Brainstorm ideas to design a sustainable guest village in the Sonoran Desert. The first installment of a nine-part unit teaches young environmental scientists about the basics of the Saguaro National Park and about sustainable design....

Students discuss what happens to their wastewater. They read about the wastewater treatment process. Students are asked what types of things get flushed down toilets or goes down drains in sinks and showers. They are taught what happens...

Eighth graders research and write reports on key figures of the Antebellum Period. The projects also include pictures, bibliographies, and timelines about their assigned figure. In addition, 8th graders present oral reports to classmates.

Fourth graders examine the animals who live in rice paddies and create a chart.  In this rice lesson, 4th graders link the types of animals living in each ecosystem with a bar graph. Students use colored bars to show...

Students work to improve a plot of land. They assess the needs of the environment and formulate a plan. They plant trees and gardens, build bird boxes, construct waterholes. etc.

Students conduct Internet research on a variety of ant species and their habitats. They have an opportunity to observe ants in their environment. Areas of interest might include ant identification, colony life, the ant life cycle, and...

Students analyze the mechanisms for generating ocean currents, temperature, and deep ocean circulation. They are able to assess the formation and breaking of waves and their effect on shorelines, particularly the North Carolina coast. ...

Investigate Pennsylvania Barns. Have your class consider the elements common to Pennsylvanian barns and why they are significant to the food production process. They write summaries of Frederick Watts and his impact on agriculture.

Learners create a sustainable, self-contained ecosystem in a ten-gallon aquarium.

Students investigate the role of sponges in our oceans.  In this biology lesson, students create a diagram visualizing how sponges bring food into their bodies through a filtering process.  Students discuss the connections...

Students explore biological evolution and natural selection and its evolutionary consequences. They also explore how organisms are interdependent on one another.

High schoolers become connected to their watershed by exploring a local water body and mapping its features. They focus on how the local watershed fits into the larger scheme of the watershed.

Students hike a local mountain and examine its life zones. They measure various components at each zone and collect leaf litter at the sites. At the mountain top, students make descriptive observations and complete a handout about the...

Not only do mealworms taste great, they are also great for classroom science lessons. In pairs, young scientists observe and record what they see as they check out what their mealworms are doing from minute to minute. Each minute...

Many people think of bugs as annoying pests to be squashed, but most insects and spiders are beneficial, eating the actual pests or pollinating plants. After reviewing some of the common bugs in your area (they may differ from those...

Students develop an interactive diary to record bird seed consumption. In this habitat lesson, students predict and record the amount of birdseed eaten each week by birds.

Middle schoolers simulate online the formation of Ape Cave, in order to better explain its construction. They observe, illustrate and discuss geological features of this lava tube.

Students review their prior knowledge on biomes and ecosystems. At a local Christmas tree farm, they work together in groups to identify the changes occuring in the area. They participate in solving a mystery in which they determine the...

Second graders discuss how farmers grow rice. In this rice growing lesson plan, 2nd graders see the optimal condition for land in order to grow rice. They experiment with clay and garden soil to see which holds water better. 

Fifth graders examine migration by tracing animal migration routes on a map.  In this animal life lesson, 5th graders observe a map of North America and read about the migration patterns of geese.  Students trace the path most...

Students map the ecoregions in Texas and illustrate the vegetation native to the region. They will use their maps to investigate why prehistoric hunter-gatherers might have decided to live in one area over another, such as the ancient...

Students examine water quality and how to improve it, how to measure it and how it relates to human activities.  In this water quality lesson students sample water from different sources, and test the samples. 

Students list four ways to identify trees. In this tree identification instructional activity, students use tree identification techniques such as leafs, bark, wood grain, soil type, and climate to create tables and graphs.