as they analyze information presented to them to construct responses. They consider scenarios related to air pollution, invasive...
Smithsonian Institution
Separate is Not Equal: Fight for Desegregation
Separate is not equal! An eye-opening lesson delves into the past to understand the fight for desegregation and how it impacted African American communities. Academics complete two one-hour lessons using documents, photographs, and...
Smithsonian Institution
Resistance to School Desegregation: The Boston Busing Crisis
Despite how it sounds, Boston's busing crisis wasn't a transportation problem. Academics address the problems faced by African Americans following school desegregation and the struggle to receive equal educational opportunities. Scholars...
Curated OER
Terrestrial Sequestration - Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration
Students investigate how plants absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. In this biology lesson plan, students differentiate photosynthesis and cellular respiration. They discuss the important role of plants in the environment.
Curated OER
Geography of Our Environment
Students explore geographical elements. In this geographical elements lesson, students create a map showing the geographical elements in their area. Students take pictures of these elements to glue to their map and present it to the class.
Curated OER
Polar Bear Panic!
Students identify the three realms of the Arctic Ocean, and describe the relationships between these realms. They graphically analyze data on sea ice cover in the Arctic Ocean, and recognize a trend in these data.
Curated OER
Climate
Students study zoanthids. In this science and art lesson, students use line to create texture and how to use colors to create value. Students share their beautiful mat zoanthids with the rest of the class.
Curated OER
How Does Your Garden Grow? Discovering How Weather Patterns Affect Natural Cycles
For the warm-up in this cool climate lesson, you will need to click on "Mapping" and then "US Mapping" once you arrive at NOAA's "US Climate at a Glance" page. Earth science explorers realize that 2012 was a warm winter for us. They read...