Lesson Plan
California Academy of Science

Carbon Cycle Role Play

For Teachers 3rd - 12th Standards
Anytime you make concepts clear with role playing or hands-on experience, it's a win for the whole class. Ping-Pong balls are used to represent carbon in a carbon cycle role-play activity. In small groups, children first discuss what...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Secret Agents of Dissolved Oxygen

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students determine the changes in different types of water in a sealed container over time. They investigate how to measure dissolved oxygen, temperature, and carbon dioxide with calculator or computer probe-ware. Students determine the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Weather and Climate

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students explore all the facets about weather and analyze how weather and climate are connected through time. They consider how weather changes and the effects of weather on the present state of the Earth's climate. Alterations to our...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Carbon Dioxide Increases

For Students 7th - 10th
In this atmospheric carbon dioxide worksheet, students use a graph of the Keeling Curve showing the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide since 1958 to solve 6 problems. They determine the rate of increase, the find the percentage of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth's Warming Climate: Are We Responsible

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students examine the atmospheric data for CO2. In this web-based atmospheric lesson, student follow instructions to examine and plot on-line scientific data about the CO2 levels in our atmosphere and analyze the changes found in the data.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Greenhouse Effect: A Computer Simulation

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students complete an online simulation of the greenhouse effect. For this lesson on the greenhouse effect, students use a website, similar to a webquest, to simulate and answer questions on how the greenhouse effect works. This lesson is...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Predicting the Future

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students examine how scientists predict the effects of global climate change. In this environmental science lesson, students participate in a discussion about using computer generated data to create climate predictions. Students examine...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth's Atmosphere and Temperature

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the layers of earth's atmosphere and conduct an experiment to identify carbon dioxide. They construct models using styrofoam to represent molecules in the atmosphere's layers. To discover how sunlight efffects...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water, Water Everywhere

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Young scholars explore water. In this water cycle lesson, students conduct a scientific investigation that requires build a terrarium models of the earth. Young scholars record their observations of the changes regarding water in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Ozone Between Us

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students investigate how ground level ozone occurs in many areas of the country. They study the ozone problems that are associated with population centers.
PPT
Curated OER

Pressure

For Teachers 9th
Some very interesting details about the pressure of gases in our atmosphere are presented in this PowerPoint. Lists of facts about the various laws of gases are summarized and would be a great visual to use during a full lecture.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Environmental Issues

For Students 8th - 10th
In this environmental issues worksheet, learners are given 10 current topics that are problems in our environment today. They complete sentences about each topic by filling in the blanks with the appropriate terms. Some of the issues...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Climate Change & Coral Activities

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students study how the ocean stabilizes our planet's climates and how global warming is becoming a threat to this fine balance.  In this climate change lesson, students identify that fossil fuel emissions are responsible for...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Model Rockets

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students build a model rocket. In this model rocket lesson, students explore a rocket launch cycle. Students investigate the laws of physics for each part of the launch. Students build model rockets and launch at school.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Ecology

For Students 5th - 12th
In this ecology worksheet students complete a crossword puzzle that incorporates all of the ecological vocabulary in the word puzzle.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Sea of Air #3

For Students 9th - 12th
In this air worksheet, learners determine the major gases found in the earth's atmosphere and review STP and Avogadro's Law. This worksheet has 1 true or false, 2 fill in the blank, and 7 short answer questions.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Phases of Matter and Thermochemistry

For Students 10th - Higher Ed
In this theromochemistry worksheet, students review the kinetic theory of gases and the three phases of a substance. Students calculate how much heat is required to raise a certain mass of solution a certain number of degrees. This...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Rubber Band Air Test

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students complete an experiment to determine how dirty the air is in their local community. They analyze images and discuss the varying degrees of air pollution. They discuss the results of the experiment.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Rain Maker

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders work in small groups with a cup each of several materials. Students layer the gravel, sand, and water into a resealable bag. They draw a picture of this bag in their water journal. Students place their sealed bags in a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Materials, Let's Do the Life Cycle

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Pupils examine environmental and social impacts of products that consumers buy. In this environmental stewardship instructional activity, students play a game that requires them to consider real costs of products. Pupils consider the...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Choosing Between Affect and Effect

For Students 7th - 11th
After reading a review of the meaning and usage of affect and effect, pupils complete a practice exercise to demonstrate their understanding of this tricky pair. An answer key is provided.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Carbon Dioxide: The Heat is On

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students examine the greenhouse gases affecting the atmosphere. In groups, they participate in activities in which they examine the effects of heat on the atmosphere and phytoplankton. They research how the phytoplankton differ in warm...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Getting to the Core of Climate Change

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students investigate climate changes by graphing and analyzing ice core data from Greenland and Antarctica. They create, explain and report the pattern of data on a graph of ice core data. In addition they find relationships between the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What are the Challenges?

For Teachers Pre-K - 6th
Students discuss energy. In this energy challenges lesson plan, students read about greenhouse gas emissions and global climate change. Comprehension questions from the reading are provided.