Lesson Plan
Rainforest Alliance

Investments in Forest Carbon

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
One hundred metric tons of CO2 can accumulate in one acre of forest over time—that's a lot of carbon! In the activity, groups of middle school learners determine what makes forests important. They then solidify the concept by using a...
Lesson Plan
Maine Math & Science Alliance

Earth as a System

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Ecosystem, human body system, weather system. We hear the word system a lot, but what does it really mean? In the activity, pairs or groups of learners discuss how a bicycle is a system and then analyze objects in their classroom and...
Lesson Plan
Rainforest Alliance

Trees and Carbon

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
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...
Lesson Plan
Mississippi Whole School Initiative

Dream Big...With Your Eyes Wide Open

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
For many people, Barack Obama's presidency was the next step in Martin Luther King, Jr's dream of America's future. Explore the dreams of Americans past and present, as well as the young Americans in your class, with a set of activities...
Lesson Plan
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Diseases

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
During a cholera outbreak, scientists presented two theories; one theory was based on miasma and the other on germs and contaminated water. The lesson looks at the scientific process for finding the real culprit. 
Lesson Plan
Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Section Two: Why is Biodiversity Important?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
Explore soil, genetic traits, natural resources, and pollution in a series of lessons that focus on biodiversity. Kids complete experiments to learn more about the importance of varied genes and organisms in an ecosystem.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The War of the Worlds and Fear of Invasion

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine how the state of politics and cultural context affect a work of science fiction. They study the power of the media to influence the public as they visit the museum.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Pass the Potatoes" (But, where did they come from?)

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders explore various cultures around the world.  In this cultural lesson, 8th graders prepare foods that belong to different cultures.  Students examine the climate in the places of origin of their foods using a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduction to Earth's Dynamically Changing Climate

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students identify the most common causes of global warming. In this earth science instructional activity, students use an interactive website to explore changes over time in sea ice, sea level, carbon emissions, and average global...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Layering the Air

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students study the layer of the atmosphere. In this instructional activity on the atmosphere, students discuss the composition of the air around us and how the atmosphere was formed. Students create a scale model of the layers of the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

TE Lesson: What to Wear? What to Drink? Weather Patterns and Climatic Regions

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine how climate affects lifestyle, clothing choices, food, and water sources. They explore climatic regions such as tropical, desert, coastal, and alpine situations. They look at the longitude and latitude, land features and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Oceanic Heat Budget Activities

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students map and research imaginary islands located in different parts of the world. They describe the weather and climate of their island and show how local currents, water temperatures and waves may influence the weather patterns.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Climate Change

For Teachers 6th - 7th
Young scholars compare weather data and draw conclusions. In this climate change lesson plan, students determine whether data collected over a period of ninety years shows a warming trend. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Weather Versus Climate

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students research on the internet to understand the difference between weather and climate. In this weather versus climate lesson plan, students research the internet, read a climate zone map, look into the climate zones, and present...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Changing Climate, Changing Animals

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students review teacher-provided background materials on impact of climate change. Students then work in small groups to make poster on possible impacts of climate change on one particular northern animal, and how it might affect people...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Climate Change: Is there a Controversy

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore climate changes. In this climate changes instructional activity, students research what causes changes. Students search the Internet, summarize reports they find and create a poster with the information.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Climate Change & Coral Activities

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students study how the ocean stabilizes our planet's climates and how global warming is becoming a threat to this fine balance.  In this climate change lesson, students identify that fossil fuel emissions are responsible for...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Getting to the Core of Climate Change

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students investigate climate changes by graphing and analyzing ice core data from Greenland and Antarctica. They create, explain and report the pattern of data on a graph of ice core data. In addition they find relationships between the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Geography of Our Environment

For Teachers Pre-K - 3rd
Students explore geographical elements. In this geographical elements lesson, students create a map showing the geographical elements in their area. Students take pictures of these elements to glue to their map and present it to the class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lines From Behind the Lines

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders create a timeline of events in a soldiers life.  For this World War I lesson, 5th graders learn about the Great Depression and World War I.  Students watch video segments about World War I and examine primary...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Too Cool for School-The Greenhouse Experiment

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students create a town model and analyze the type of greenhouse gases their town emits. In this earth science activity, students build greenhouses to investigate how trapped heat causes temperature change. They relate this activity to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Rigors of Learning a New Language

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners examine the experiences of a Peace Corps volunteer learning to speak Chinese. They read and discuss an essay written by the Peace Corps volunteer, analyze a map of China, and discuss the author's difficulties in learning the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Rigors of Learning a New Language

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners read an autobiography of a peace corps volunteer studying Chinese. In this cultural acceptance lesson, students compare the dialects of Chinese with English dialects. Learners discuss the differences in learning and teaching a...
Activity
Rocklin Unified School District

Spanish Speaking Countries Project

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Ask your class members to provide a tour of a Spanish speaking country with a brochure and flag project. Learners research their assigned country, making sure to check off each of the required pieces of information listed on the first...