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What Is a Watershed?
Students explore the concept of water pollution. In this environmental stewardship lesson, students discover what watersheds are and consider how to protect them.
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Pollution Solution
Students explore the concept of environmental stewardship. In this science lesson, students investigate the effects of oil spills and brainstorm ideas to help companies avoid them as they create models to demonstrate their attributes and...
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Current Groundwater Contamination Research
Middle schoolers 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...
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Ecological Impact of River Dams
Young scholars investigate their environment by completing an in-class experiment. In this ecological lesson plan, students define the roles of dams and how electricity is created by them. Young scholars utilize plastic jugs,...
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What Do We Need In Our Environment To Survive?
Students discuss and write about waste management to save the environment. In this environment lesson, students discuss what an alien coming to Earth would notice about the environmental needs of humans for survival. They pretend that...
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Who Dirtied the Water?
Young scholars develop a greater understanding and concern for the plight of our coastal waterways. Students begin to recognize that we are all partially responsible for water pollution.
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Integrating Environmental Science: Plastics
In this plastics instructional activity, students read about the uses of plastics and their environmental impact. Students answer questions about plastics and their use.
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Clean Water and World Water Day
Students investigate World Water Day in relation to clean water that should be used responsibly. They create lists of ten things they use water for and compare their answers in small groups. They research a documentary for World Water...
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Solid Waste Recycling
Students seek scientific and technological solutions to envrionmental problems. They record class activities in a journal. They identify relationships among living things and their environments.
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Waste Watchers
Students recognize the importance of saving energy to save natural resources. In this saving energy lesson, students complete a worksheet to find types of electricity meters in their homes. Students use meter readings to calculate energy...
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The Hazardous Waste Dilemma
Students discuss the characteristics of a hazardous waste site and how they can cause health problems to humans. In groups, they research the various ways to deal with the hazardous materials and read recent articles on the subject. To...
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Water Quality Monitoring
Students comprehend the four parameters of water quality. They perform tests for salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH and clarity or turbidity. Students comprehend why scientists and environmental managers monitor water uality and aquatic...
Redefining Progress
Have and Have-Not
Is there a correlation between a country's wealth and the extent of its ecological footprint? What exactly constitutes an ecological footprint, and how does one country stack up against the rest? This is a unique instructional activity...
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Positively Paper
Students study concepts related to paper recycling. In this recycling lesson plan, they investigate the chemical processes used to recycle paper, and look at the environmental problems associated with using and recycling different types...
Cal Recycle
Conserving Natural Resources
Trying to plan an engaging elementary science unit on natural resources? Conserve your energy! This five-part series of lessons and hands-on activities has exactly what you need to teach young scholars about the importance of conservation.
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Water Pollution
Students explore the causes of water pollution. In this environmental lesson plan, students conduct experiments with natural filtration systems.
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Week 3: Pollution Source and Effects
Lab groups set up an experiment to observe what happens over time in collected pond water when fertilizer, representing pollution, is added. This website does not include student lab sheets, but background information, materials, and...
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Settling The Wasterwater Problem
Students name models that are representations of larger objects. They suggest ways that industry, agriculture, and mining affect water quality. Pupils demonstrate the use of lagoons for treating wastewater. Students define the...
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N, B, and T: Pollutants Three
Students explore nutrient, bacterial, and toxic surface water pollution. They identify the amount of water they use each day and summarize the kinds of substances that cause water pollution. They predict what will happen in water...
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Environment: How'd That Pollution Get There?
Students examine how global wind and water patterns aid in the spread of worldwide pollution. In groups, they read articles about the domino effect of pollution and create posters displaying its journey. On blank world maps, students...
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Progressive City Planners
Students plan cities. In this environmental racism lesson, students design imaginary cities taking into consideration the amenities and environmental hazards that exist. Students discuss city planning challenges.
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Lesson 12 - Landfills, Leaks and Spills
Young scholars define spill, leaks and landfills and identify the environmental problems caused by them. They complete worksheets and a quiz.
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Moving without Wheels
Students observe a simple water cycle model to better understand its role in pollutant transport. This activity shows one way in which pollution is affected by the water cycle; it simulates a point source of pollution in a lake and the...
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Going Green School Campaign
Young scholars explore ways to make their school's interior and exterior environmentally 'green.' In this environmental concern activity, students work in groups to examine their school's interior and exteriors to make them 'green.'...