Curated OER
Changing Planet: The Warming of Our Large Lakes - Reasons for Concern
Another A+ lesson on the impact of climate change comes to you from the National Earth Science Teachers Association. In this installment, learners model the stratification of water in lakes due to temperature differences. The lab also...
Space Awareness
Oceans as a Heat Reservoir
Oceans absorb half of the carbon dioxide and 80 percent of the greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. Scholars learn how and why the oceans store heat more effectively than land and how they help mitigate global warming. Pupils...
Chicago Botanic Garden
GEEBITT (Global Equilibrium Energy Balance Interactive TinkerToy)
Students use the GEEBITT excel model to explore how global average temperatures are affected by changes in our atmosphere in part two of this series of seven lessons. Working in groups, they discuss, analyze graphs, and enter data to...
Curated OER
Global Warming--Points of view
Students are introduced to global warming through analysis of political/editorial cartoons dealing with the subject. They discuss the cartoon and what the feel it means and then discuss the mechanics of and the concerns about global...
Curated OER
Sea Water and Agriculture
Young scientists examine how even a small rise in sea level can lead to salinisation of valuable agricultural land. First, everyone takes part in a simple demonstration which shows the negative effects salt water has on plants. Peer...
Curated OER
When Floating Ice Melts in the Sea
With this simple inquiry exercise young scientists observe the effects of melting ice on water level. Set up an easy experiment with floating ice cubes in a dish of water then have your pupils make and record their observations of the...
American Chemical Society
Climate Change and the Keeling Curve
Global warming has long been in the making. A thorough review of decades of research helps pupils discover the weather patterns of global warming. Learners then connect the weather changes to data in the Keeling Curve that reveals trends...
Curated OER
The Environment
Students explore the issues that influence our environment and research ways to decrease the negative impact that humans have on the environment. Misconceptions about environmental issues are addressed in this instructional activity.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Coral Reefs in Hot Water
Global warming is leaving coral reefs in hot water. What does that mean for their survival? Find out as scholars use authentic satellite data to explore the issue. Learners look for global trends in the data and research the effects the...
Curated OER
Earth's Warming Climate: Are We Responsible
Young scholars examine the atmospheric data for CO2. In this web-based atmospheric lesson, student follow instructions to examine and plot on-line scientific data about the CO2 levels in our atmosphere and analyze the changes found in...
Curated OER
The Greenhouse Effect
Middle schoolers investigate the greenhouse effect and why it happens.
Curated OER
Global Climate Change
In this environmental science activity, students read and study online resources on global climate change to complete 8 short answer questions on the topic.
Wild BC
Bearly Any Ice
After reviewing food chains, your class members participate in an arctic predator-prey game that exemplifies the impact of climate change of food availability. If you are in a hurry, skip this lesson, but if you have the time to...
Curated OER
The Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change
Learners analyze the impact of climate variability and change utilizing a broad span of topics over a wide range of grade levels. This three lesson unit is easily adapted for the various instructional levels listed.
Curated OER
El Niño ~ The Return of El Niño
El Niño sure creates a stir when it comes around! Why not stir up your earth science class with this data analysis activity that examines the temperature and precipitation over the 2002-2003 water year. A tracking chart is provided...
Curated OER
Glaciers As Indicators of Global Climate Change
Students research about glacial ice melting on the four major spheres of the Earth. In this earth science lesson, students explain how this process relates to global warming. They create a presentation and share their findings with the...
Curated OER
The Greenhouse Effect
Seventh graders investigate the temperature change in open and closed containers. In this earth science lesson, 7th graders relate this lab activity to greenhouse effect. They create a line graph from data collected in the experiment.
Curated OER
Air Quality
Students investigate what is known as the Greenhouse Effect. They begin to explore what some scientist think is the nature and fundamental causes of this problem. Students are able to give suggestions for alternative causes of global...
Curated OER
The Climate in Class
Students consider the implications of global warming. In this current events lesson plan, students visit selected websites to discover information about temperature rises in the world and discuss how to solve some of the issues...
Curated OER
Global Warming: The Greenhouse Effect Debate
Students gather information about the Greenhouse Effect and participate in a debate about the merits of this theory on both sides. They explore the Greenhouse Effect, and its possible long-term effects, from a variety of resources.
Curated OER
Simulating the Greenhouse Effect in a Terrarium
Students identify what factors effect global warming and how the greenhouse effect occurs. For this environmental lesson students view videos then complete an experiment using a terrarium to observe greenhouse gas.
Wild BC
The Greenhouse Effect: The Role of CO2
Though this is meant to be second in a two-part lesson, the two are not dependent on each other. Pupils play the roles of visible light rays, light or dark surfaces, and carbon dioxide molecules. They interact and react according to...
Curated OER
AP: Chapter 54: Ecosystems
A lot of learning is packed into these 23 questions about ecosystems. Advanced biology classes apply their knowledge of communities, productivity, biogeochemical cycles, and human impact on the environment by writing short answers for...
National Wildlife Federation
I Speak for the Polar Bears!
Climate change and weather extremes impact every species, but this lesson focuses on how these changes effect polar bears. After learning about the animal, scholars create maps of snow-ice coverage and examine the yearly variability and...