Some of the CO2 emitted by burning fossil fuels is removed from the atmosphere by natural sinks, such as the ocean. The fifth engaging lesson in the series of 21 examines the CO2 data from three very different locations. It then makes a...

You don't have to be a scientist or even out of high school to contribute to scientific research. In the 12th lesson in the series of 21, scholars use this opportunity to add to the growing body of scientific knowledge and consider the...

Assist your high school class with researching and applying the principles of gravity so they may further understand why Einstein is so widely recognized, even today. Individuals compare and contrast two different models that demonstrate...

Middle schoolers aren't too young to feel strongly about politics, social issues, consumer rights, or environmental problems. Demonstrate the first steps toward social change with a project about action-oriented writing. Eighth...

Construction leads to habitat loss and local wildlife suffers. Scholars must build a reptile egg incubation device that meets many constraints. Various experiments help them discover the chemical reaction needed to reach...

Desert regions are hotter for multiple reasons; the lack of vegetation causes the sun's heat to go straight into the surface and the lack of moisture means none of the heat is being transferred into evaporation. This concept, and other...

Around 93 percent of the reefs on Australia's Great Barrier Reef have been bleached, and almost one quarter of them are now dead. Scholars research the sea temperatures, especially around the areas with coral reefs, to make connections...

When measuring the circumference of a tree, does it matter how high you place the measuring tape? Most scholars have never considered this question, but scientists know that measurement techniques must be standardized. The 13th lesson in...

Which is worse — drought or flooding? Neither is helpful to the environment, and both are increasing due to climate change. The 16th lesson in a series of 21 covers the average precipitation trends for two different climates within the...

Many researchers focus on one impact of climate change in isolation, but researchers gain a global perspective when they come together. A timely lesson plan teaches scholars about the projected impacts of global temperature increases....

An interesting activity takes pupils on a trip through the carbon cycle. A reading passage allows scholars to take notes and make choices about what happens to the carbon on its journey. This third activity in a series of 21...

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...

"Humans have become a geologic agent comparable to erosion and [volcanic] eruptions ..." Paul J. Crutzen, a Nobel Prize-winning atmospheric chemist. Using Landsat imagery, scholars create a grid showing land use type, such as urban,...

Currently, only 2.1% of global warming is felt on continents, while over 93% is felt in the oceans. The fourth lesson in the series of 21 on global warming is composed of three activities that build off one another. In the first...

Fifth graders learn how ground-level ozone is an air pollution problem. Students measure ozone levels and graph the results.

Students examine how temperature is the measure of the average kinetic energy of the molecules of a substance.

Students study the effects of temperature and air expansion. In this temperature lesson, students discuss temperature and participate in a role play of low energy and high energy molecules. Students then discuss their activity and...

Students research governmental agencies that deal with the environment and chart aspects about each agency. They role-play a city council meeting to address the topic of building a waste to energy facility.

Students study how electricity is used in Utah. They create an advertising plan to educate consumers about peak cycles and energy costs for the cycling service of electricity. They present their advertising plan to the class for...

Students explain the main concepts of food webs and food chains. They describe the role of animals, plants, and other organisms in cycling energy and matter through a food web by creating mobiles. Lesson contains adaptations for all levels.

Students calculate stoichiometrically the amount of carbon dioxide that would be emitted from burning a mole of varios alkanes that comprise fossile fuels. If the energy released from burning a mole of these alkanes is known, then the...

Students investigate the different levels of the rain forest by comparing it to an apartment.  For this ecology lesson, students practice using forest related vocabulary words and complete a vocabulary data sheet.  Students...

Students examine the power that is possible from the sun through an interactive program. They also analyze how energy turns into different forms in different parts of the human body. They finally explore how wind is created and how wind...

Students plant seeds and learn about photosynthesis.  In this photosynthesis instructional activity, students plant watercress seeds, cut a design into cardboard and cover the seedlings with the cardboard.  Students observe as...