Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Comparing the Effects of El Nino and La Nina

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students examine the differences between an El Nino and La Nina year.  In this investigative lesson students create maps and graphs of the data they obtained. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Living in the Greenhouse

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students discuss the different types of climate zones found throughout the world. They participate in activities which relate to real events. They make observations and the consequences of their actions on the environment.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Where Are the Bugs?

For Teachers 6th - 7th
Students trap, collect and identify arthropods in a newly created desert tortoise preserve area over a period of one school year. They determine the rate at which various arthropods take up residence in the newly landscaped area. Data is...
Unit Plan
Intel

Biomes in Action

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
A STEM project-based learning lesson, number four in a series of 10, focuses on human impacts to biomes around the world. Groups work together as environmentalists to research a specific biome, investigating human impacts on it. From...
Interactive
American Museum of Natural History

Journey to Deep Sea Vents

For Students 6th - 12th
Take a deep dive into oceanography. The online interactive allows for learners to board a submersible to dive to the bottom of the ocean to investigate sea vents. On the way down, individuals see different marine life at different...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

People of the Desert

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young scholars study the importance of caring for desert water sources. In this desert instructional activity, students investigate water resources that are available in deserts. They listen to a read aloud about the Sonoran Desert...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Opening Doors to Social Studies with Children's Literature: The Desert Alphabet Book

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students explore the geography of the United States. In this social studies lesson, students identify the major deserts on a map of the United States.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Animals of the Desert: Research

For Students 2nd - 3rd
For this desert animals research worksheet, students prepare to write a report on a desert animal. Students read the list of animals, choose one and do the research to answer 8 questions about this animal.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Quiz: Animals of the Desert

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
In this science worksheet, learners complete a 10 question multiple choice quiz about desert animals. The answers are provided with explanations upside down on the page.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Geography Quiz 22

For Students 7th - 12th
In this geography learning exercise, students answer short answer geography questions about landmarks around the world. Students complete 10 questions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Desert Dwellers

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study deserts and how they occur.  In this desert lesson students research deserts and desertification then divide into groups and come up with an action plan to help rehabilitate these areas. 
Interactive
Curated OER

Continent of Africa

For Students 3rd - 5th
In this geography instructional activity, students examine a map of Africa and read about the characteristics of the continent. They use the map and information to answer 10 online fill in the blank questions.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Deserts Word Search

For Students 3rd - 4th
In this geography and environment worksheet, students locate the names of 20 of the world's deserts in a word search puzzle of medium difficulty.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Journey to Topaz, a Literature Based Approach

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students view a video clip of the experiences of Japanese-Americans during World War II. They read parts of a book in which a child tells her story about living in the internment camps. They participate in a simulation activity as well.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

I Can Find that Where? - A Study of Landforms

For Teachers 1st
First graders make landform maps of the United States. In this landform lessons, 1st graders participate in a discussion of local landforms and make a landform map of the United States. They follow the teacher's directions to add plains,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

N.A.M.I.B. (Namib Animal Mobile of Interesting Birds)

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Pupils investigate the birds of the Namib Desert. They watch and discuss a video, and color and construct a bird mobile of the various birds that live in the Namib Desert.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Deadly Deserts

For Students 5th - 7th
In this reading comprehension instructional activity, students read a passage regarding different deserts and answer 10 questions. The questions are a mix of true/false, short answer, and matching.
Worksheet
Curated OER

World Climates

For Students 6th - 10th
In this climate instructional activity, students will identify 5 different biomes, solve 4 number puzzles, unscramble 6 world biomes, and 4 word puzzles about climate and biomes.
Worksheet
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission

What is Drought? No Rain, No Water

For Teachers 2nd - 4th Standards
How can climate change affect our water supply? Have kids read a passage about the water cycle and water conservation, which includes six questions that challenge them to use context clues.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Formation and Value of Temperate Grasslands

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Learners get an overview of the climate and organisms of the North American Prairie. After a lecture, and watching some videos imbedded in this plan, students compile research data on the North American Prairie.
Worksheet
K12 Reader

Location, Location, Location

For Students 2nd - 3rd Standards
Why do some places in the world have more people living there than other places? Learn about the ways the countries have formed around natural resources with a reading comprehension activity. After kids read a short...
Unit Plan
Curated OER

Educator's Guide: Holes

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
You'll be a star at your next grade level meeting with an educational unit on Louis Sachar's Holes. Based on both the novel and film, the lessons include applications to language arts with character studies and movie reviews; social...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring Biomes Lesson 2: Biome Research

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Learners view a PowerPoint presentation on biomes and their classifications. Divide them into groups and assign them each an individual biome to research. There are pictures of the PowerPoint slides and notes about what to teach for...
Worksheet
Curated OER

What Causes Day and Night?

For Students 4th - 5th
Why do we have four seasons? A series of questions about the Earth's orbit and its impact on seasons challenge Earth science students.The second page of the resource has nine multiple choice questions, such as "One year on Earth is one...