Chicago Botanic Garden
Seasons of a Plant
Reading the cues from nature can be as much an art as a science. The second installment in a six-part unit on climate teaches learners that environmental and biological events have significance. They first learn the difference between...
US Department of Energy
Thermal Expansion of Water: Rise of Sea Level
Using bunsen burners, Erlenmeyer flasks, thermometers, hollow glass tubes, stoppers, and rulers, learners experiment with and measure how water expands when heated. The activity connects the expansion of water when heated to global...
Rainforest Alliance
Trees and Carbon
You'll find everything but the kitchen sink here ... or just a carbon sink. In the activity, pairs or groups of middle school learners go outside and measure a tree's circumference and height to estimate its carbon storage potential and...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Meet the Naturalists
Studying plants is a full-time job—for some. After learning the ins and outs of phenology in the first three lessons in the unit, pupils explore the history of the science. The instructional activity highlights five historical...
NASA
The Heat is On: Urban Heat Islands, Detection Strategies, and Mitigation Solutions
It's sure getting hot out there! Scholars analyze satellite data on land use and surface temperatures, and then learn how to ground truth satellite data through an activity. They apply technology to identify urban heat islands and...
Curated OER
What Does Plant Biology Teach Is About Climate?
Students examine what factors influence climate. In this investigative lesson students compare the factors that influence climate and how they effect tree growth.
Curated OER
Climate
Young scholars explore climate and weather conditions. Using the Internet, and other activities, students examine climate maps and the factors that affect climate. They examine how climate affects clothes, shelter, food,...
Curated OER
Ecosystems and Climate
Students examine climatic effects on ecosystems. They plant tomatoes and observe the differences in plant growth with differences in light. They create picture collages of plants, animals, and insects found in each climate of the U.S.
Curated OER
Weather v. Climate
Ninth graders discuss the differences between climate and weather as a class. Using data they collected, they create a graph of the data to share with the class over a specific time period. They compare and contrast this data with...
Curated OER
Weather and Climate
Students identify the words plain and climate and discuss what would happen if it never rained. Students identify and interpret the weather in Poland and create a web illustrating various weather patterns. Students write a 4-line poem...
Curated OER
How Pollution Disrupts Our Natural Environment
Students conduct experiments to illustrate global warming. For this air pollution lesson, students first examine how a layer of greenhouse gasses might impact the earth's atmospheric temperature, then evaluate how the layer of gasses...
Curated OER
A Generation that Cares: Saving our Environment!
Students discover the dangers posing our environment. In this environmental awareness lesson, students investigate problems like global warming and pollution and discuss ways their generation can solve these issues. Students...
Curated OER
TE Activity: Pollution Politics
Students examine how a bill becomes a law in the US Congress. They investigate legislation about global warming. They determine the role of engineers as they educate Congress, the public and other government institutions about global...
Curated OER
Environment or Economy?
Students develop counterarguments to John Mizzoni's article on business sustainability. In this economics vs. environment lesson, students present examples of greenwashing and support them with rationale. They also discuss whether...
Curated OER
Cool It! Comprehension
In this reading comprehension instructional activity, students read a chart about the future of climate change and then complete the two worksheets that test their understanding of the text with a quiz and a graphic organizer about the...
Curated OER
Natural Inquirer
Students interview wildlife experts to gain information needed to research and write a report about an aquatic plant or animal affected by climate change.
Curated OER
The Common Tragedy of Consumerism
Students evaluate the effectiveness of current climate change solutions. In this global warming lesson, students look at the current measures implemented and analyze whether they are beneficial to the environment or not. Advance reading...
NOAA
History's Thermometers
How is sea coral like a thermometer? Part three of a six-part series from NOAA describes how oceanographers can use coral growth to estimate water temperature over time. Life science pupils manipulate data to determine the age of corals...
Chicago Botanic Garden
What Can Tree Rings Tell Us About Climate?
Tree rings are slightly thicker on the south side of the tree because it receives more sunlight. Part two in a series of five lessons helps learners analyze tree rings to determine the environmental conditions that caused size...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Plant Phenology Data Analysis
Beginning in 1851, Thoreau recorded the dates of the first spring blooms in Concord, and this data is helping scientists analyze climate change! The culminating instructional activity in the series of four has pupils graph and analyze...
National Park Service
Living & Non-Living Interactions
What better way to learn about ecosystems than by getting outside and observing them first hand? Accompanying a field trip to a local park or outdoor space, this series of collaborative activities engages children in...
Scholastic
The Right to Vote
Who used to have the right to vote in the United States? Who has the right to vote now? Amendments to the US Constitution that have changed the definition of eligible voters are the focus of a one-page activity that asks class members to...
Polar Trec
Plankton Parents
Plankton are so abundant in the ocean they outweigh all of the animals in the sea. In this three day activity, groups discuss and become familiar with plankton, capture females, and look for egg production on day three.
Curated OER
The Climate Challenge Game
Students explore climate change, its impacts and possible solutions. They play a television-style quiz challenge game. Students discuss the topics pertaining to global, local, and personal solutions to climate changes.