Curated OER
What is an Ecological Footprint?
Introduce youngsters to the term ecological footprint. Learners identify ways in which humans affect the environment. They look at the problems associated with the use of natural resources, and focus on ways to preserve natural...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Calculating Your Ecological Footprint
You can lower your ecological footprint by recycling! Lesson four in this series of five has individuals, through the use of a computer, calculate their ecological footprints. Through discussions and analysis they determine how many...
City and County of San Francisco
I Want It! I Need It!
Discuss wants and needs with your elementary ecologists and get them to consider what would happen to our natural resources if we all got everything that we want. Learners play a card sorting game and take an ecological footprint quiz on...
Curated OER
Ecological Footprint--How Does The Way We Live Affect Earth?
Young scholars demonstrate an awareness of the global implications of decisions that individuals and families make about their needs and wants. They identify environmental and health issues related to the production and consumption of...
Beyond Benign
Ecological Footprint
How does your lifestyle measure up in terms of your ecological footprint? Young ecologists examine their impact on the planet using an insightful online calculator. A short quiz asks users to rank the size of their homes, their energy...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Calculating Your Carbon Footprint
Unplugging from technology for one day per week will decrease your carbon footprint—are you up to the challenge? Part two in a series of three allows individuals to explore their personal carbon footprints. By first taking a quiz at home...
National Park Service
Reduce Our Carbon Footprint, Let’s Compost!
Roll up your sleeves and get a little dirty with this elementary and middle school compost lesson. All you need is a large plastic container, a couple old newspapers, some organic waste, and a few hundred worms and you're ready to start...
Polar Trec
What Is My Footprint?
How do one's habits and lifestyle choices affect the environment? Through a short online survey, learners will calculate their own carbon footprints then determine how to reduce their impact on the environment through simple steps, such...
Curated OER
Calculating Your Foodometer
Young scholars explore environmental issues by completing a food production class activity. For this carbon footprint lesson, students discuss the types of foods they eat, where they come from and what types of methods are used to...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Impacts of Climate Change
Scholars become experts on the eight major impacts of climate change through a jigsaw and grand conversation. They then research and present what they learned about effects specific to their region.
Curated OER
Be Considerate of Others
Students explore the environment by participating in an outdoors activity. In this nature appreciation lesson, students discuss how to minimize their human imprint when experiencing nature. Students conduct a nature walk and plan out an...
Curated OER
How Big is Your Footprint?
Students create awareness for ways in which the "Western" lifestyle negatively impacts the Earth. They create awareness for alternatives to our current ways of living, eating and traveling. Students are challenged to talk with their...
CFR Washington
Urbanization and Wildlife
Urbanization and how it affects wildlife is the focus of a presentation that uses statistics to make a case for concern and change.
Curated OER
Environment: Waste Walk
Students assess the positive and negative affects of humans on the environment. The lesson explores ways in which individuals and societies can reduce the negative impact on the environment. By taking a "waste walk" around their campus,...
Curated OER
What Is Sustainability
Students investigate the concept of how people are dependent upon natural resources and how they can apply them to be maximized in usefulness. The students are encouraged to develop an appreciation for the environment. They conduct a...
Curated OER
The Story that Tracks Tell
Eighth graders observe and investigate animal tracks. They draw prints for local animals and switch with another student to guess the animal, identify animal tracks in a nearby wood lot, create plaster casts of the tracks, and write a...