Curated OER
Energy in the Natural Environment
Students examine the flow of energy through the natural environment. In groups, they describe the effect of energy on the atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere. To end the lesson, they experiment with the chemical and physical...
Curated OER
Comparing Environments
In this natural environment comparison activity, students use a chart to compare two environments. The savannah and rain forest are given as examples. No information is given beyond the format of the chart.
Japan Society
Nature and the Environment in Postwar Japan
Japan has a complex relationship with the environment. Explore this relationship with your class through this resource. Included are thought questions, several activity ideas that range from writing, to discussion, to research, and an...
Curated OER
The Delicate Balance - Iowa's Natural Resources
Discover the natural resources in Iowa by studying it's history. In this environmental instructional activity, your students will observe a topographical map of Iowa and identify where its most valuable resources are. They complete an...
Curated OER
Natural Resources Product Booklet
Young scholars conduct a research activity and create a base product booklet that helps them recognize the resources that are available to them from the natural resources in the area that they live in.
Curated OER
Regents High School Examination: Living Environment 2005
The 2005 version of the Regents High School Examination in the area of ecology is as comprehensive as previous years' exams. It consists of 40 multiple choice questions on everything from the structure of DNA to the interactions within...
Cornell University
Fibers, Dyes, and the Environment
Nanofibers can be made through electrospinning or force spinning in order to reduce the negative impact on the environment. Pupils study the role of fibers and dye on the environment through a series of five hands-on activities. Then,...
Curated OER
Be Kind to Mother Nature!
A clever worksheet on identifying things that harm the environment is here for you. Elementary schoolers read a short paragraph describing the harm that can come to the environment due to human activities. Then, they must circle five...
Curated OER
A Research Project and Article For the Natural Inquirer
Get your class to use the scientific process to solve a scientific problem. They utilize the Natural Inquirer magazine to identify a research question which they write an introduction to and collect data to answer. They use graphs,...
Curated OER
THE LORAX
Students examine Dr. Suess's story, The Lorax, and the concept of needless waste in a "natural" environment, and study how this story relates to the real world. They discuss what recycling means and what happens when something is not...
Serendip
Evolution of Fur Color in Mice – Mutation, Environment and Natural Selection
Most species of animals include a variety of fur or hair color, but why? Scholars watch a video about a changing environment for mice. As the rocks around them change hues, different colors of mice begin to thrive. Discussion questions...
Indian Land Tenure Foundation
Gifts from Land and Water
With a series of fun hands-on simulations, young children can learn about conservation and natural resources. Your learners become land detectives, discussing and investigating the gifts that the land and water provide them. They then...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Greenhouse Gas Emissions — Natural and Human Causes
What impact do humans have on greenhouse gas emissions? What are the natural causes of these gasses? Thanks to the carbon cycle, carbon dioxide eats away at the earth's atmosphere with the intensified help of humans. Young scientists...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Nature Walk and Ecosystem Introduction
A food web has no organism higher than a tertiary consumer because there wouldn't be enough energy left to sustain them. The fourth installment in a seven-part series begins with a nature walk to get pupils thinking about their...
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Nature Walk: Extra Support Lessons (Theme 2)
Reinforce concepts such as long vowels, spelling patterns, sound clusters, double-final consonants, and syllables with a nature-themed unit. Through a series of extra support lessons, learners compare and contrast using a Venn diagram,...
CK-12 Foundation
Natural Selection: Natural Disasters
Can natural disasters alter natural selection? The interactive explores this concept with mice living through a forest fire. As the environment changes, the camouflage also changes. How does this one disaster impact future generations?
ARKive
Darwin and Natural Selection
A presentation on Darwin's theory of evolution and natural selection could be a good addition to your biology class. It provides general information about how animals adapt to their surroundings, as well as how organisms create more...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Natural Selection and Evolution of Rock Pocket Mouse Populations
Can evolution repeat itself? Scholars analyze amino acid data in two separate populations of mice. They learn that evolution repeats itself, but natural selection prefers some mutations over others in different environments. Analysis...
WE Charity
Elementary–Module 2: Circular Economy and Nature
How can people do their part to help protect the environment? Learners participate in an engaging jigsaw activity to discuss the causes and effects of pollution. Next, pupils develop their own innovative ideas to address an environmental...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
The Making of the Fittest: The Birth and Death of Genes
Adaptations must be made as environments change. This fabulous presentation features Icelandic icefish, a transparent, scaleless specimen that even has colorless blood. Genetics and adaptations concepts are explored as scientists study...
Curated OER
Ghostbusting in the Chesapeake
Ghost pots, fishing gear lost during crabbing expeditions, continue to trap crabs that are never collected. Increase your budding ecologists' awareness of human impact on the environment as well as conservation efforts using this...
PBS
Teacher Planning Kits for New School Routines | End of Year
Support your end-of-year instruction with planning kits from PBS. Five planning kits are provided: Special Lessons and Collections; Planning Sheets for Pre-K through 5 and 6-12; Summer Bonus Resources; and Relevant Professional Learning...
Curated OER
Bison Gone: Appreciating Natural Resources
Students examine the effects of the loss of the bison after the Europeans arrived in North America. They conduct a demonstration using beans to demonstrate the difference between the number of bison before and after the arrival of the...
Curated OER
Art: Imaginary Animals
Students examine the use of camouflage by animals to disguise themselves in the environment. Prior to drawing animals, they discover why creatures have distinct markings. Then, using markers, students create their own animals and place...