Students consider the implications of waste. In this waste streams lesson, students learn what waste streams are and identify their impact on the environment. Students also recycle waste materials to create functional objects.

Students create a min-landfill from lunchbox waste to discover what happens when they throw away packaging and scraps. Using a clear plastic bin, they throw away their trash and layer it with scoops of soil. Students observe what types...

Students explore ways to dispose of trash. In this instructional activity, students discuss where trash goes when it leaves their house and other inappropriate ways to dispose of trash. Students brainstorm ways to produce less waste.

Learners demonstrate using tools correctly in order to make concrete. For this concrete lesson plan, students brainstorm on how to use waste to make concrete and take a safety exam.

Fifth graders are introduced to Earth day and study the nesting colonies of Midway.  In this Earth Day lesson students watch an online clip and see the effects our waste has on wildlife. 

Students go on a field trip to the Iona Wastewater Treatment Plant and learn about sewage, waste, and pollution. In this treatment plant lesson plan, students also complete collection samples of quadrats.

In this product packaging conundrum worksheet, students research product packaging to select materials and design for packaging a model of the school mascot.  This page has numerous links to helpful web resources.

Young scholars examine how global wind and water patterns aid in the spread of worldwide pollution. In groups, they read articles about the domino effect of pollution and create posters displaying its journey. On blank world maps,...

Third graders predict the amount of time and the quantity of water wasted when waiting for water to warm up. They collect data for the sinks. They calculate the average of water wasted per day and make projections for the city, state,...

After reading about the amount of energy that is used to power a personal computer, learners take a look at their own computer use and therefore, their energy consumption. They do this through a series of questions and computations on...

Fifth graders design a brochure that identifies types of solid waste that are often improperly disposed, explains the effects of this disposal and proposes a solution to the problem. The read humorous books, define vocabulary words and...

Recycling is the focus in the sixth of a nine-lesson series devoted to forest ecosystems. Class members read an article about the responsible use of natural resources and ways to reduce land fill.

Students recognize the importance of saving energy to save natural resources. In this saving energy lesson, students complete a worksheet to find types of electricity meters in their homes. Students use meter readings to calculate energy...

In these recycling worksheets, students connect the dots and color the 2 pictures for the recycling bins. Kids circle items that would be placed in each bin with blue and yellow crayons. Students complete a maze and find 10 things in the...

In this crossword puzzle learning exercise, students read the clues related to recycling. Students use the clues to find 16 words to complete the crossword puzzle.

Students examine how to reduce trash to help the environment. In this environment lesson, students listen to the story, The Wartville Wizard, before thinking about how they can reduce trash. They decide why it is important to reduce...

Students investigate the concept of time and how it is used. There are key words that can be used to stimulate thinking about how each is related to time. They take an inventory of how time is spent in a single day. Then students can...

Students identify ways to conserve water. In this environmental lesson, students use a water use checklist to identify how much water they use in one day. Students analyze the data and brainstorm ways to conserve water.

Students explore the process of decomposition. In this ecology and measurement lesson plan, students prepare a worm home to be used for vermicomposting. Students weigh a group of worms and the added food, recording this information on a...

In this pollution and marine life worksheet, students use 9 given terms related to types of pollution and ocean food chains to complete sentences. Students number the effects of human sewage and soil runoff that harm ocean organisms in...

How do we clean up oil spills and other pollutants in the water? Explore water treatment strategies with a set of environmental science experiments. Groups remove oil from water, work with wastewater treatment, and perform a water...

Here is help with the definitions and biotechnological impacts of genetic engineering. These slides also cover the many products and sociological impacts that have been affected by genetic engineering. A discussion could be started about...

Trying to plan an engaging elementary science unit on natural resources? Conserve your energy! This five-part series of lessons and hands-on activities has exactly what you need to teach young scholars about the importance of conservation.

Students recognize the importance of solid waste management. In this science lesson plan, students analyze individual solid waste management habits as they enhance their knowledge of solid waste disposal and the recycling process.