Curated OER
Risk Communication: Media Presentation Exercise
Students work in groups to prepare a brief broadcast or print news report from one of five possible viewpoints about an environmental contamination scenario. Students are given basic information about a chemical spill in a small town and...
Teach Engineering
Introduction to Environmental Engineering
AÂ series on environmental engineering introduces the class to issues that environmental engineers work to solve. This first lesson focuses on air and land issues, and looks at ways to reduce pollution.
May Media Group
Treatment Plants
Young scientists explore nature's water treatment plants in this simple science demonstration. By placing a stalk of celery in a cup of water mixed with food coloring, children are able to observe how plants absorb nutrients and...
Curated OER
Sources of Potential Groundwater Contamination
Students construct models that demonstrate potential sources of contamination. Students select one type of contamination model (septic system, sinkhole, landfill, disposal lagoon, leaky barrels, oil spill, agricultural contamination) to...
Curated OER
Landfills and Contamination
Students discover the dangers of landfills to our environment by investigating leachate. Â In this environmental lesson, students create a model landfill experiment in which they observe the effect of rain on a landfill over the course of...
Curated OER
Pollution or Prevention?
Students examine potential contamination on the environment due to products and by-products of a new industrial process. Students conduct a lab that explores the economic differences between choices of pollution cleanup and prevention.
Curated OER
The Environment
Young scholars 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.
Curated OER
9-12: The Movie, "A Civil Action," as a Legal/Environmental Science Case Study
Students analyze information to determine how they can help a community that has been affected by water contamination. In this environmental science lesson, students watch portions of the movie "A Civil Action" and discuss specific...
Curated OER
Water Contamination Challenge
Students play a game to analyze further the effects of water contamination. In this environmental concerns lesson plan, students play an online game about water contamination and may visit the additional links to further their studies on...
Curated OER
Science: Lead Shot and Waterfowl
Students examine data to investigate the impact of lead shot pellets on waterfowl populations. They graph their findings and discover how lead in ingested by birds and poisons them. As an extension, students research legislation and...
Curated OER
Wildlife Study Comparison
Students compare/contrast two studies that examine the effects of environmental contaminants on animals. They read an article, identify the components of a research study, summarize the article, and complete a matrix.
Curated OER
The Case of the Contaminated Maize
Environmental health pupils read about an outbreak of aflatoxin poisoning with the intent to examine the stages of an epidemiologic investigation. As they read the case study, they identify where the outbreak occurred, form a hypothesis,...
Curated OER
The Nitty Gritty-The Source and What To Do
In this environmental contaminants worksheet, young scholars read about a scenario where children were exposed to lead from an old painted bench at a park. Students answer 5 questions about the investigation and what should be done to...
Curated OER
Lead and Mercury: Comparing Two Environmental Evils
High schoolers in chemistry or health courses look at the material safety data sheet (MSDS) and periodic table of elements to gather information about mercury and lead, two toxic materials that have been found in food products. They read...
Curated OER
The East Fork Project
Students identify possible sources of health risks, types of exposures, routes of exposure, and populations that could be affected after discussing water pollution and environmental health hazards. After discussion, students conduct a...
Curated OER
Water Pollution
Fifth graders study the impact of human activity on water quality and on the ecosystems of Earth. After a discussion on the various ways that water can be polluted, groups of youngsters get together to figure out the best way to clean a...
Curated OER
Fertilizer Frenzy
Ninth graders design and conduct an experiment. They evaluate other's experiments. Students describe relationships between biological systems and the environmental contaminants. They work as a team to solve a problem.
Curated OER
A Plume of Contamination
Students perform an experiment/investigative simulation regarding the movement of contaminants in groundwater. They test the pH of three water samples, and then use their reasoning skills to determine the source of an invisible...
Curated OER
Debate: "Indoor Air vs. Outdoor Air Pollution: Which Is the More Serious Threat to Public Health?"
Students work in teams to synthesize their air, asthma, air contamination, and environmental health knowledge as well as additional research to represent a particular point of view persuasively. They create a handout and presentatin...
University of Connecticut
Weather Vs. Whether
Monarch butterfly populations have decreased by 90 percent over the past 20 years due to misuse and ineffectiveness of some pesticides. Given the challenge to increase pesticide safety and effectiveness, the class, through discussion,...
Teach Engineering
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is one of several garbage patches around the world where garbage accumulates naturally. As part of a GIS unit that combines oceanography, environmental science, and life science, class members investigate...
Curated OER
Current Groundwater Contamination Research
Students research the effects of groundwater pollutants on life. They name and describe 1 environmental factor that has an effect on our drinking water. Students read the Water-Groundwater and Pollution Article. They discuss and...
Curated OER
Lead Contamination Scenario
Students are introduced to a scenario, and students use an inquiry-based learning module to generate questions, draft a research plan, and generate possible solutions. They create a dossier on each of three identified cases.
Curated OER
Revised: Adventures in Earth Day: Why Do We Care About Our Environment? - Biology Teaching Thesis
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...