Curated OER
Graphing the Facts
Pupils investigate the correlation between our planet's weather and solar activity. They analyze and discuss data regarding the solar activity cycle, graph annual precipitation and temperature averages over a period of 100 years, and...
California Academy of Science
Energy: A Day in My Life
If only we could harness the energy of fifth graders, our energy problems would be over! The class discusses where different forms of energy come from and how we use them. They complete a chart of the activities that they do daily...
Curated OER
Satellites and the Radiation Budget
Students engage in a prelab discussion about the earth's radiation budget and global warming. They use "trading cards" to find specific websites to research radiation budget questions.
Curated OER
Sink/Float Discovery bottle
Investigate which items float and which ones sink using this resource. Learners participate in an activity in which they investigate this phenomena. Then they describe the experimental process, and learn how to display their results.
Curated OER
Bible (Day 7) Redemption and Caretakers
Whether you are religious or not, humans can be caretakers of the Earth. Students will discuss recycling, how their wasteful actions effect the Earth, and the Alaskan oil spill. They then have small group discussion and write about how...
Curated OER
The Little Ice Age - Understanding Climate and Climate Change
Fourth graders receive data about tree ring records, solar activity, and volcanic eruptions during the Little Ice Age (1350-1850). From this data, they draw conclusions about possible natural causes of climate change
Curated OER
Unit on Globalization and the Environment
Twelfth graders analyze issues affecting ecosystems. They examine the relationships between members of the international comunity. They also examine the concept of sustainable development.
Teach Engineering
Introduction to Environmental Engineering
A series on environmental engineering introduces the class to issues that environmental engineers work to solve. This first lesson plan focuses on air and land issues, and looks at ways to reduce pollution.
Curated OER
What's in a Brain?
Bring the brain to life for your students with thought-provoking activities
Curated OER
A Whale of Importance to the Arctic People
The bowhead whale of the Arctic region is of great importance to the people that live there. Your class will brainstorm all they know about this wonderful whale and create an informational video, which they will share with the children...
Curated OER
What's a Kid to Do?
Students participate in an environmental action letter-writing campaign. They conduct Internet research on the Global Response website, discuss various successful Global Response campaigns, select a campaign they are interested in, and...
Curated OER
Dangerous Air
Students investigate how pollution is a global issue. They locate the countries affected by radiation from Chernobyl, sequence the progress of radiation transport from Chernobyl and plot the pollution points on a world map, and read and...
Curated OER
Fishing For The Future
Students participate in a simulation using M&M's that highlights Garrett Hardin's concept of the "tragedy of the commons." They use the activities to study sustainability issues in the fishing industry.
Curated OER
Electricity
Learners explore electricity. After watching a PowerPoint presentation, students discuss the composition of electricity and how it is made. They participate in discovery activities by rotation through four activity stations set up on the...
Curated OER
Recycling Who cares?
Young scholars participate in activities to understand the feelings of the community about recycling. In this recycling lesson, students look at opposing views on recycling.
National Geographic
Spot Where You DON'T Get Your Seafood
When your class is examining the fishing industry or sustainable practices, you can use this brief activity to demonstrate the global impact our food choices have. Overharvesting, overfishing, and bycatch are important topics to address...
NOAA
Are You Climate Literate?: Play the Essential Principles Challenge
Installment eight of the 10-part Discover Your Changing World series tests the class's understanding of climate. Scholars play alone or in small groups to assess their understanding of climate systems, causes of climate...
NOAA
Communicate!: Create a Unique Message About Climate Change
Scholars use their communication skills to express their take on climate change in the ninth installment of the 10-part Discover Your Changing World series. They create ways to deliver their messages on a specific aspect of climate by...
UAF Geophysical Institute
Carbon Footprint
Your young environmentalists can calculate their carbon footprint and discuss ways to reduce it with a worksheet about climate change. After reading a handout about what impact one's carbon footprint can have on the environment, kids...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Carbon, Greenhouse Gases, and Climate
Climate models mathematically represent the interactions of the atmosphere, oceans, land, sun, surface, and ice. Part two in the series of four lessons looks at the role greenhouse gases play in keeping Earth warm and has participants...
Curated OER
The Water Cycle
Your class sets up a mini water cycle model to examine the process. Then they watch an animation, following a water molecule through the cycle. A well-developed lab sheet guides learners through the lesson and a PowerPoint presentation...
Kenan Fellows
A Farmer’s Challenge to Breed to the Greatest of Grapes
What does your class know about GMOs? Are they savvy to selective breeding? Challenge young minds to engineer the greatest crop of all time using a hands-on genetics unit. Learners discover the good and bad details of selective breeding,...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Can Small Pollutants Harm Aquatic Organisms?
Nanoparticles have toxic effects on plant and animal life—even though you can't see them. The second instructional activity of a two-part series has young scientists conduct an experiment that exposes plant and animals to nanoparticle...
California Academy of Science
Exploring the Impacts of Feeding the World
Approximately 50 percent of people in the world who are chronically hungry work in agriculture. While it seems counter-intuitive, the farther you live from a farm, the more food options are available. Scholars explore concepts related to...