Georgia Aquarium
The Ocean's Nursery
Linear perspective, estuaries, and water ways converge in a science-inspired art project. The class uses what they've learned about eco-systems, estuaries, and the food chain to create scale models of a local marsh. While the lesson...
Curated OER
The Chemistry of Refining Crude Oil
Consider our energy sources: wood, coal, oil, uranium. Learners compare the pollution to energy produced for each. They practice fractional distillation of an alcohol/water mixture to simulate the process of refining crude oil....
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Fall 1-The Rain Forest Biome and the Effects of Acid Rain - Biology Teaching Thesis
Students explain why rain forests have great biodiversity, and list each layer of a rain forest and tell an organism that lives in each. They identify the cause of acid rain and its affect on a rain forest. Students hypothesize the...
University of Wisconsin
Sizing a Rain Garden
Most appropriate if you are applying the entire unit to build a rain garden at your school, this installment involves calculating the area that will drain into it. Your garden planners will need data from previous lessons, so this one...
Curated OER
"Tri-County" Project--Well in a Cup
Students construct a model of a well to identify how water is brought to the surface. Signs of pollution are investigated.
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"Tri-County" Project--Ogallala Aquifer
Young scholars explore the Ogallala Aquifer in the state of Nebraska. The signs of pollution found are examined and the data classified.
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Current Events and Fish
Fifth graders examine current events impacting aquatic life in their communities. They search for newspaper, magazine and television reports for information about aquatic life in local bodies of water. Students can write letters to...
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What's Hiding in the Air?
Fifth graders conduct experiments to study the effects of invisible air pollutants including one with a bean plant. They examine methods of invisible air pollutants.
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Particulate Matter: The Lorax
Students collect air samples to test it for air pollution. They are read the story The Lorax and discuss the effects of air pollution. They share their observations with the class.
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The Effect of Automobile Exhaust on Hydra in an Environmental Chamber
Students study the structure and habitat of the hydra in this lab lesson. Students determine if the hydra can be used as an indicator to detect pollution from automobile exhaust.
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CO Buildup City
Students conduct a controlled experiment. They collect data in an organized manner. Students analyze data to reach a conclusion and communicate findings. They explain how city size, temperature, and pollution is related to the air quality.
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This Stuff Makes Me Sick
Students participate in a lab showing the effects of pesticides on Lumbriculus variegatus. Several extensions and variations are also included in this lesson including one which relates the experiment to how pesticides enter our drinking...
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Fallout!
Students plot the locations of fallout from two disasters that polluted much of the world's air. They plot the ash fallout from the 1980 Mt. St. Helen's eruption to see what the wind patterns in the United States look like overall. Next...
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Acid Rain Keeps Falling on My Head
Students examine the pH level of rain water in their local community. They locate each location on a map. They analyze the data and draw conclusions.
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The Effect of Medications on Daphnia
Students explore how human beings affect the world's ecosystem by examining the affects of medication on daphnia, a small freshwater organism very sensitive to pollution. Students use a computer model to repeat the experiment and analyze...
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Environmental Education
Second graders examine how their choices affect the environment. They identify different types of pollution and its source. They ask questions to end the lesson.
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NCTA Lesson Plan on China
Young scholars identify China's geography, especially arable land, rainfall, crop growing areas, rivers, and mountains. Students select a technological advance to draw a diagram of the particular advance make transparencies of the...
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Waterworks In Braintree
Students 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...
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Recycle
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 plan is very effective in demonstrating how recycling works.
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Erosion in Freshwater Ecosystems
Students explore the concept of sediment pollution. For this erosion lesson, students discuss the process of erosion and determine how sediment pollution affects animals that live in freshwater ecosystems. Students respond to questions...
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Birds, Baths And Oil Spills
Students examine effects of an oil spill on birds and animals that inhabit marine or freshwater ecosystems, and simulate procedures used by rescue workers who rescue and rehabilitate birds and other animals coated with oil.
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Evaporation and Condensation
Students explore how temperature affects the processes of evaporation and condensation.
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Waterwheel Work
Students investigate the history of the waterwheel and common uses for water turbines today. They construct an experimental waterwheel using a two-liter plastic bottle, measure the rate of revolution of a waterwheel, and complete a...
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Landscaping and Urban Forestry - Lesson 4 (Grades 5-6)
Students discuss reasons to plant trees and the best locations for cooling. They analyze two homes identifying types and locations of trees, and location of the central air conditioners. The benefits of shade, the process of...