Accurate weather forecasting is something we take for granted today, making it easy to forget how complex it can be to predict the weather. Learn more about the terms and symbols used to forecast the weather with an earth science lesson...

In a perfect marriage of social studies and science, groups work together to research and create a travel guide presentation to share with the class. Not only do kids learn about the climate and geography of a biome, but also the...

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...

Students identify and study New York State Breeding Bird Atlas maps to learn where different bird species nest and how their distributions have changed over time. They also identify how maps serve as representations of a geographic...

Do not overlook this set of lessons just because your school does not have a data analysis system. There is plenty of material here to administer a complete mini unit on the formation, distribution, and properties of coal. Since it...

Discover the connection of native peoples to their natural world, including cultural and agricultural practices, by studying the Zuni people of the American Southwest. This lesson includes examining a poster's photographs, reading...

Third graders define renewable and non-renewable resources and give multiple examples of each type of resource. In this environmental science lesson, 3rd graders sort picture cards into two categories, renewable and non-renewable...

Desert regions are hotter for multiple reasons; the lack of vegetation causes the sun's heat to go straight into the surface and the lack of moisture means none of the heat is being transferred into evaporation. This concept, and other...

What better way to make predictions about future weather and climate patterns than with actual climate data from the past? Young climatologists analyze data from 400,000 to 10,000 years ago to determine if climate has changed over...

Students design an on campus treasure hunt to find various architectural vocabulary words which they then create definitions for on the blog page on the Environmental Design website.

Ninth graders explore the historical perspective of nature and the environment.  In this American History lesson, 9th graders examine materials in a variety of formats to understand the contexts of America's concern for the...

Students investigate geographical locations and their own personal experiences with the environment.  In this environmental identification lesson, students participate in a match game using certain environmental and geographical...

Students explore environmental care by participating in a trail building exercise. In this topography lesson, students collaborate in small groups and utilize building materials to create a trail in a nearby park or nature area. Students...

Students participate in a mock oil search game and attempt to find "oil" in a model oil field. They drill initially based on random guessing, but each time they drill they use prior knowledge to determine where to drill next. They must...

Students investigate the weather by reading children stories.  In this weather observation lesson, students read Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and several other stories about weather before they create a KWL chart....

Students examine the physical characteristics of several types of air masses to discover how air masses can be identified and defined by their temperature and moisture content.