Environmental Quality in Our Own Backyard

What does the ground around your home have to do with water pollution? Young ecologists learn about their local watershed and create their own cause-and-effect models of the hydrosphere.

Humans use 160,000 plastic bags a second and 10 percent of those end up in our oceans. In this consuming activity, young scientists discuss how society becomes aware of environmental issues. As individuals or in small groups, they then...

Whether you are teaching environmental science in junior high or studying recycling in kindergarten, there is something for all in this set of lessons designed for environmental education. The 110-page packet comes with tips for teaching...

As one of the most biodiverse places in the world, Monteverde Park in Costa Rica is home to more than 100 mammal species, more than 400 species of birds, over 10,000 insects, and over 2,500 types of plants. In this final activity in the...

Roll up your sleeves and get a little dirty with this elementary and middle school compost lesson. All you need is a large plastic container, a couple old newspapers, some organic waste, and a few hundred worms and you're ready to start...

Bird is the word! Teach life science scholars the importance of our feathered friends and the roles they play in our ecosystem. Using the plan, learners investigate the birds in their areas, determine the biotic and abiotic factors that...

Scholars build a simple filtration system to remove impurities from muddy water and rate the filtered water to a grade of clarity scale. The focus is on teamwork and problem solving. This instructional activity would be effective in your...

They say you can't control the weather — but maybe we can! A two-week unit explores climate change, humans' role in it, and nature's adaptation due to climate change. Learners research each topic with a focus on local and state information.

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...

Here is the first of four poignant lessons on how humans and oceans interact, even if people live far from the coast. This particular lesson plan also examines studies that are taking place in Antarctica of how climate change is...