Young scholars discover that material and energy uses by a city come from outside the city boundaries. They realize that the pathway of these material is linear instead of cyclical as they are in natural ecosystems.

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.

Students interpret and name the vocabulary termed acted out by the mime. In this science/language arts/physical education activity, students are given a set of vocabulary terms to discuss within their group. Next, students place all...

Fourth graders, after defining the task and searching for some creative strategies, role play being a Park Ranger who tries to save Big Bend from being removed from the National Park system in Texas. They support the keeping of Big Bend...

Six different lessons comprise this unit on marine debris. Science, language arts, social studies, and art projects make this an ideal interdisciplinary unit. The result will be well-informed future citizens who can help make a...

Students explore the food chains in a variety of ecosystems and its relationship to the survival of threatened or endangered marine animals or fish in the ocean. The interdependence of the species is investigated in this lesson.

Though this is meant to be second in a two-part lesson, the two are not dependent on each other. Pupils play the roles of visible light rays, light or dark surfaces, and carbon dioxide molecules. They interact and react according to...

Students explore the history of our mail system. In this postal lesson plan, students evaluate mail as a means of communication, create a mail system in their classroom where they can send and receive mail. Once the students receive...

Students identify social and ecological considerations where human uses of land and trees conflict with each other and ecosystem needs, and describe importance of land-use management and planning through role play.

Students study black history, examine portraits and portrait making and create their own portraits, and  investigate their natural environment. This humanities lesson provides a text that can be used to teach lessons in black...

Students participate in multiple hands-on activities to explore reproduction and pollination. In groups, using a cotton swab and powder, students simulate being pollinators and plants. They name the parts of the flowers and the function...

Students investigate defensive mechanisms of insects and organisms.  In this biology lesson, students draw imaginary caterpillars as well as imaginary parasites that will harm the caterpillar.  Students utilize the Internet to...

Students investigate biodiversity by creating reports with their classmates.  In this ecosystem lesson, students utilize the Internet to research the different types of life in our environment and different locations around the...

Students examine the components and relationships of ecoregions and ecosystem management. They define ecoregion and ecosystem, list ecoregions, and participate in a simulation that demonstrates the connections between parts of the...

Students define adaptation and highlight example of adaptation in birds and other animals. They study feeding techniques of seabirds and investigate the effect that trash has on wildlife.

Students locate 'animals' in various environments and draw conclusions about the survival value of structures the animals possess. They create model macaroni animals and hide them and other teams of students find them and evaluate the...

Students explore co-operation by researching ocean life. In this fish science lesson, students identify many vocabulary terms associated with oceanography and discuss what group foraging means among fish. Students utilize paints and...

Students come to understand vocabulary words through pantomime. In this vocabulary lesson, students first review several vocabulary words and their meaning, then they work in groups to pantomime the definitions.

Students work in collaborative teams with specific roles, use the Internet to research the behavior and ecology of pikas, make predictions about survival rates of pikas in different habitats and organize their data in graphs.

Students collect, organize by table, and examine census data in a simulation, estimate the size of the population in the simulation and make predictions based on the collection of census simulation data.

Students play game simulating route turtle hatchlings take from clutch to ocean, and describe threats hatchlings face and how this affects the marine turtle population.

Young scholars discover the anatomy of a fish by identifying its body parts.  In this oceanography lesson, students view a live fish in their classroom and draw a poster of the fish one body part at a time while identifying it....

High schoolers investigate the geological, climatic, and biological features of Big Sur. They watch a video, conduct Internet research, and create a script and images in the form of an outline in a simulation of an environmental group.

Students simulate online the formation of Ape Cave, in order to better explain its construction. They observe, illustrate and discuss geological features of this lava tube.