High schoolers conduct a survey of society's typical purchasing practices to determine the influence of packaging on consumer choices and to determine if consumers consider waste disposal and recycling when making purchasing decisions.

Learners examine the guidelines the United States Department of Agriculture places on food. In groups, they create a list of the foods they consume and discuss the political and environmental implications of purchasing the food. They...

Students identify and explain the relationships within a food web. They use index cards to glue pictures of producers and consumers. On the back of the card, students name the organism, list the type of biome in which it is found.

Students demonstrate responsible consumer choices. In this social studies activity, students read The Lorax and discuss wants and needs. Students discuss how to save natural resources by making informed consumer choices.

Students analyze the packaging process. In this consumer awareness instructional activity, students analyze the process of packaging a potato and identify positive and negative ways of packaging. Students study statistics on an overhead...

Students investigate buying purchases in bulk. In this buying in bulk lesson plan, students consider ways to cut costs and reduce waste in landfills by making bulk purchases.

How many of us can say they've seen a Pacific walrus? Not many and one of the reasons is the impact of climate change on their aquatic environment. Children get to think about the food web of the Bering Sea by creating an actual web with...

Protect the world from energy depletion—join the Energy Intelligence Agency. Using a set of cards, pupils distinguish between correct and incorrect information regarding energy use in the United States. They analyze graphs and diagrams...

Fifth graders identify the ways people use trees. In this Science lesson, 5th graders play a word game with tree classification. Students determine the need for protecting natural resources.

What are fibersheds and what what do they have to do with environmental protections? A photo essay and audio recordings about Mimi Luebbermann, and her sheep, cause consumers to reflect on how their clothing choices can support local...

Are you a koalafied biologist? The lesson begins with research about human survival and our ecosystem. Then, an online training module simulates the effects of changes to the plants and animals in an ecosystem. Finally, scholars research...

Eighth graders complete an online scavenger hunt about banana cultivation before they visit a grocery store to examine banana products. They investigate "certified" means in relation to banana production and read the "Rainforest Alliance...

Complete fashion design activities as a part of a study on protecting the environment. In this fashion and environment lesson plan, students discuss global environmental awareness and work in groups to list recyclable products that can...

Students explore Earth science by participating in a pollution activity. In this water infiltration lesson plan, students utilize a water sprayer, food coloring and slices of bread to simulate how pollution can spread into our drinking...

Eighth graders examine criteria that may be involved in forest certification.  In this rainforest lesson students create a brochure to educate people on the benefits of buying certified forest products.

From tiny organisms to entire biomes, young scientists examine the interdependent relationships tying all living and non-living things together with this collection of ecology resources.

What's in a cell, anyway? Kids read informational text on what makes up both animal and plant cells, including a page of vocabulary terms they will need to be familiar with (cytoplasm, ribosomes, vacuoles, etc.). Full-color images...

Is qualitative or quantitative research more convincing when it comes to climate change? In the eighth lesson during this 21-part series, scholars begin by performing a quantitative analysis of deforestation and urbanization. Then, they...

Students answer a quiz on rainforests. They plan an advertising campaign to let consumers know the effect their purchases are having on the environment. They list the reasons for deforestation and possible alternatives.

Learners brainstorm what they do that requires land use and use a worksheet to calculate their footprint (the total area of land and water required to produce all the resources they consume). They then compare their footprints to each...

Students demonstrate how chemicals accumulate in fish fat. They study path ways of toxins in the fish's body and ways to prepare fish to avoid consuming the toxins. They examine U.S. and Canada regulations to protect the environment.

Students assess how patterns, functions and algebra can assist NASA engineers design new ways of propelling spacecrafts. They explore how electricity and magnetism are replacing the fuel-consuming rocket propulsion. Electromagnetism is...

Fifth graders focus on the various types of fish living in different water environments. In groups, they research the different methods used to fish and participate in experiments to determine the effects of mercury on fish, the...

Did you know that cars weren't designed for passenger safety until the 1960s? The lesson starts with a quick quiz on automobile safety. Then, scholars evaluate three cars for their safety features. This is the third in a set of nine...