National Academy of Sciences
Global Warming: Facts and Our Future
According to the United Nations, climate change affects every country on the planet. This research project encourages scholars to explore the factors that affect climate change from different perspectives: climate scientist, policy...
Curated OER
The Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming
Students explain the greenhouse effect. In this global warming lesson, students participate in an activity where they experience how greenhouses gases work and how they contribute to global warming. Students complete a diagram...
Curated OER
Is Global Warming Happening?
Middle schoolers investigate the probability of global warming and the effects of global warming on the environment. They conduct Internet research and collect data, transfer the data onto an Excel spreadsheet, and create a presentation...
Curated OER
Global Climate Lesson Plans
Students explore the concept of global climate. In this global climate lesson plan, students research and investigate global warming and its effects on the world over the course of 9 lessons. Students create a proposal that show the...
Curated OER
Global Warming
Learners examine how human produced emissions of carbon dioxide contribute to global warming. Using the internet, they research the future effects of global warming on the Earth. In groups, they discover ways to reduce daily energy...
Curated OER
Why Should I Care About Global Warming?
Students examine global warming, and the greenhouse effect. They determine the changes that happen and the adaptations that need to be made because of these occurrences. They look at the occurrence and effect of these phenomena in the past.
Curated OER
Rate of Coral Growth
Using a table of information provided, middle school marine biologists chart data on a graph to determine the impact of water depth on coral growth in Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Then they answer questions that connect the data to...
Curated OER
Climate Change
Students discuss global warming. In this global warming lesson, students read an article about global warming and list five things they learned. Students work in small groups to compare what they wrote. Students illustrate one of the...
C-SPAN
Middle School Checks and Balances
Seven video clips reveal how the checks and balances built into the constitutional framework of the United states' government are designed to keep any one branch from becoming too powerful. After watching each clip, groups identify the...
Curated OER
What Can I Do About Global Environmental Change?
Students complete a unit to evaluate their impact on the environment and greenhouse gas emissions. They conduct Internet research, develop a list of their electrical and energy use, calculate their share of greenhouse gases, and identify...
Center Science Education
Feeling the Heat
What is an urban heat island? Middle school meteorologists find out by comparing temperatures at different locations on campus. They relate their findings to what might be happening in a concrete jungle and how it impacts local weather....
Curated OER
Changing Planet: Rising Ocean Temperatures - Rising Sea Levels
As an anticipatory set, young environmental technicians watch a video about how ocean temperatures seem to be changing along with the global climate. They perform a laboratory demonstration with the purpose of observing what happens to...
Curated OER
Evidence of Climate Change
Sixth graders examine climate change in the state of Colorado. In this climate activity, 6th graders watch 2 video clips regarding the topic and research the subtopics- snow pack, precipitation, temperature, forest fires, river flow,...
Curated OER
People Changing the Atmosphere Lab
Students examine ways to reduce the greenhouse effect. Students keep a "CO2 Journal" to help establish a connection between their own behavior and its impact on global warming as well as discover ways to reduce global warming.
Curated OER
A Change of Climate
Students research various sources to learn about global warming. They then create a multimedia presentation about global warming. They take a stance on the issue and present that as well.
Towson University
Looking Backwards, Looking Forward
How do scientists know what Earth's climate was like millions of years ago? Young environmental scholars discover how researchers used proxy data to determine the conditions present before written record. Grouped pupils gain experience...
NOAA
Where Have All the Glaciers Gone?
What happens when ice melts? Well ... water happens. When that melting ice is a glacier, the amount of water that results produces change throughout the world. Middle school science sleuths uncover the truth about global warming, the...
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
No Fossils in This Fuel
Yeast and sugar go beyond the pantry and into a fuel experiment. Use these common baking ingredients to assist your class in creating ethanol, a natural fuel. Pupils observe the process and gather information to elaborate on the...
Curated OER
The Greenhouse Effect
Middle schoolers investigate the greenhouse effect and why it happens.
National Park Service
Biodiversity—Bee Week
If you want scholars to fall in love with bees, this is the unit for you! Celebrate bees with a full week of material—designed for the Next Generation Science Standards—that addresses the importance of pollination and fertilization....
Towson University
It's a Gassy World!
How much does your class know about the relationship between climate change and carbon dioxide? Science scholars explore the nature of greenhouse gases and rising ocean temperature through demonstrations, research, and experiments. The...
Curated OER
Greenhouse Gases: The Chemistry Behind the Culprits
Ninth graders investigate the effect of different gases in the atmosphere. In this chemistry instructional activity, 9th graders explain how these gases contribute to global warming. They suggest possible solutions to this growing problem.
Curated OER
(S-1B) Global Climate, Global Wind Flow
High schoolers discuss how the horizontal transport of heat from equatorial regions polewards drives global wind systems.
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Biomass: Biogas Generator
It's a gas. Middle schoolers build a biogas generator following the directions in this resource. After a few days of observation, they demonstrate that the gas given off by the decomposing manure is flammable. The activity concludes as...