Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Effects of Oil Spills on Environment and Marine Life

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore oceanography by conducting an environmental experiment in class. In this oil spill instructional activity, students discuss the human need for oil and what is at stake when we drill for oil in our oceans. Students read a...
Lesson Plan
NPR

Investigate the Plastic Problem

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Plastics are forever. The second lesson plan in a 10-part unit has pupils research the effects of plastics on the environment. They present their findings by creating an infographic.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Trembling, Spewing Earth: Impacts on Human Activity

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders study to identify patterns in earthquake activity and impacts on human behavior. They also develop plans to cope with such natural disasters.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Endangered Species 1: Why are Species Endangered?

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Emerging ecologists examine endangered species by visiting the US Environmental Protection Agency website. They consider human contribution to the decline of different species. They research an endangered animal and then craft a poster...
Lesson Plan
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Curated OER

Empty Oceans

For Teachers 6th - 8th
In groups of four, pupils brainstorm about seafood. They view the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch website to examine the problems caused by the seafood industry. Learners are then brought back together to discuss what they...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Farming in Ancient Mesopotamia: An Ancient Civil Engineering Problem

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders identify the major obstacles in farming in Mesopotamia. They work together to design and build a model that solves these problems. They write a short essay that describes the problems and their possible solutions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Human Evolution

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students recognize that achievements of human beings throughout human history can be considered part of the ongoing story of human evolution. They research settings such as the biosphere and Mars and write imaginative short stories using...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Human or Natural?

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students explore nature by participating in a class lab activity. In this human vs. nature lesson plan, students examine a group of items in their classroom and discuss whether they were created naturally or have been altered or created...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making Connections, Linking Population and the Environment

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students find out that all habitats have a carrying capacity. They explore how the world's human population has grown markedly in the 20th century, and that humans impact environmental health. Students investigate that people can and...
Lesson Plan
Kenan Fellows

The Little Stuff Can Make a Big Difference

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Great things come in small packages! What better way to illustrate this point than a week-long look at nanotechnology? Earth science scholars explore water quality issues through lab activities, then research new innovations in nanotech...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Litter From Lunchtime

For Teachers Pre-K - 2nd
Learners explore environmental care by participating in a litter identification activity. In this food trash lesson, students discuss the destruction litter causes in our environment and ways we can avoid littering ourselves. Learners...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Environment -- Unit on Globalization and the Environment

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students examine the effect of human activities on the environment. They discover issues that are causing problems around the world. They participate in a debate using their own research.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Taking the Human Rights Temperatutre of Your School

For Teachers 6th - Higher Ed
Students evaluate their school's human rights climate using criteria derived from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They discuss the results and develop a plan of action to begin addressing the problems they find.
Activity
North Haven Middle School

Environmental Expert Presentation

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Individuals or groups select an environmental issue, then spend time researching and creating a presentation to share in class. By allowing learners to choose the issue that matters most to them, you will motivate them to do...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Energy Conservation Lesson 1: Fossil Fuels and the Ticking Clock

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students explore energy production by participating in a class discussion. In this renewable energy instructional activity, students discuss the differences between solar, coal, wind and fossil fuel energy sources and why some are better...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Agriculture in the Desert

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students explore human migration. In this human migration lesson, students investigate multiple factors contributing to the growth of major Arizona cities.  Students discover the processes, patterns, and functions of human settlement.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Understanding the Indoor Environment:Preventing and Fixing Indoor Air Pollution

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students explore air pollution.  For this environmental studies lesson, students work with a partner to create a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting possible solutions to prevalent indoor air pollution problems.  Students...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Critical Analysis Leads to Global Action

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners discover the interconnectedness of the world. In this global studies instructional activity, students identify challenges the world faces and craft solutions to the problems they identified. Learners present their findings in a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Who's Up for the Olympic Challenge?:Integrating the 5 Themes of Geography with Olympic Bids

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore geographical themes.  In this problem solving geography lesson, students view a PowerPoint presentation about the Vancouver/Whistler Olympic bid.  Students analyze Vancouver as an Olympic site looking at...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Researching Chocolate

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Learners work in groups to research one part of the chocolate processing procedure. They will publish a written report to present to a younger class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Interactions Everywhere!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners examine interactions within the environment and environmental engineering careers. They discuss and view photos of natural and manmade environments, explore various websites, create a web to identify interactions between living...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Delicate Balance within a Forest Ecosystem

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students examine the causes and effects of alterations in a forest ecosystem and evaluate how human actions may only seem to have minor consequences, but can lead to extinctions of large numbers of populations. Students produce an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Human Effects and World Problems

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners engage in a lesson that is concerned with the concept of world problems and some of the human effects upon the causes. They pick a problem and conduct research using a variety of resources. Students use the information in order...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Protecting the Environment

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explain what biodegradable materials are and list examples of them. They design, with online partners' feedback and input, a product made of biodegradable materials and develop a marketing campaign to best sell their product.