DiscoverE
Water Pollution Cleanup
How do scientists determine the best method for removing pollutants from our water sources? Environmental scholars experiment with pollution clean-up options to discover which are the most cost-effective, fastest, and most thorough....
Global Oneness Project
On the Verge of Displacement
By having scholars tackle this interdisciplinary instructional activity, they'll see how social studies and environmental science are related as they explore the impact that the construction of a dam will have on the population and...
Global Oneness Project
Learning with Nature
Think outside the box - and think about education beyond the classroom walls - with a resource that has your critical thinkers watching a video about a nursery in Scotland that lets youngsters roam wild in a forest. Viewers reflect on...
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,...
National Wildlife Federation
Green Green Revolution
School budgets don't have a lot of extra money, so when students propose saving the district money, everyone jumps on board. The first activity in the series of 21 introduces the concept of an energy audit. Scholars form an eco-action...
Teach Engineering
Introduction to Environmental Engineering
A series on environmental engineering introduces the class to issues that environmental engineers work to solve. This first activity focuses on air and land issues, and looks at ways to reduce pollution.
Curated OER
Natural Disasters and the Five Themes of Geography
Have your class do research on natural disasters and create a presentation using this resource. In completing this activity, learners apply the five geography themes to their research. They write a paper describing their results. It's a...
Beyond Benign
Is It Easy Being Green Game Show
Is it possible to create an environmentally friendly shampoo? Learners accept this challenge in the fifth instructional activity in a green chemistry series of 24. The analysis of their shampoo ingredients must address pH, exothermic...
Beyond Benign
The Story of Cosmetics Video Assessment
Does your shampoo contain carcinogens? Scholars learn how cosmetic companies create and market their products, many of which contain toxic chemicals. They examine the bias and consumer responsibilities in the industry.
Beyond Benign
12 Principle Match Up
Can you find a match? Scholars review the 12 principles of green chemistry by playing a matching game. The second instructional activity of the series reinforces the principles from the first instructional activity. Individuals play the...
Beyond Benign
Sustainability Bingo
Play a little Bingo and learn a little chemistry. The third installment in a 24-part series gives scholars the opportunity to play a game of Bingo while they review the 12 principles of green chemistry. The principles make up the Bingo...
British Council
Plastic-Free Is Not Easy
Paper or plastic? Scholars discuss a worksheet containing grocery photos in which consumers were challenged to buy items without plastic wrapping or containers. Learners rank the food items by the need for packaging, such as a banana,...
Personal Genetics Education Project
Engineering the World Around Us: Genome Editing and the Environment
Challenge young minds to build a better world with genetic engineering. Biologists learn potential solutions for environmental issues using genome editing while interacting with three case studies. Scholars read articles and view...
PBS
Going Green
Trash is where it's at! Using bags of garbage collected from the school, learners sort the contents into categories based on type of material and collect data on the results. The data may include weight, volume, and/or percent of the trash.
DocsTeach
Environmental Case Study: Hetch Hetchy Valley
What is more important: building a new school or preserving a nature reserve? Keeping a natural area clean or providing clean drinking water to a city of millions? Young scholars weigh these questions—almost literally—using an...
DocsTeach
Birth of the Environmental Protection Agency
Seeing is believing when it comes to climate change. An informative activity explores the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its efforts to document environmental issues with photographs. Academics match images...
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
A Student Exploration of the Global Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health
Small efforts can have global impacts. Learners use data to analyze public health impacts on climate change. They read articles that present relative data about climate change and use the data to make conclusions about the impact on...
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
A Student Exploration of the Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States
Let the data drive the science. Learners examine data provided in resources to discover connections between climate change and health of vulnerable populations. They study trends and present findings using their choice of projects.
PBS
Gratitude and the Environment
A class discussion begins a two-part lesson about gratitude and the environment. In part one, learners watch a video then share their feelings about its most memorable moment. Delving deep into the meaning of gratitude, scholars create...
American Museum of Natural History
Theodore Roosevelt's Outdoor Adventures
Time for a virtual sightseeing trip. Pupils explore the Grand Canyon, Devil's Tower, and Yosemite Valley in an interactive online experience. They answer questions about the organisms in each location and draw conclusions based on their...
Purdue University
Food Waste and the Environment
Out of sight out of mind can be a dangerous habit. Learners investigate the life of food waste after it leaves people's homes and its impact on the environment. They complete a series of three activities that involve building a mini...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Classroom Activities: What Is My Carbon Footprint?
Everyone leaves an impression on the world—some more than others. An interactive lesson has learners analyze their lifestyles and the impact they have on the environment. The analysis includes travel, food, and energy categories and ends...
Pace University
Grades 6-8 Ecology
Why are our national parks important? Scholars research the national parks and explore the basic ecology of these areas in a differentiated instruction unit on ecology. They learn about ecosystems, food chains, symbiosis, and biomes. The...
Population Connection
Lessons From the Lorax
Is progress progressing too fast? So believes the Lorax, the eponymous character from Dr. Seuss's The Lorax. Young environmental science students read the book and debate the arguments of the Lorax and the Once-ler regarding the value of...