Curated OER
How Diverse is That?
After reviewing biodiversity, learners work in small groups to analyze actual species distribution data. They learn to calculate the Shannon-Weaver diversity index for different communities. Though not particularly engaging, the content...
Curated OER
Watershed Protection
Learners explore environmental care by participating in an Earth science activity. In this clean water lesson, students discuss what a watershed is, how they become polluted, and how it affects the overall quality of drinking water....
Curated OER
Global Water Crisis
Assign ecologists one of five countries that struggle with access to clean water. They research the water crisis in that country and then present information to classmates. A handout was designed for each country, and a worksheet on...
Curated OER
Energy Efficiency Ambassadors
Definitely for high schoolers, this lesson is an open-ended exploration of energy efficiency. Groups of two to three junior environmental engineers design an experiment to test for efficiency. They prepare a full lab report and poster...
Carnegie Mellon University
Hydroelectricity
Use a simple PowerPoint presentation to introduce you environmental studies class to hydropower. Hold a debate about the pros and cons of developing this form of alternative energy. Power up your class with this simple lesson on a topic...
Curated OER
Mobility: A Green City, Past, Present, and Future
Pupils explore transportation systems through history. In this transportation lesson plan, students determine how modes of transportation affect quality of life and design transportation plans for cities.
Curated OER
Aquaculture Productions Systems Quiz
In this aquaculture system worksheet, students complete 14 true or false and fill in the blanks questions. They rank 4 systems in order of intensity.
Curated OER
Using Math to Make Environmental decisions
In this everyday math worksheet, 5th graders read short paragraphs regarding the environment and solve to make their decisions. Students respond to 5 short answer questions explaining their reasoning in the spaces provided.
Curated OER
Populations in the Path of Natural Hazards
Students read "Geographical Mobility: 1995-2000." They examine the maps in the handouts and compare them with maps from an atlas. In the second part of this lesson, students read "In Harm's Way." They receive three more handouts, one a...
Curated OER
Environmental Fundraiser Project
In this environment instructional activity, students follow steps in order to create a fundraiser to help the environment. Students follow 4 steps.
Curated OER
The Cost of Telling the Truth
Students examine Leopold's Land Ethic involving illegal river dumping. They consider the dilemmas of the case study and share their ideas for a solution using group discussion and individual answers.
Curated OER
Environmental Math Problems
In this solving math word problems worksheet, students solve problems of various degrees of difficulty about the environment. Students solve 8 problems.
Teach Engineering
Where Are the Plastics Near Me? (Field Trip)
With a piece of plastic here and a piece of plastic there, here a piece, there a piece, everywhere a piece. Teams go on a field trip in order to document the locations and kinds of plastic trash in an area near them. The eighth...
Practical Action
Climate Change - Who's In Control?
How can both individuals and governments respond to climate change and take responsibility to reduce its effects on our environment? Here you will find three lessons filled with discussion, debate, and role-playing...
Teach Engineering
Water Remediation Lab
Water filtration — that's pure genius! Groups test the ability of a water filter to purify water by running chlorine contaminated water through a filter and measuring the chlorine concentrations as they filter the water. They then graph...
Curated OER
Sustainable Marine Fisheries
Through a fishing simulation, environmentalists discover consequences of over fishing. Afterward, they discuss how the activity relates to the impact of real-life commercial fishing. They also consider sustainability in the fishing...
Teach Engineering
Above-Ground Storage Tanks in the Houston Ship Channel
Introduce your class to storage tank failures caused by major storms with an activity that looks at how the concepts of Archimedes' Principle and Pascal's Law affect the storage tanks along the Houston Ship Channel. The background...
Teach Engineering
Where Are the Plastics Near Me? (Mapping the Data)
The last activity in a nine-part series has teams create a Google Earth map using the data they collected during a field trip. Using the map, groups analyze the results and make adjustments to the map to reflect their analysis. A short...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Faces of Climate Change
Sometimes, the best solution to a problem can be found by walking in someone else's shoes. Here, scholars use character cards to take on the roles of people around the world. They determine how their character's life affects our...
NOAA
Thunderstorms, Tornadoes, Lightning. . . Nature's Most Violent Storms
Thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods, and hail are just a few of the topics covered in a thorough weather preparedness guide. With descriptions of each weather phenomenon, from what causes them to how and when they occur to levels of...
Teach Engineering
Designing a Winning Guest Village in the Saguaro National Park
Don't desert a resource on the desert! Scholars work in groups to build on their ideas from the previous lesson to design a sustainable guest village in the Saguaro National Park. Each group produces a PowerPoint presentation to share...
Curated OER
Energy Conservation Lesson 1: Fossil Fuels and the Ticking Clock
Pupils explore energy production by participating in a class discussion. In this renewable energy lesson plan, students discuss the differences between solar, coal, wind and fossil fuel energy sources and why some are better for the...
Cornell University
Shedding a "Little" Light on Cancer Surgery
Many types of cancer treatments now depend on nanotechnology—a big "little" discovery. Scholars begin by removing "malignant" tissue from simulated brains, one using fluorescent markers thanks to nanotechnology and one without. This...
Curated OER
The Write Thing to Do
Students examine the proper way to write formal business letters. Students apply the skill to write letters to appropriate environmental protection agencies.