Curated OER
AP Environmental Science-Food Fight
The content in this lesson is of a controversial nature. Please review to make sure it is suitable for your class. A video, The Meatrix is shown to the class, and then they discuss the emotionally-charged language that it uses. They are...
Curated OER
Connecticut Wildlife: Biodiversity and Conservation Status of Our Vertebrate Populations
Young scholars explore the different types of vertebrates found in their area. In this environmental science lesson, students perform a case study on the Common Raven. They analyze data collected from research and create charts and graphs.
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Regents High School Examination: Living Environment 2009
Emerging ecologists need a full understanding of life, from the inner workings of a cell to the complex relationships among organisms. This examination is meant to assess high schoolers after an entire year course on the living...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Human Skin Color: Evidence for Selection
Skin color is controlled by at least six genes. Young scientists learn about skin colors through a documentary. They discuss the topics of pigment, natural selection, and vitamin D absorption. They apply their knowledge to higher order...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
The Making of the Fittest: Got Lactase? The Co-evolution of Genes and Culture
Got milk? Only two cultures have had it long enough to develop the tolerance of lactose as an adult. Learn how the responsible genes evolved along with the cultures that have been consuming milk. This rich film is supplied with a few...
Curated OER
El Nino Lesson
Students compare graphs of weather occurrences. In this environmental lesson plan, students will being using the website to gather weather related information for a certain time period. The students will then graph the data that will be...
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Title: Biodiversity Analysis and Comparison Within the New Jersey Highlands
Students explore the concept of biodiversity. In this environmental science lesson, students use field methods to examine the trophic relationship that allows for species diversity.
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Studying Snow and Ice Changes
Students compare the change in snow and ice over a 10 year period. In this environmental science lesson plan, students use the live data on the NASA site to study and compare the monthly snow and ice amounts on a map of the entire...
Channel Islands Film
Human Impact on the Food Web of Santa Cruz Island
What happens when a non-native species is introduced onto an island? Santa Cruz Island, part of the Channel Island chain located off the coast of southern California, provides the perfect laboratory for young environmental scientists to...
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Our Population and Its Impact on the Planet
Students explore environmental problems due to the growing worldwide human population and examine the growth rate. They also discuss possible ways to stabilize population growth and increase sustainable development.
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Bacteria: Friend or Foe?
Students examine a variety of environmental and industrial roles of bacteria. explore where bacteria can be found and distinguish bacteria from other organisms.
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Carbon Monoxide and Population Density
Tenth graders investigate the carbon monoxide level at a fixed latitude to determine if there is a relationship to population density. They download data sets and generate a graph, and find locations using the Earth's coordinate system....
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Solar Cell Energy Availability From Around the Country
Students determine areas that are the most likely to produce solar energy by using NASA data. In this solar energy lesson students analyze plots and determine solar panel use.
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Radiation Comparison Before and After 9-11
Using the NASA website, class members try to determine if changes could be detected in cloud cover, temperature, and/or radiation measurements due to the lack of contrails that resulted from the halt in air traffic after the attacks of...
Curated OER
Earth's Energy Budget - Seasonal Cycles in Net Radiative Flux
Students attempt to understand seasonal variation by viewing images of the energy received by the earth. In this weather lesson, students view images from NASA of the influx of energy from the sun and make predictions about resulting...
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Ocean Impacts of an El Nino Event
High schoolers study sea surface height and temperature and other characteristics of an El Nino. In this ocean impacts lesson students examine the factors that influence an El Nino or La Nina.
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Case Study of Local Trends in the Carbon Cycle
Students examine the relationship between chlorophyll and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. In this investigative instructional activity students study the local effects of climate change.
Population Connection
The Carbon Crunch
Carbon is in the air; should we care? Teach the class why it is important to pay attention to carbon levels and how the world population and various countries across the globe affect the carbon levels in the atmosphere. High schoolers...
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Scientist Tracking Network
Students correlate surface radiation with mean surface temperature of several geographic regions. They observe how these parameters change with latitude and construct an understanding of the relationship of solar radiation to seasonal...
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Surface Air Temperature Trends of the Caribbean
Students investigate the seasonal changes to sea surface and near-surface air temperatures near the equator. They use actual satellite data to track and graph the differences in air and sea temperatures during different seasons in the...
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Global Warming: Life in a Greenhouse
Students examine the evidence that scientists have used to support the existence of global warming and the greenhouse effect. How the concepts have been developed and evaluated form the focus of this lesson plan.
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Pesticides and Eggshell Thinning.
Students analyze the calcium content of egg shells as an introduction to the toxic effects of pesticides on biological systems.
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Biodiesel: An Alternative Fuel Source
Learners explore the advances that are being made in alternative fuels.In this biodiesel lesson students evaluate different petroleum and alternative fuels.
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Micro-Ecosystems
Students create a sustainable, self-contained ecosystem in a ten-gallon aquarium.