KOG Ranger Program
Managing Forests to Prevent Wildfires
Sometimes the best way to prevent forest fires is to create smaller fires. Explore forest management with an activity that explains the ways that controlled burns can keep unexpected fires from running amok in the wilderness and nearby...
University of Florida
Unhealthy Forests and the News
Everyone knows a tree makes a sound when it falls, but what do we know about dying trees? Class members learn background information about Laurel wilt disease from a teacher-led presentation. Team members work with partners to read and...
Desert Discovery
Life Cycle of the Saguaro
Third graders make books which illustrate the growth and development of a saguaro cactus from its beginnings as a seed all the way through its death. They trace the life cycle of the saguaro, identify each of the stages in its life, and...
Curated OER
Multiplying With Nine As A Factor
Elementary math minds complete various activities to memorize the multiples of nine. They watch a PowerPoint presentation and demonstrate the finger trick. Unfortunately the link to the multiplication activities does not take you...
Curated OER
Time/Elapsed Time
Young mathematicians complete various activities to demonstrate proficiency in telling time and identifying elapsed time. They analyze and discuss television schedules, create a booklet about their daily activities, produce a TV. guide,...
Curated OER
El Nino
Explore the properties of water and the affects of El Nino. Middle schoolers will learn about the devastation an El Nino can cause as well as the definition of El Nino. Additionally, they will discover the cause of El Nino along with the...
University of Wisconsin
Bimodel Botany Bouquet
Gardeners are given an individual plant specimen from a bouquet of local rain garden plants. They group up by their plant type and then make observations together, name the plant, and introduce it to the rest of the class. You then share...
Curated OER
The Dust Bowl
Students discover the causes of droughts. In this Dust Bowl lesson, students follow the provided steps to complete a hands-on activity that demonstrates drought conditions. Students write summaries about the Dust Bowl.
Curated OER
The Day the Water Ran Out
Young scholars explore ecosystems by researching desert characteristics. In this drought instructional activity, students identify the potential impacts of a drought on their home state and interview people who are familiar with water...
Curated OER
The Legend of the Blue Bonnet
Pupils complete pre reading, writing, during reading, and interdisciplinary activities for the book The Legend of the Blue Bonnet. In this reading lesson plan, students complete journal entries, go over vocabulary, answer short answer...
Curated OER
Drought, nomads and the price of peanuts
Students read two short text items, which describe different approaches to agriculture. They describe the likely advantages and disadvantages of each approach for farmers, commercial peanut buyers, the government, nomadic herdsman and...
Curated OER
Water Wars
Students investigate the water wars taking place in Ethiopia. In this global issues instructional activity, students research the water shortages in East Africa. Students participate in a discussion that requires them to put themselves...
Curated OER
Easy Street
Pupils work together to complete a simulation on drought days. As a class, they discuss their results and compare water usage of the past to current numbers. After reading short excerpts, they answer discussion questions and review as a...
Curated OER
LOSING GROUND
Students will observe wind erosion and how crop residue prevents erosion.Point out the three kinds of fields to the students. Do as much or as little instruction as needed to explain the pan with crop residue. Conservation tillage...
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
Water Wars
Students investigate the water wars taking place in East Africa. In this global issues lesson, students watch video clips and read selected articles about the water shortages in East Africa. Students estimate their own average daily...
Curated OER
Dust in the Wind
Students investigate causes and effects of droughts by participating in a simulation 'town hall meeting.' Acting as community members, students make informed decisions to help a town and its surrounding areas suffering effects of a...
Curated OER
Hot Weather, Rain Mean Fewer Pumpkins
Students share their knowledge of pumpkins, then read a news article about how hot weather and rain are affecting the pumpkin crop. In this agriculture and current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a discussion and...
Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area
Life as a Pioneer
Students examine historical documents and research why early pioneers settled on the Iowa prairie. They review maps, describe the impact of railroading, describe life in pioneer times, and identify the effects of drought, prairie fire,...
Curated OER
Salt Marsh in a Pan
Students create a model of a salt marsh to discover the impact of pollution and human activities on water-based habitats including bays and the ocean. They recognize the relationship between natural and developed areas. Students impact...
Curated OER
The Ancient Maya
Students explore the culture of the Mayans through a variety of activities. In this instructional activity about Maya, students analyze pictures in books and on websites, produce scale models of Maya architecture, and create Maya...
Curated OER
Hunters and Gatherers
Sixth graders participate in mapping and other activities to understand why ancient civilizations developed as they did. In this ancient civilization lesson, 6th graders recognize that there were three important climate zones and...
Advocates for Human Rights
The Right to a Clean Environment: Water
First, young citizens learn about water consumption by doing some research themselves on their home water usage and sharing their findings with the class. Then, they do some brainstorming and devise a plan to reduce water consumption.
Curated OER
Pastoralists and Agrarians: Identifying Connections between Historical and Contemporary Migration
Pastoralists and agrarians, livestock raisers and farmers. Using the conflict in Darfur as a lens, class members investigate the conflicts that arise when these groups are forced to migrate from one area to another.