Curated OER
A River Ran Wild: An Environmental History
The Nashua River serves as the focal point of an investigation of the treatment of and care for natural resources. A reading of A River Rand Wild: An Environmental History by Lynne Cherry, launches the study and class members consider...
DocsTeach
Birth of the Environmental Protection Agency
Seeing is believing when it comes to climate change. An informative activity explores the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its efforts to document environmental issues with photographs. Academics match images...
Curated OER
Flood Control: Environmental History
Learners examine the painting, Spring on the Missouri. They role-play and discuss floods and flood control from the views of an environmental lobbyist and a farmer.
DocsTeach
Environmental Case Study: Hetch Hetchy Valley
What is more important: building a new school or preserving a nature reserve? Keeping a natural area clean or providing clean drinking water to a city of millions? Young scholars weigh these questions—almost literally—using an...
Curated OER
Wind Power
What a wonderful way to explore wind power! Through this lesson, learners get a background in the history of wind power, create their own wind turbine, and the test their designs. This is a terrific way to tie scientific principles to...
Curated OER
Solving Environmental Problems
Young scholars 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...
Curated OER
Fossil Fuels (Part II), The Geology of Oil: Topographic Mapping, Crustal Deformation, Rock Porosity, and Environmental Pollution
Students review an interpretation of geologic history and relate it to the formation of oil deposits. They explore and explain factors controlling the porosity and permeability of sediments and sedimentary rocks. Pupils also interpret...
The Imagination Factory
Design a Postage Stamp for Black History Month
Learners create a postage stamp for Black History Month. In this U.S. History instructional activity, students discuss the contributions of African-Americans and design a postage stamp to celebrate their impact.
Curated OER
Environmental Changes
High school scientists reasearch and illustrate changes in the local environment and consider relationships among agriculture, industry, economy, natural events, and social interactions. They construct a timeline to discover if there are...
Curated OER
Explorations in American Environmental History
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 environment.
Curated OER
Women in Science: Dr. Grace Bush
Learn about the study of paleoecology with a resource about Dr. Grace Bush and her contributions to the field. After reading a one-page passage, learners answer comprehension questions and explore their personal interests in different...
Curated OER
Environmental Awareness and Children's Literature
Use an alternative setting for pregnant teens and young mothers, as well as special education children to examine environmental topics through literature. Included in this unit is a visit to neighborhood libraries to select children's...
Curated OER
Reading Comprehension: History of the Periodic Table
Although the article that launches this lesson is about the history of the Periodic Table, the objective is reading comprehension. Using the eight-page informational text, learners answer five comprehension questions and craft one essay....
Curated OER
The History of Life on Earth
Using meters as years, your class works together to map out the geologic time scale on a football field. Plenty of background information is included in this lesson plan as well as several resource links and a student worksheet. Your...
Curated OER
Exploring the History of Oil
Students investigate oil's changing role in human history. They view a PBS documentary, conduct Internet research, complete a research matrix, and write an essay on whether they support an expansion of oil drilling in the Arctic...
Curated OER
History of Natural Resources in the U.S.
Students define conservation, exploitation and preservation, identify legislation related to conservation and environmental issues, and identify leaders and organizations that were key to the conservation and environmental movements.
Global Oneness Project
Protecting Wilderness
Would you live in a tree for three years to protect a redwood forest? Viewers of Rainhouse Cinema's Among Giants documentary consider the actions of Earth First! environmental activists who moved into the treetops of a grove of giant...
Curated OER
Environmental Exchange Box
Learners examine the characteristics of their own environment and compare them to another region. They prepare a box filled with items and stories about their own region, exchange the box with another class in another region, and...
Fluence Learning
Writing an Argument: The NIEHS
Should the work of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences be funded by the government? Middle schoolers weigh in on the status of federal funding for programs that protect the environment with three text passages and...
Stanford University
Ansel Adams at Manzanar
Analyzing photos from Ansel Adams of Manzanar—a camp where the American government imprisoned thousands of Japanese-Americans during World War II—individuals consider what images have to say about this period in American history....
Curated OER
Creating Artwork to Explain Environmental Change
High schoolers review artwork that relates to the environment and communicates a value. They view and analyze art by Andy Warhol, Eric Carle and Albert Bierstadt and then create original pieces with an environmental theme.
Curated OER
Oral History
Students interview a Native Elder to learn about oral history and cold weather. In this weather lesson, students ask an Elder about the coldest day they remember in their community and complete two worksheets for the topic.
Curated OER
Shasta Dam: How High is Too High?
Research water use in California, environmental protection laws, and the proposition to raise Shasta Dam by 200 feet. Researchers use their findings to build an argument which will be presented at a mock decision panel. Groups then...
Curated OER
The Delicate Balance - Iowa's Natural Resources
Discover the natural resources in Iowa by studying it's history. In this environmental lesson, your students will observe a topographical map of Iowa and identify where its most valuable resources are. They complete an Iowa name...