Handout
Encyclopedia of Earth

Encyclopedia of Earth: Carbon Footprint

For Students 9th - 10th
An explanation of how a carbon footprint is calculated. Includes graphs comparing countries, sources of greenhouse gas emissions, and individual activities. (Updated: April 5, 2013)
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Estimating Our Carbon Footprint

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This is a three-part algebra activity focusing on food-related carbon dioxide emissions.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Population Growth, Ecological Footprints, and Overshoot

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this three-part activity, learners apply linear, exponential, and rational functions to explore past and projected U.S. population growth, carbon footprint trend, ecological overshoot, and effectiveness of hypothetical carbon dioxide...
Lesson Plan
PBS

Nova: The Big Energy Gamble

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students conduct an energy audit to determine how much carbon dioxide their family is producing, and then make recommendations for lowering their family's carbon footprint.
Unit Plan
Geographypods

Geographypods: Patterns and Change: Patterns in Resource Consumption

For Students 11th - 12th
This collection of three learning modules looks at issues related to resource consumption. It examines theories about how population size affects consumption, the changing patterns of energy consumption, and ways to minimize consumption....
Activity
US Environmental Protection Agency

Epa: Create a New Climate for Action

For Students 9th - 10th
The wealth of information and tools available on this site will assist students and teachers to develop and promote active awareness of the impact human beings have on the environment. Resources are provided to guide them in how to lead...
Activity
National Geographic

National Geographic: The Right Balance: Mixing Energy Resources

For Teachers 6th - 8th
In this lesson, students look at profiles of energy production for different regions of the United States. They examine the conversion efficiency and the carbon dioxide emissions of each type of energy, and then the environmental impact...
Lesson Plan
PBS

Nova: Car of the Future

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this activity, student teams research and develop a proposal to decrease the carbon footprint of their city's/town's public transportation system and then prepare a report that explains why their transportation plan is the best for...
Interactive
Other

Zerofootprint: Youth Calculator

For Students 9th - 10th
This calculator is a great way to estimate the carbon dioxide emissions resulting from your daily activities, such as household electricity use, food choices, and transportation.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Resource Usage Project and Journal

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Learners pick a resource and track their use of it over the course of one week. Students record their data in a spreadsheet, write a summary of it, and draw conclusions from their usage patterns. A detailed student handout is provided.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: The Urgent Need for Understanding and Implementing Sustainability

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Using statistics from a web-based sustainability resource, students investigate the need for improving their own sustainability practices.
Article
Other

Environmental Defense Fund: Tips to Fight Global Warming

For Students 9th - 10th
Read and take action to fight global warming with these 6 tips, complete with links and other climate change resources.