US Environmental Protection Agency
Non-Point Source Pollution
Investigate the different types of pollution that storm drain runoff carries into oceans, lakes, rivers, and streams with this class demonstration. Using an aquarium and an assortment of everyday items that contaminants like motor oil,...
Curated OER
Playing in mud puddles
Students examine the effects of rainfall on different surfaces and discuss water pollution. They review the water cycle and the uses of water in daily lifestyles. Students discuss the effects of soil run off in streams and rivers.
Kenan Fellows
Sustainability: Learning for a Lifetime – The Importance of Water
Water is essential for life—and understanding the importance of clean drinking water is essential in understanding sustainability! Show your environmental science class the basics of water testing and treatment through a week-long...
Curated OER
Acid Attack
Pupils explore the effect of chemical erosion on statues and monuments. They use chalk to see what happens when limestone is placed in liquids with different pH values. They also discover several things that engineers are doing to reduce...
Curated OER
Soil Investigations
Young scholars examine the basics about soil. In this soil lesson plan students describe the physical properties of soil and explain what soil profile is.
Curated OER
Science: Lead Shot and Waterfowl
Students examine data to investigate the impact of lead shot pellets on waterfowl populations. They graph their findings and discover how lead in ingested by birds and poisons them. As an extension, students research legislation and...
Curated OER
Water Pollution
Fifth graders investigate how humans pollute the water supply with a number of different contaminates. While working in small groups they examine screening, sedimentation, filtration, and chemical treatments as methods of water treatment.
Curated OER
Water Pollution
Fifth graders observe and record what happens when household products are added to a tank of water to depict water pollution. They brainstorm ideas of how to clean the contaminate out of the water before watching demonstrations of...
Curated OER
How Can We Conserve Water?
Students describe the importance of water conservation and list ways to conserve. They construct composts and fill them with materials that recycle nutrients. They inspect their homes for leaky pipes, toilets, and faucets.
Curated OER
THE FARMER CARES FOR THE LAND
Young scholars will identify cause and effect relationships in issues relating to Agriculture and the environment.Ask students to describe what farmers do. Then ask young scholars to define the word "environmentalist." Ask students if...
Curated OER
Water Pollution
Fifth graders examine what contaminated water looks like, and how it becomes polluted. They examine a teacher demonstration of water is not polluted but does contain rocks and other things that do need to be cleaned out before drinking...
Curated OER
Water Pollution
Fifth graders study the impact of human activity on water quality and on the ecosystems of Earth. After a discussion on the various ways that water can be polluted, groups of youngsters get together to figure out the best way to clean a...
Curated OER
Water Pollution
Here is a fine lesson for fifth graders that will give them an idea of the variety of impacts that human-introduced pollutants have on the environment. After an initial class discussion and teacher-led demonstration, pupils brainstorm...
Curated OER
Reading Comprehension 5: Level 10
Whether used as a reading comprehension assessment, as the basis of a mini-lesson on reading strategies, or as extra practice, this exercise will prove to be valuable because of the answers and explanation key that accompanies the...
Curated OER
Stream Ecology In Wisconsin and Puerto Rico
Students identify the different types of water and explain in what proportions they exist on Earth. They identify and correctly label the parts of the water cycle and how these parts interact with each other. Students identify the...
Curated OER
Soil, Designer Soil: From Rainforests to the Prairie
Students explore the role and importance of soil in the ecosystem. In this Science and Social Studies instructional activity, students complete an experiment using various kinds of soil and clay and then examine how soil has a direct...
Curated OER
How Our Water Becomes Polluted
Students list causes of water pollution, discuss how people contribute to water pollution, and explain concept of watershed.
Curated OER
Listen to the Land
Pupils discover how we use land. They gain insight into the way we use the land, both for benefit and consequence. Students explore how to 'listen to the land' as they make decisions on how it should be used and the consequences of...
Curated OER
Do You Have Change?
Learners analyze data and complete a worksheet about land use change in a coastal region. In this land use lesson, students discuss events that cause land use changes in coastal areas. They construct a change table to summarize data on...
Curated OER
Dirt Alert
Students explore the environment and effects of pollution. They participate in a "Dirt Alert" scavenger game to study vocabulary words. Students construct a soil simulator to visually illustrate the negative effects on the environment of...
Curated OER
Matter and Chemical Bonding
In this chemical bonding activity, students read about the invisible killer, dihydrogen monoxide. Students read about the products it is used in and the problems it causes to the environment. Then students complete 19 short answer...