Curated OER
Lost in Space
Here is a case study for high school or college-level learners about space exploration equipment that has failed. The class reads about the Mars Climate Orbiter that was destroyed in 1999 and discusses the costs and benefits of space...
Curated OER
Siting a New School
Students examine concerns of government and developers in deciding where to build a new school. They participate in a discussion simulation and complete a cost and benefit analysis of the alternatives.
Curated OER
Swamps, Shrimp, and Tsunamis: A Simulation of Sustainable Development Issues in Coastal Ecuador
Students examine the economic benefits, environmental losses and dangers of the shrimp farming industry on the coast of Ecuador. They read a script, role-play people involved in the shrimp business, and write an essay of the pros and cons.
Curated OER
Mission Possible: Energy Trade-offs
Teams of electrical engineers work together to develop plans for increasing electricity to a fictitious, but growing community. They consider different sources of electricity, both renewable and nonrenewable, the cost of building and...
Curated OER
The Biofuel Project: Creating Biodiesel
Students research about the processing of biodiesel fuels. In this energy lesson, students produce their own biodiesel using used and new vegetable oil. They discuss the environmental and economic benefits of using biodiesel.
NASA
Project X-51
In a nose-cone to nose-cone competition, which rocket will prevail? Teams form rocket companies to design and build a rocket while competing against other teams in an economic challenge. The team that comes up with the best benefit/cost...
Curated OER
Rechargeable Batteries
High schoolers explore how rechargeable batteries work by conducting a series of experiments. In this physics lesson, students discuss the benefits of using rechargeable batteries over disposable ones. They build their own battery...
Curated OER
Mining in Texas
For this mining and nonrenewable resources worksheet, students read about mining in Texas and simulate the extraction of nonrenewable minerals. They use cookies and their components to represent the minerals they will mine and they...
Curated OER
Environment or Economy?
Students develop counterarguments to John Mizzoni's article on business sustainability. In this economics vs. environment lesson, students present examples of greenwashing and support them with rationale. They also discuss whether...
Curated OER
Effects Of Natural Disasters On Environment
Pupils investigate the concept of how natural disasters effect the environment. They conduct research using a variety of resources. They are given a scenario that needs a defensive speech. Students take a position and defend it by...
Curated OER
Science NetLinks: Changing World 1: Endocrine Disruptors
High schoolers investigate how environmental surprises and endocrine disruptors influence perceptions of benefits and costs. The decisions of science are under these type of influences and must be thought out with a definite method.
Curated OER
Industrial Agriculture
Students write about the benefits that industrial agriculture has had on growing crops. In this industrial agriculture lesson plan, students research how technology has impacted the processing speed of growing food.
Curated OER
Pollution Prevention At Ft. Riley
Student examine methods of pollution reduction used at Ft. Riley military institution. Students review the economic impact of the use of enviromentally sensitive materials.
Curated OER
All Hats for Ecology: Solid Waste Presentation
Students investigate community issues with solid waste. For this mock trial lesson, students examine the issues of solid waste from an ecological and economical perspective. They will develop a mock trial which encourages preservation of...
Curated OER
Oil and its Everyday Uses
Explore the properties of oil through an experiment. They use the scientific process to investigate oil, participate in experiments, watch videos,and use information from the internet to determine how oil has changed our...
Curated OER
Create Hydrogen Energy
Students complete an experiment to understand changes to the environment over time. In this hydrogen lesson plan, students discuss electrolysis and conduct an electrolysis experiment. Students observe and record their...
Curated OER
Transportation Fuels Debate
Students study the different transportation fuels. In this energy sources lesson students debate the merits of their fuel over others while working together in groups.
Chicago Botanic Garden
Faces of Climate Change
Sometimes, the best solution to a problem can be found by walking in someone else's shoes. Here, scholars use character cards to take on the roles of people around the world. They determine how their character's...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Faces of Climate Change
You know global warming is real when your squirrel feeder is full of popped corn instead of kernels! Activity two in a series of five allows learners to explore climate change through the eyes of another. After briefly analyzing their...
Curated OER
Population Dynamics
Students investigate the causes and consequences of population growth and the envrionmental factors that contribute to it. They discuss what they think the world's population will be in 2050.
Curated OER
Predicting Severe Weather
Students recognize the range and variety of severe weather. They plan for severe weather conditions that they may experience on an immediate and long-term scale and use climate information to make personal choices about where to live and...
Curated OER
Severe Weather - Deciding Where to Live
Young scholars recognize the variety and frequency of severe weather occurrences. They research the type of severe weather that may occur in their area as well as determine the frequency of occurrence.
Curated OER
Science Inquiry Lesson: Mapping Project
Pupils explore the methods of creating maps. They create a map of Animas River Park using a compass and measuring tape, develop a single map from the team map sections, and devise another map of the Animas River Park using a GPS unit.
Curated OER
Chernobyl
Young scholars list some of the health effects of radiation exposure. They are engaged in a unit on nuclear power by demonstrating the potential environmental health risks involved.