Curated OER
Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change
Students examine the potential impact of climate change to agriculture, coastal areas, forests, water, and human health. They hypothesize what might happen to a sugar maple forest and hold a debate about global warming.
Carnegie Mellon University
Hydroelectricity
Use a simple PowerPoint presentation to introduce you environmental studies class to hydropower. Hold a debate about the pros and cons of developing this form of alternative energy. Power up your class with this simple lesson on a topic...
Curated OER
Genetically Modified Food
Students work in teams to develop a presentation and handout representing a particular point of view in a genetically modified food debate. They synthesize their knowledge of food, food contamination, nutrition, and their issues, and...
Curated OER
Recreational Water Contamination and Beach Closurew
Students work in teams to develop a presentation and handout representing a particular point of view in a recreational Water Contaminationand Beach Closure Debate. They synthesize their knowledge of recreational water, sewage, and their...
Curated OER
Mars
Middle schoolers debate the ethical considerations involved in colonizing and terra-forming Mars. They have a preliminary discussion and view a video clip about Mars, then break into support and oppose groups to research and prepare...
Curated OER
Technology at Work 2
Students discover the positive and negative effects of technology. In this technology lesson, students give examples of technology advances from the past few years. Students get into groups and debate whether a particular item has hurt...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Special Order 40
The city of Los Angeles' 1979 Special Order 40 states: "LAPD officers shall not initiate police action with the objective of discovering the alien status of a person." After reading a fact sheet that details the history of Special Order...
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...
Curated OER
The Human Mind
Young scholars read and discuss twin studies to explore the debate of nature vs. nurture. They create a list of characteristics and then look for evidence of whether it is primarily a genetic or environmental characteristic. All of the...
UNICEF
Get Real on Climate
Climate change isn't just about a warming planet; it will affect humans' health, spread of disease, changes in heat waves and droughts, and changes in storms and wildfires. Participants explore global climate change through discussions...
Curated OER
Sonoran Desert
Students discuss the complicated environmental issues that face different people today. They establish legal positions surrounding several different scenarios.
Curated OER
Clearcutting: Sustainable Forestry?
Students explore the conflicts between the economy and the environment by focusing on forest management in Maine. They read pamphlets on siliviculture and clear-cutting as well as those by environmental groups then conduct a debate on...
Curated OER
Bromine: An Important Arkansas Industry
Arkansas ranks first in the entire world in the production of bromine! Here is a lesson which guides middle schoolers through a study about the formation and history of Arkansas' bromine reserves. They also looks at the many uses of...
Curated OER
What Are the Ethical Considerations
Students investigate the socioeconomic and environmental issues associated with radon. They examine the laws that exist in New Jersey that pertain to real estate. They work in groups to design new legislation that addresses associated...
Curated OER
Biologically Altered (B/A Fish)
Learners complete a variety of activities as they examine the ethics involved in biologically altering fish. They hold a mock town meeting in which they determine whether or not a transgenic aquaculture should be allowed to locate in...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Arizona v. United States — States and Immigration Law
As part of a study of immigration law, class members read a summary of the Supreme Court case, Arizona v. United States. They then examine a series of examples and acting as federal court judges, must determine if the scenarios meet the...
Curated OER
GLOBAL WARMING
Students form definitions of the greenhouse effect based on prior knowledge, class discussion, viewing diagrams, and participate in group brainstorming sessions and class discussions related to the impact of the greenhouse effect and...
Curated OER
Electromagnetic Spectrum
Students define electromagnetic radiation, list major categories and uses of electromagnetic waves, identify potential health risks with electromagnetic waves, and demonstrate understanding of Plank's constant by solving quantitative...
Curated OER
Believe It...Or Not
Learners critically analyze data regarding climate changes using a glossary of terms generated by examination of climate related articles. They examine and graph climatic data, and discuss, hypothesize and test apparent discrepancies in...
Curated OER
Creating a Coastal Area
Students design and lay out a map of a coastal area that includes a bay, an estuary, an ocean entrance, and prime beach lands. They write a plan outlining solutions to the economic problems of their community and present their map and...