Curated OER
The Coffee and Conservation Connection
Students explore the connection between low cost coffee and wildlife conservation. Students working in groups devise a marketing campaign for a new brand of coffee, grown in a less environmentally damaging way.
Curated OER
Soils
Students apply knowledge of soil, environmental impacts, economics, multiple human demands, and use given data for a proposed scenario in making land use decisions. They debate land use issues and/or scenarios and discuss a case study.
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Prairie Predator and Prey
Fifth graders brainstorm a list of animals that live on the prairie, and classify them as predators and prey. They conduct interviews where they ask the animals what they need to look out for to sustain life on the prairie.
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What If We Run Out?
Students explore the consequences of shrinking habitats and the human impact on wildlife populations. They participate in a game to study the consequences and describe the preservation of animal habitats.
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Amazing Grazing: Keeping Our Ecosystem Running
Students discover the value of sustainability within our ecosystem. In this ecological lesson, students discuss the importance of a food cycle in our society, and how humans can improve the conservation of a healthy ecosystem. Eventually...
American Chemical Society
Chemical Reactions and Engineering Design
Construction leads to habitat loss and local wildlife suffers. Scholars must build a reptile egg incubation device that meets many constraints. Various experiments help them discover the chemical reaction needed to reach the proper...
Curated OER
Human Footprint
Students study facts about humans and how they are impacting the Earth. In this investigative lesson students help map peoples footprints over the Earth's surface and evaluate these factors.
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Please Help!
Sixth graders examine the prairie food chain while designing a rescue strategy for an endangered species. They compare their strategy to that of a professional conservation expert.
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Wildlife, Wolves, Endangered Species
Learners use the Internet to research wildlife and conservation efforts. They examine pictures and graphics to research endangered species and humans role in their lives. They also use math to measure areas of habitats and add the number...
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Why the Y2Y?
Students investigate the proposed route from Yellowstone to Yukon. They listen to lectures about the proposal and the different opinions concerning it. Students research the type of wildlife in the area for the road and they consider how...
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Marjory Stoneman Douglas
Students explore Marjory Stoneman Douglas and her contribution to the ecosystems and National Parks.
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Mystery, Myth, and Wonder: The White Elephant
Learners examine the role of the elephant in the culture of Thailand through many different class activities based on a PBS program "The White Elephants of Thailand with Meg Ryan". Students also look at the impact of technology on...
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Rainforest Rescue
Students explore threats to diversity in the Central African rainforest. They use a guided website to research animals that are threatened with extinction, examine human uses of the rainforest and think about what they can do to help...
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Poisoning the Prairie
Seventh graders investigate what pesticides are and why people use them. They examine the effect of pesticides on prairie grasses and what alternatives can be used.
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What Is Happening To My Species?
Students select and research an animal that lives in the rainforest of Manu, Peru. They watch and discuss a video, create masks and costumes to role-play various rainforest animals, conduct research, and write a short story of their...
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New Mammal Species Found
Students brainstorm ideas about rodents, mammals and new discoveries. They describe rodents and participate in pre-reading activities. They read, discuss, and complete role play activities based on an article on the discovery of a new...
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Beaver, or not?
Learners study the role of the beaver in Illinois during the 1800's and how overtrapping cause the near extinction of the beaver colonies in Illinois by 1900. Students role play various people in 1945 who have an opinion about the...
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Protecting the Guatemalan Rainforest through Certification
Eighth graders examine criteria that may be involved in forest certification. In this rainforest instructional activity students create a brochure to educate people on the benefits of buying certified forest products.
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How To Save The Planet
Learners work together in groups to create a book about how to save the environment. They are to research ways to help the environment and assemble them into the book. They can even design a cover if they choose.