University of Wisconsin
Noting Notable Features for Rain Gardens
Eight groups in your class are each responsible for a different aspect of surveying the campus for a suitable rain garden location. Features to consider include water flow, topography, sun/shade patterns, land surface, vegetation,...
Curated OER
When You Were My Age, What Was This Place Like?
Students discover how land use in their community has changed. In this community and ecology lesson, students scan old newspapers to find articles about the development of community land. Students discuss and predict how land use has...
Curated OER
Surveying and Assessing the Environmental Compatibility of a Building Construction Site
Students examine an area of land and assess its suitability for construction purposes. This project requires a vast amount of hands-on experimentation, data analysis, community involvement, and job shadowing/career awareness.
Curated OER
Boston Harbor Cruise: A Shoreline Survey
The students take a harbor cruise, photograph, and draw shore line features attending to evidence of human impact/consequences, and its cost on marine/land animal habitats vegetation, weather patterns, signs of erosion, and the water...
Curated OER
Geometry of Exploration: Eyes Over Mars
Students research how engineers and scientists generate linear and angular measurements with geometry to survey the Earth and Mars. They assess how geometric shapes affect navigation. A surveyor comes to the classroom and explains how he...
Curated OER
National Worm Survey
Pupils participate in the National Worm Survey. In this National Worm Survey lesson, students generate data on earthworms. Pupils submit their data to the online database Worm Watch.
SeaWorld
Marvelous Manatees
Here is an interesting lesson on the manatee for your upper graders or middle schoolers. A game is played where learners work together to complete a successful manatee migration. It's a board game, and all of the game components are...
Curated OER
Land and People: finding a Balance
Students discuss "The Enemy Within: The Struggle to Clean up Cape Cod's Military Superfund Site" by Seth Rolbein by figuring out how there should be safe groundwater. In this science lesson, students pretend to be an interested party for...
Curated OER
Soils
Students apply knowledge of soil, environmental impacts, economics, multiple human demands, and use given data for a proposed scenario in making land use decisions. They debate land use issues and/or scenarios and discuss a case study.
Nuffield Foundation
Observing Earthworm Locomotion
One acre of land can contain more than a million earthworms. Scholars collect earthworms to observe their movements. Once placed on paper, the sound of movement often fascinates pupils. When placed on glass, the earthworm is unable to...
Curated OER
Soil Survey Lesson
Students use materials to research the soil in their local area. They complete worksheets with the information they gather and locate the areas on a soil survey map. They share their information with the class.
Curated OER
Water Quality Survey
Students identify the differences in the water quality of a stream and complete water testing. In this water quality lesson students collect aquatic insects and identify them.
Curated OER
The Art and Soul of the Land
Students study conservation and how different communication styles used by different conservationists. In this conservation lesson plan students obtain information on a cartoon or a few quotes from a conservationist and are ask to...
Curated OER
One Square Meter
Students examine various ecosystems using scientific inquiry. Using the local area, they assess the characteristics and conditions in one square meter. They report their findings in the form of a survey map and data sheet. They...
Curated OER
Yearly Place Based theme
Students are awaken to their surroundings. They gain a greater access of how their city was formed. Students assess the human impact on the land. They comprehend the cultural diversity of the city.
Curated OER
Forest Loss Slows as Asian Nations Plant
Middle schoolers survey the loss of forests around the world. In this environmental lesson, students read an article that outlines how forests are being lost and government interaction which encourages forests to be rebuilt. Activities...
Curated OER
Follow the Falling Meteorite
Students use triangulation method to locate meteorite landing site on the map. In this earth science lesson, students participate in a meteorite treasure hunt set up by the teacher. They explain how this method is used by scientists to...
Curated OER
Can You Catch the Water?
Pupils work together to construct a model of a water catchment basin. They survey water patterns and complete experiments to see where rain travels and collects. They discover how engineers design structures that help with drainage.
Curated OER
SUBMARINE MOUNTAINS
Students create a two-dimensional contour map of a submerged area from a simulated survey using sounding techniques.
Curated OER
Biotechnology: Monster or Miracle
Students explore biotechnology. For this scenario-based lesson, students take a survey on what they know about genetic engineering, view a PowerPoint, and conduct a web quest. Students will then be placed in groups, and produce one of...
Curated OER
Vegie Gardening
Students investigate the concept of Veggie Gardening and develop the plans for a successful yield of crops. They answer some practical questions and then apply the information to the horticulture garden. The project includes finding the...
Curated OER
General Description of Site
In this earth science worksheet, students identify what a site matrix is and that is composed of a sandstone mixture. They excavate each quadrant and write detailed journal entries. Students also complete a site map that illustrates...
Curated OER
Rapid Mycological Assessment
Students examine types of mycology methods. They practice using new vocabulary and answer key questions. They complete a field survey and analyze their results.
Curated OER
Mapping My Community
Ninth graders are introduced to GPS technology. They complete fieldwork as they visit a specific area of their community to identify and map types of land use in the surveyed area. They use the collected data to create a digital map.