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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Themes to Encourage Awareness of Environmental Changes on the Shoreline of Connecticut in Elementary School Students: The Case of Kelsey Island

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students begin the lesson by developing a map of Kelsey Island by following specific instructions. In groups, they are given a block of ice in which they tie a rope around and drag over various rocks for different distances. They...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Golden Opportunity for Science

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students participate in a varity of activities surrounding "gold." They explore the science, myths, and legends about gold and conduct a debate over the environmental problems created by gold mining in a small small mining town.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Micro-Climate

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Atmosphere aces investigate the microclimates that exist within a larger area. They use a thermometer to record the varying temperatures and identify the microclimates on a map that they have drawn. This exercise helps them to understand...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Invasive Mussels

For Students 6th - 10th
In this ecology worksheet, students study a fact sheet on invasive mussels. They answer 8 short answer questions about it after reading the provided information.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What in Our World Affects the Way People Live

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders study various maps that show geographical features and population. They compare the maps and make inferences about how various geographical features influence the population and human activities of an area.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

River Run Through It

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
With vocabulary lists, worksheets, and more, this lesson sets learners on an exploration of the Hudson River area. They read an essay about the area, analyze a relief map of New York State, and complete a worksheet.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Delicate Balance - Iowa's Natural Resources

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Discover the natural resources in Iowa by studying it's history. In this environmental instructional activity, your students will observe a topographical map of Iowa and identify where its most valuable resources are. They complete an...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring the Hudson in 1609

For Teachers 4th - 6th Standards
While this lesson focuses on a study of the Hudson River, it could be used as a template for a discussion of map skills, converting measurements, and plotting a route. The lesson includes vocabulary and other resources to make it a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Top to Bottom

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Marine science classes read about the 2005 North Atlantic Stepping Stones Expedition and review climate change. They use maps to locate the seamount chains. In collaborative groups, they research how climate change may be altering the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Debate Over North Shore Road

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Pupils examine the impact of the North Shore Road Project in North Carolina. For this environmental science lesson, students share their views regarding this environmental issue. They compare and contrast the map of the Great Smoky...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fossil Fuels (Part II), The Geology of Oil

For Teachers 8th - 12th
More of a mini-unit than a lesson, these activities lead inquisitors through a survey of oil deposits. In the first part, they read about and view diagrams of sedimentary rock layers that trap oil. Next, they test porosity and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fossil Fuels (Part III), The Geology of Coal

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Do not overlook this set of lessons just because your school does not have a data analysis system. There is plenty of material here to administer a complete mini unit on the formation, distribution, and properties of coal. Since it...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Air Pollution in Mexico City

For Teachers 7th - 10th
A fantastic lesson on urban air pollution problems throughout the world is here for you. Learners understand that there are many factors involved in creating pollution, that there are many health effects brought on by air pollution, and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Solar Heating in the Himalayas

For Teachers 6th - 8th
A fascinating lesson on how solar power is utilized by people who live in the Himalayas is here for you. In it, learners perform a case study which will help them understand that solar energy is a renewable resource, that geography...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Itaipu Dam and Power Plant (Brazil and Paraguay)

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners study South America's Itaipu Dam and Power Plant in order to gain an understanding that hydroelectric power is a major means of generating electricity throughout the world. They also look into the environmental impacts that...
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Lesson Plan
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Teach Engineering

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

For Teachers 7th - 9th Standards
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is one of several garbage patches around the world where garbage accumulates naturally. As part of a GIS unit that combines oceanography, environmental science, and life science, class members investigate...
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Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Constructing and Visualizing Topographic Profiles

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Militaries throughout history have used topography information to plan strategies, yet many pupils today don't understand it. Scholars use Legos and a contour gauge to understand how to construct and visualize topographic profiles. This...
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Lesson Plan
Global Oneness Project

Then and Now

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The devastating changes happening to the Native American inhabitants of an island off the coast of Louisiana are the topic of an informational lesson. After scholars break into groups to explore particular topics, they come back together...
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Lesson Plan
National Gardening Association

Migration Mishaps

For Teachers 3rd - 6th Standards
Elementary ecologists pretend to be migratory hummingbirds. They fly between wintering and nesting grounds, trying to reach a habitat haven. In a musical-chair fashion, some birds will miss out, and are removed from the game. To further...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Studying Snow and Ice Changes

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students compare the change in snow and ice over a 10 year period. In this environmental science lesson, students use the live data on the NASA site to study and compare the monthly snow and ice amounts on a map of the entire Earth. ...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Quality and Watersheds: A GIS Investigation

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Requiring more than one class period, this resource takes earth science learners on a journey through a watershed. Using ArcGIS Explorer, an online geographic information system, they view maps of watersheds and surrounding landscapes....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Comparing the Effects of El Nino and La Nina

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students examine the differences between an El Nino and La Nina year.  In this investigative lesson students create maps and graphs of the data they obtained. 
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Activity
It's About Time

Taking a Ride on a Lithospheric Plate

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Assist your pupils and broaden their horizons with several activities that determine the exact positioning of various communities over the globe. Pupils use data from the Global Positioning System to determine the position and rate of...
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Lesson Plan
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National Museum of the American Indian

The A:Shiwi (Zuni) People: A Study in Environment, Adaptation, and Agricultural Practices

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Discover the connection of native peoples to their natural world, including cultural and agricultural practices, by studying the Zuni people of the American Southwest. This lesson includes examining a poster's photographs, reading...