Skin color is controlled by at least six genes. Young scientists learn about skin colors through a documentary. They discuss the topics of pigment, natural selection, and vitamin D absorption. They apply their knowledge to higher order...

Which holds more influence, the environment over humans or humans over the environment? Young scientists explore an online interactive that addresses this discussion. They observe changes in the natural world over time and see which...

To describe the ecological and aesthetic importance of the Potomac River, Middle schoolers name the ways in which the river's values are jeopardized and explain the purpose of Earth Day. They write a response to a newspaper article in a...

Earth science explorers design an experiment to demonstrate that the albedo of a surface affects its temperature. They test to find out if moisture on the surface affects temperature. They discover whether or not concrete or asphalt heat...

Future scientists are introduced to the chemical consequences of burning fossil fuels, learning that fossil fuel combustion leads to the formation of oxides of three nonmetals: carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur, all of which end up in the...

An overview of deforestation is the focus of this resource, which present the reader with a list of facts. Ten comprehension questions follow; learners can write their answers on a separate piece of paper. Have your environmental...

Through a fishing simulation, environmentalists discover consequences of over fishing. Afterward, they discuss how the activity relates to the impact of real-life commercial fishing. They also consider sustainability in the fishing...

Collaborative earth science groups create a working model of a watershed. Once it has been developed, you come along and introduce a change in land use, impacting the quality of water throughout their watershed. Model making is an...

While teaching about endangered species, you can incorporate this activity as a take-home reminder of what is threatening the sea turtle population. It is one of those paper plate projects in which a wedge is cut out to reveal a picture...

As part of a unit, this instructional activity familiarizes youngsters with components of a rain garden. They speculate about the role of an assigned component in contributing to a rain garden, and ultimately, in the health of the local...

Here is a lesson that walks youth through an online carbon footprint calculator produced by the University of California, Berkeley. Once learners finish inputting information, they compete a worksheet with the results. This is simple,...

Polar ice samples provide scientists with valuable information about the condition of the atmosphere for hundreds of thousands of years in the past. Of particular interest is the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and its...

Beginning botanists view slides of plant vascular tissue. They watch Magic School Bus Gets Planted, which you can find online, and then write a summary of what they have learned about plants. This lesson could be used with upper...

Human impact on habitats can be alarming. A hands-on activity has learners explore the impact of human interactions with different environments using a gamified approach. They simulate the impact of a species' abundance under different...

If any of the limiting factors in an environment change, both animal and plant populations also change. The video explains two different models of growth and the impact of limiting factors. It highlights the carrying capacity of an...

Earth didn't always have oxygen, so what caused the change that allows humans to live here? Learn about the change in O2 levels throughout geological history through an interactive graph. Each section offers greater detail on the changes...

Marine biology apprentices interpret data of sturgeon interaction with gill nets. They use the data to calculate the percentage of fish entangled in each twine size to discover if there is any correlation. This is a valuable exercise in...

Home sweet home. Humans, birds, beavers, ants, we all need a place place to rest and keep us safe. In the ninth lesson plan of this series, the importance of shelter is discussed as the teacher reads aloud the book Tillena Lou's Day in...

Enhance your class' ability to understand solubility. Science scholars examine how temperature and concentration affect solubility using an interesting lab experiment. The introduction and procedure also discuss the relationship between...

Students explore the basics of ecology. They discuss ecological succession, the water cycle and human impacts on the environment. Students explore the owls, succession, the human impact on the environment and complete the "Incredible...

Students explore human migration. In this human migration lesson plan, students investigate multiple factors contributing to the growth of major Arizona cities.  Students discover the processes, patterns, and functions of human...

Students explore environmental care by researching the impact of human beings on our planet. In this climate change activity, students utilize the Internet to read informational text about climate change and the effect it will have on...

Twelfth graders consider global issues and their effects. They identify the themes of human needs, human rights, and the environment, select a topic and research articles for a Global Current Events Portfolio. Working in small groups,...

Second graders identify human characteristics and classify them as inherited traits or learned traits.