Curated OER
Being Responsible for Earth
Eighth graders explore the characteristics of responsibility. In this character lesson, 8th graders complete a self-evaluation. Students view a responsibility video. Students write a newspaper article on selected environmental issue.
Curated OER
Jellybeans Up Your Nose
Jellybeans Up Your Nose, by Jeff Moss, prompts a discussion of responsible and irresponsible behaviors. After reading and discussing the poem, groups of fifth graders examine a Dr. Seuss-ism, from Geisel’s Seuss-isms, and report back to...
Curated OER
Day Four: Environmental Responsibility
Students discuss environmental responsibility. In this environment lesson, students create a story with the teacher with four made up characters. They have these characters do environmentally responsible and irresponsible behaviors and...
Curated OER
Environmental Responsibility
Students discuss the importance of recycling and preventing pollution. In groups, they complete mini-studies on various environmental issues and evaluate different consumer products. They use global warming data to determine the...
Berkshire Museum
Meet a Naturalist: Researching, Writing, Interviewing
Young scholars reach out into the community and learn about different environmental science careers in this inquiry-based instructional activity. Beginning with a short research assignment, children gain background knowledge about...
Curated OER
Environmental Rhyme and Reason
Students employ poetry as a medium to relay information and express views about significant environmental issues that exist today and to assess their effects on The State of the Planet as we enter the next millennium.
Advocates for Human Rights
The Right to a Clean Environment in the United States
Even if a school has gone digital, chances are there's still plenty of paper being used. The three activities help scholars learn about the environmental impact of paper and another consumer products of their choosing, the issue of...
Curated OER
Leaf Stomata as Bioindicators of Environmental Change
Students perform an experiment to determine the stomaltal index on the upper and lower epidermis of two species of leaves. Stomatal densities change in response to changing atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide and to annual rainfall.
Curated OER
Solving Environmental Problems
Students identify a community environmental problem and possible solutions. They analyze the connection between the problem and the solutions and the importance of it to the local community. Students then draw a picture of an...
National Geographic
Rivers and the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros Project
Damming rivers has been a case of necessity versus negative environmental impact since the process began. Kids take on the role of a stakeholder in the proposed damming of the Danube River. They begin by reading arguments for and against...
Polar Bears International
Taking Action!
Motivate young scientists to stand up and take action with this environmental science instructional activity. To begin, the class works in small groups brainstorming actions that support the conservation of the earth before creating and...
Curated OER
Dodging Responsibility
Students examine what makes people be responsible. In this responsibility lesson plan, students chart the good and bad things that happen if you take responsibility and if you don't.
EarthEcho International
Investigating How Electricity is Generated
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...
Marine Institute
Water Pollution
Sixth graders investigate the various types of pollutants found in water and ways to help prevent water pollution. Through a hands-on experiment, students create samples of polluted water by mixing water with vegetable oil, dirt, and...
Curated OER
Environmental Exchange Box
Students examine the characteristics of their own environment and compare them to another region. They prepare a box filled with items and stories about their own region, exchange the box with another class in another region, and...
Curated OER
Relationships, Rules, and Responsibilities
First graders identify jobs in the environment. In this social justice lesson, 1st graders describe rules to protect the environment and the roles specific jobs play. Students construct environmental rules for an imaginary town.
Curated OER
Your Trash, My Treasure
Pupils create their own sculpture representing the idea of environmental responsibility and recycling. In this science lesson, students observe Les Constellations des Voisines du Pole by Joseph Cornell, make recycled paper, and use this...
Curated OER
Earth Day Grocery Bag Art
Pupils decorate grocery bags with messages aimed at increasing environmental responsibility. They deliver the bags to local grocery stores in time for Earth Day.
Curated OER
Environmental Awareness — Think Global, Act Local
Students identify the different hazardous wastes and the dangers they post to the environment. In this physical science lesson, students brainstorm ways to dispose them properly. They create a short story, song or poem to conclude the...
Curated OER
Responsibility
Young scholars invite community workers to visit and speak about how they serve the community. In this character education lesson, students recognize that community workers have an obligation to protect and serve others. Young scholars...
Curated OER
It's Goin' Down; The Rain Forest
Learners discover the global problem of deforestation. In this environmental lesson, students identify organizations on the quest to stop deforestation. Learners also discover what they can do to solve this global dilemma.
Cornell University
Fibers, Dyes, and the Environment
Nanofibers can be made through electrospinning or force spinning in order to reduce the negative impact on the environment. Pupils study the role of fibers and dye on the environment through a series of five hands-on activities. Then,...
Curated OER
Animal Behavior
Can you train a worm? Biology buffs will have a blast trying! Using planaria or earthworms, they introduce a certain stimulus repeatedly until the desired response happens more quickly. They also explore the response of their own eyes to...
Curated OER
Gulf Oil Spill:What Happened, and Who is Responsible?
Students investigate the Gulf Oil Spill. In this environmental issues activity, students watch video clips about the oil spill and discuss the devastation caused by the spill as well as who is responsible. Students also consider how many...