Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Look At A Landfill

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students explore how landfills function. In this landfill activity, students explore the use of landfills and the decomposition process by creating a model landfill. Students discuss pros and cons to landfills and how potential...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

UNWRAPPING PACKAGING

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students study product packaging and determine if it is excessive and if it is recyclable.  In this packaging activity students examine and identify waste reduction techniques. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Designing More Effective Packages

For Teachers Pre-K - 6th
Young scholars make an environmentally sound package. In this packaging lesson students examine various types of modern packaging. The problem of waste is discussed leading into a discussion of waste reduction. The young scholars choose...
Lesson Plan
Teach Engineering

Life Cycles

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Breathe some life into product design. Pupils learn about the stages of product creation, use, and disposal—sometimes called a cradle-to-grave assessment. They see how this cycle relates to the life cycle of organisms.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cation Separation and Identification

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students conduct an experiment in which they systematically separate cations from a mixture of substances. They use the following types of reactions to do so: precipitation, acids and bases, oxidation and reduction. They compare a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Day in the Life of Bottled Water

For Teachers 1st - 6th
Students research natural resources. In this environmental lesson, students define what a natural resource is and explore the life of a single-use water bottle. Students create a waste-reduction plan.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Buying in Bulk

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners investigate buying purchases in bulk. In this buying in bulk lesson, students consider ways to cut costs and reduce waste in landfills by making bulk purchases.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reduce and Reuse

For Teachers 2nd - 8th
Students conduct a lunch waste audit by recording each item they throw away at lunch. They graph class lunch waste. They use this information to devise a plan of action to reduce lunch waste. There is also an activity to make paper.
Lab Resource
Royal Society of Chemistry

Electrochromic Polymer—Chemistry Outreach

For Teachers 10th - Higher Ed Standards
From windows that tint themselves to OLED technology, electrochromic polymers are redefining our ideas about conducting materials! Introduce your chemistry class to the emerging trend with an exciting lab activity. Budding materials...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making Decisions: Packaging and the Environment

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students work in small groups to redesign the packaging of several common items. They attempt to reach the goal of 25% reduction in packaging materials currently used and explore the impact of various materials and designs in landfills...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Is It Recyclable?

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Learners bring to school five items they would normally throw away and five items they would normally recycle. Expert groups are formed to present information on the recycling of glass, metal, plastic, and organics such as paper and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Uses of Water

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students plan for a water shortage in their area.  In this water lesson, students analyze water usage and plan and share a reduction plan.  Groups share their results and calculate the averages.  Students analyze how water...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Power Generation

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine energy issues. In this environmental stewardship instructional activity, students discuss nuclear power options. Students also discuss energy consumption and create energy reduction guides for students their own age....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Deposition

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students follow carefully designed instructions to bond silver to glass thus creating a mirror. The process used, Brashear's Process, uses sugar rather than formaldehyde to reduce the compounds, but many of the chemicals are dangerous,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Clean Air: Our Health Matters

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students learn about the human respiratory system. In this pollution lesson, students identify the parts of the respiratory system and what happens to them when they breathe in polluted air. Students learn about the importance of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Recycle

For Teachers 1st - 8th
Students determine the weight of paper waste generated by the class. They brainstorm ways to reduce and recycle. They make their own paper to demonstrate recycling. This lesson is very effective in demonstrating how recycling works.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Build an Indoor Compost Bin

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students write an essay to describe the contents of a compost bin.  In this composting lesson, students create a compost bin. Students examine soil for its contents and explains in an essay the impact of the soil on the environment.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Our Natural Resources

For Teachers K - 3rd
Your class will learn about natural resources and man-made items and differentiate between them. They chart resources from seven pictures and explain how each natural resource is used.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Benefits of Indoor Plants

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students diagram a plant. In this Science lesson, students explore the concept of photosynthesis focusing on the oxygen production. Students calculate the amount of plants needed to filter the air in their classroom.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Matter of Accountability

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Pupils conduct a mock trial focusing on environmental accountability of industrialized nations. As an example, they evaluate evidence provided on carbon dioxide emissions. They participate in a mock trial of industrialized nations by the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's Cooking?

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Young scholars investigate solar energy by making sun tea.  In this ecology and solar energy lesson plan, students prepare traditional tea and "sun" tea, then record and graph data comparing color, clarity, smell and taste.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pollution Prevention in Schools

For Teachers 8th - 9th
Students review P2 concepts they learned in previous lessons and explore how to reduce the pollution in their school. They also examine ways to conserve energy.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Test Your Trash IQ Crossword Puzzle

For Students 4th - 6th
In this trash recycling crossword puzzle, students complete a word puzzle about proper trash recycling. They read 17 clues and place the answers in the proper place on the crossword puzzle.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Native American Culture

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students read a variety of Native American Literature and discuss the main idea by answering critical thinking questions about the poem. Students use context clues to understand the feeling of the Native American culture about the Earth....