Curated OER
Oil Crisis: What Would You Do?
The dynamics between the economies and politics of the United States and the Middle East are here to study. Upper graders read and discuss scenarios relating to OPEC and the current oil crisis, then in small groups role-play members of...
Curated OER
Changing Planet: Rising Ocean Temperatures - Rising Sea Levels
As an anticipatory set, young environmental technicians watch a video about how ocean temperatures seem to be changing along with the global climate. They perform a laboratory demonstration with the purpose of observing what happens to...
Curated OER
In the Forecast, a Flurry of Concerns about Snow
Students consider the effects of climate change on snowfall and how a lack of data in snowfall collection impair climate change research. They, in groups, investigate different effects of snowfall and make recommendations to lobbyists.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
What is My Carbon Footprint?
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,...
Curated OER
Teaching the Tragedy of the Commons: Natural Resource Depletion
You can help your students understand resource depletion with simple activities that highlight the idea of the tragedy of the commons.
Curated OER
Understanding Biodiversity Via Ecological Footprints
Sixth graders investigate the ways in which human beings impact the environment and ecology through the calculation of their own ecological footprint, discussion questions pertaining to biodiversity and potential imbalance hazards, and...
Curated OER
Ecological Impact of River Dams
Students investigate their environment by completing an in-class experiment. In this ecological lesson, students define the roles of dams and how electricity is created by them. Students utilize plastic jugs, sand and tap water to...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Help or Hype: The Ethics of Bio-Nanotechnology
Ethical concerns are not always black and white. A well-designed lesson plan presents learners with scenarios for which ethics may come into question. Scholars learn to consider the different sides of a situation and make an unbiased...
Curated OER
Are Dams Forever?
Students consider the life span of dams, and what would happen if a dam falls apart. In this environmental impact lesson, students discuss what the purposes of dams are, how they could be damaged.
Curated OER
Book: Lithuania
Students, after reading Chapter One in the book, "Lithuania," design and create a nature journal for an imaginary trip around Lithuania. They include animals and plants that live in Lithuania as well as illustrating the landscape of...
Curated OER
Toxicants and California Blackworms
Students determine the normal behavior of California blackworms. They determine how various concentrations of assigned toxicants affect the worm's behavior. Students are introduced to testing of potential toxicants, an important...
Curated OER
Garbage or Art?
The three R's are, reduce, reuse, and recycle. Third graders use recycled materials to design and create an environmentally themed piece of art. They discuss and examine major art works that were created using recycled materials, then...
It's About Time
The Water Cycle
Explore the water cycle with a hands-on earth science activity that prompts pupils to measure the amount of water normally transpired by plants. After they describe the flow of the water cycle and provide examples of how human activities...
Curated OER
Bottled Water Ban
Convenience, taste, portability ... what's not to love about bottled water? Apparently, a lot. Scholars analyze the four main arguments supporting and opposing the sale of bottled water. They explore the health, environmental, and...
Curated OER
Genetically Modified Organisms
High Schoolers complete a variety of activities as they examine the ethics of (and take a position concerning) genetically modified organisms in the field of agriculture. They complete a PowerPoint demonstration to go along with the unit.
Curated OER
Who's Range is it?
Students investigate the habits of panthers by analyzing radio transmitted data. In this animal life lesson plan, students utilize computers to view the range of different statistics dealing with Florida panthers. Students complete a...
Curated OER
Aquatic Science
What a terrific way to explore the pond habitat! Learners discuss the animal and plant life found in the Long Island area. They also discuss vocabulary terms, identify pollution concerns, and resource conservation.
It's About Time
Diversity in Living Things
How diverse is the world we live in compared to the way things used to be? Young biologists explore diverse organisms and relate the structure of each organism to its ability to survive in our current environmental conditions....
NOAA
Ocean Acidification
If tap water is more acidic than ocean water, why are we so concerned about ocean acidification? The third installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program focuses on carbon dioxide levels in...
Curated OER
Optimal Foraging
Students participate in a foraging activity that demonstrates environmental conditions playing an important role in determining the optimal foraging behavior of a particular organism.
Curated OER
Making Your Local Ethical Shopping Guide
Students write a research action plan on how to buy products that are environmentally friendly even in tough world conditions. In this ethical business lesson plan, students learn that the economy, food prices, natural disasters, and...
Curated OER
Digging Up The Facts
Students research environmental issues. In this environmental lesson, students use the Internet to research an environmental problem and list ten facts about it. Students write a summary of facts.
Curated OER
Poseidon's Protectors to the Rescue
Young scholars explore the concept of philanthropy. In this environmental stewardship lesson plan, students explore the Greek mythology story of Poseidon. Young scholars write letters to Poseidon that address water pollution today and...
Curated OER
Saskatchewan Agriculture: Importance and Impact
Students explore the Saskatchewan farming community. In this agriculture lesson, students have an online discussion about the agriculture in Saskatchewan. They discuss various topics that are related to soil degradation, world hunger,...