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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Soil, the Forgotten Resource

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students discuss soil understanding that is is often overlooked as a natural resource. In this science instructional activity, students recognize that we depend on it for energy in the form of foods. Students experiment with six boxes of...
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Lesson Plan
National Wildlife Federation

Power Pellets! Nuclear Energy in the United States

For Students 5th - 8th Standards
Nuclear power provides about 20 percent of the energy generated in the United States. The seventh activity in the series of 12 tackles nuclear power. After sharing what they know about nuclear energy, scholars complete a WebQuest make a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What are the Challenges?

For Teachers Pre-K - 6th
Students discuss energy. In this energy challenges instructional activity, students read about greenhouse gas emissions and global climate change. Comprehension questions from the reading are provided. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

GARBAGE 1: THE ROOTS OF TRASH

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students identify the various natural resources used to produce common items; to explain how people use science and technology to produce those items.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Day in the Life of a Coal Miner (1910)

For Teachers 10th - Higher Ed
Students compare and contrast fossil fuels and bio-fuels. They brainstorm what mining might look like in the future. Students view the film "A Day in the Life of a Coalminer." They discuss fossil fuels and the methods of extraction....
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Worksheet
Curated OER

How Can Global Warming Be Slowed?

For Students 9th - 12th
In this global warming worksheet, high schoolers review the causes of global warming such as deforestation, fossil fuels, and nitrous oxide. This worksheet has 6 matching and 4 short answer questions.
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Lesson Plan
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National Wildlife Federation

Green Green Revolution

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
School budgets don't have a lot of extra money, so when students propose saving the district money, everyone jumps on board. The first lesson in the series of 21 introduces the concept of an energy audit. Scholars form an eco-action team...
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Lesson Plan
National Park Service

What Can We Do?

For Teachers 4th - 8th Standards
Motivate young conservationists to stand up and make a change. After learning about the efforts in Cascade Nation Park to reduce carbon emissions in order to preserve the wilderness, young scholars work in groups creating action plans...
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Lesson Plan
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Chicago Botanic Garden

Greenhouse Gas Emissions — Natural and Human Causes

For Teachers 5th - 6th Standards
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...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Modeling Oil and Gas Reservoirs

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate energy by researching how oil reservoirs work. In this fossil fuels lesson plan, students conduct an experiment using a half full bottle of water, corn oil and oxygen, recording their data as the elements are mixed...
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Unit Plan
Teach Engineering

Solar Water: Heat it Up!

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Young engineers are instructed to design and build their own solar water heaters. Then, they calculate the efficiency and cost and compare them to commercially available models. This is a full unit for pupils to apply their knowledge.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Natural Resources

For Students 7th - 12th
In this natural resources worksheet, students compare and contrast renewable and nonrenewable resources. This worksheet has 1 fill in the blank and 9 short answer questions.
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Lesson Plan
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Consortium for Ocean Science Exploration and Engagement (COSEE)

Ocean Acidification: Whats and Hows

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Open this lesson by demonstrating the production of acidic carbon dioxide gas by activated yeast. Emerging ecologists then experiment with seashells to discover the effect of ocean acidification on shelled marine organisms. They measure...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring Alternative Energies

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students research various forms of alternative energy sources and examine the pros and cons of each type. They discuss American oil dependence and the Bush administration's policies regarding this issue.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Great Energy Debate

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the controversial issues surrounding the energy debate in Canada. They research recent initiatives being taken in this area and analyze their implication. Students then assume the roles of pivotal stakeholders in this...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Energy from Atoms

For Students 7th - 9th
In this energy from atoms worksheet, students match 10 sentences to given terms related to nuclear energy, electricity, fission, and nuclear reactions. They also answer 3 questions about nuclear waste and atomic reactions.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Killer Coal

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore some of the environmental health risks involved with both the mining and burning of coal. They read articles on coal in the Balkan Peninsula, view the photographs, and then discuss what feelings and thoughts they have...
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Lesson Plan
NASA

Climate Change Inquiry Lab

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
With global temperatures on the rise faster than ever recorded, the effects of a heating planet could be devastating. Allow learners to discover just what the world is in store for if the warming continues through a series of videos, a...
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PPT
Curated OER

The Influence of Human Activity on the Environment

For Teachers 4th - 8th
The surge in human population in the last 2,000 years, due in large part to better health care, has brought a surge in the demand for resources and in pollution. The graphics, photographs, and real-life examples in a thought-provoking...
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Lesson Plan
EarthEcho International

Investigating How Electricity is Generated

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
What is the real cost of electricity? The real cost is not just the price you pay, but the environmental and economic costs as well. Scholars build, use, and judge the effectiveness of a turbine. They also investigate the environmental...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fuel Cells

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine how fuel cells and combustion engines work. Using the internet, they research the positives and negatives of the various energy sources. In groups, they complete an experiment with a working fuel cell model and take a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Energy Debate - Global Warming

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars describe what global warming is, what causes global warming and the impact to our world. They study the threat of global warming and its relationship to the use of fossil fuels.
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Activity
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NOAA

I Didn’t Do It…Did I?: Make Your Own Greenhouse Effect

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
How do greenhouse gases affect the climate on Earth?  Pupils explore the concept by first building their own apparatuses to model the greenhouse effect. Then, they record data to measure temperature change and determine that the amount...
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Lesson Plan
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California Academy of Science

Nuclear Energy: What's Your Reaction?

For Teachers 6th - 10th Standards
OSHA confirms that rules governing worker safety at nuclear power plants ranks higher than worker safety in offices. Scholars must consider safety, cost, alternatives, and other factors before recommending whether a town should build a...