Curated OER
LAND-GRANT COLLEGES
Learners will explore the Morrill Acts and how the agricultural system is involved in education through the land-grant colleges.1. Have groups find the addresses of the land-grant universities in their assigned states and
write a letter...
Curated OER
Strangers in Their Own Land
Students use interview techniques to explore the traditional wisdom of fishers, farmers, First Nations, and other peoples whose close relationship with nature gives them a deeper understanding of, and sensitivity toward, climatic cycles...
Curated OER
Workers on Sea and on Land
Middle schoolers use photos of sailors and workers in the shipbuilding industry as a reference point to generate questions and investigate the working conditions for resource industry workers in 19th and 20th centruy Atlantic Canada and...
Curated OER
Soil, Forest, and Land Conservation
Students discuss the demands on the rainforest and devise a management plan that satisfies competing uses. They then construct a diorama to show the location of the various sites.
Curated OER
Watershed Works: Unit 1
By constructing a watershed model and identifying watershed features in it, they discover how water erosion changes the landscape. As with most watershed modeling activities, this one is costly in terms of time and materials. It is,...
Kenan Fellows
Sustainability: Learning for a Lifetime – Soil
Do great gardeners really have green thumbs—or just really great soil? Environmental scholars discover what makes Earth's soil and soil quality so important through research and experimentation. Learners also develop an understanding of...
Channel Islands Film
Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island: Lesson Plan 3
Should researchers be able to excavate, examine, and remove Native American artifacts from historic sites? Should companies be permitted to build on sacred Native American land? After watching West of the West's documentary, The Lone...
Curated OER
A Fishy Tale
Eighth graders do a research project on a particular species of Atlantic seafood and record and graph information pertaining to commercial landings of that species of seafood. They use a website and an Appleworks spreadsheet.
Curated OER
Then and Now, A Watershed in San Francisco
Students compare recent and historic maps to explore landscape changes. Using photos provided, students identify prominent features on the maps. They discuss differences in landscape, human impact on watershed, and changes in natural...
Curated OER
Runoff: Intro to Watersheds
Students are taught that a watershed is, what types of basic land cover are impermeable and permeable to water. They trace the flow of water around their school and around their home. Students determine what watershed their school is a...
Curated OER
Snapshot Day Definitions and Activities
Here is a document full of teaching notes on water quality and bodies of water that you can use in your ecology curriculum. It has information specific to the Hudson River area, but can easily be adapted to any local body of water....
Curated OER
Waterworks In Braintree
Learners examine how water affects the community of Braintree. Using a map, they locate main resevoirs and rivers in the area and research the history of one of the resevoirs. They use charts and graphs to show how land use has changed...
Curated OER
Designing a Tropical Reserve System
Students explain the complexity of resource, land use, and conservation decisions.
Curated OER
Prairie Restoration and Prairie Ecology
Students collect data as they identify and classify native prairie plants and insects. They create their own population study using a variety of sampling techniques to determine the population density of various species. Students...
Curated OER
Estuary and Watershed
Students investigate the San Francisco Bay Estuarine Research Reserve and watershed. In this estuary and watershed lesson plan, students complete 4 activities to better understand estuarine systems. They include studying the San...
Curated OER
Government Lesson Plan - Number 14
High schoolers analyze data on air pollution in Maryland. They evaluate the effectiveness of government actions to improve air quality. Each group recommends actions that would improve air quality on the federal, state and local level.
Curated OER
You Decide
Fourth graders, who live on a Native American reservation, investigate how land management is addressed at Tribal Council meetings. They participate in a simulation of a meeting as the discover the workings of tribal government. They...
Curated OER
The Land is Changing: Stories from Across the North
Young scholars explore the changing environment in their community. They interview elders about the issues, impacts and potential ways of adapting to climate change in the north. Students post pictures and information on the student...
Kenan Fellows
Sustainability: Learning for a Lifetime – The Importance of Water
Water is essential for life—and understanding the importance of clean drinking water is essential in understanding sustainability! Show your environmental science class the basics of water testing and treatment through a week-long...
School Improvement in Maryland
Pollution Data
Smog? Vog? What is being done about air pollution? Government classes investigate federal and state programs designed to improve air quality, and then develop a proposal for further actions that are needed.
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
The Water in Our Lives: Kit Practice
Students examine a local water source using testing kits to determine water qualitiy. They identify the pollutants and contaminants in each sample. They determine if samples fall within an acceptable range for drinking water.
Curated OER
Water: Where in the Watershed?
Students become connected to their watershed by exploring a local water body and mapping its features. They focus on how the local watershed fits into the larger scheme of the watershed.
Curated OER
A Bird's Eye View Of Your Community
Learners locate and identify their community by using a satellite image from the Internet. Students locate and identify common land structures within their community. You may want to include structures such as roads/streets, houses and...