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Polar Day: Arctic Clean Up

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students explore the concept of pollution. For this environmental stewardship lesson, students examine primary sources to research the complexity of pollution and its effect on the Arctic.
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Explorations in American Environmental History

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders explore the historical perspective of nature and the environment.  In this American History lesson, 9th graders examine materials in a variety of formats to understand the contexts of America's concern for the...
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Rainforest Resources

For Teachers 3rd - 7th
Students explore products of the rainforest. For this environmental stewardship lesson, students discover the resources that the rainforest holds and examine products from the rainforest used around the world.
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Wasting Times

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Learners examine Britain's waste management proposals. In this environmental stewardship lesson plan, students visit linked websites to gain an understanding of proposals to reduce waste in the nation.
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Build an Ice Cap

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students research Earth science by conducting an experiment in class. In this ice-cap lesson, students identify what an ice cap is and create a biome using a box which measures 1 ft. x 1 ft. Students participate in an animal role-playing...
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Stewardship of Yosemite National Park

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students devise a plan that would be true to John Muir's spirit of stewardship toward Yosemite. They analyze a core map to determine the original plan and usage of the park and compare the original plan to a current park map.
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Water: Where in the Watershed?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students become connected to their watershed by exploring a local water body and mapping its features. They focus on how the local watershed fits into the larger scheme of the watershed.
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Nature and Fitness Trail

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students plan stations for a nature and fitness trail and construct an accompanying e-Book for extended descriptions at each station. Data on the human impact on the environment is gathered in this instructional activity.
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Changes in Attitude about the Role of Woodlands

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate the historical forest cover in the United States in 1873. They study a map of 1873 and analyze changes in attitudes about the environment that have taken place in the United States.
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Using Maps To Make Public Health Decisions Case Study: Wildfires in Mexico 2000

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study environmental health. Using actual NOAA satellite imagery, students investigate the basic concepts of mapping. They explore the relationship between monitoring satellite images and public health decision making.
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U.S. And Global Deforestation

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students analyze graph showing global deforestation, view photograph of deforestation in Brazil's interior rain forest and examine three maps showing deforestation within the United States, describe political, economic, and social...
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The 400-acre wood

For Teachers 6th - 8th
For this forest planning lesson plan, students visit the 400-acre wood website and work in groups to learn about the specific aspects of forest development. Students create, label and color a forest planning map and present their...
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Slow Rot or Not?

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders examine how environmental factors affect decomposition. In this decomposition activity, 5th graders experiment with the decomposition of grapes in five different environmental settings. They look at images of items that...
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Land and People: finding a Balance

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students discuss "The Enemy Within: The Struggle to Clean up Cape Cod's Military Superfund Site" by Seth Rolbein by figuring out how there should be safe groundwater. In this science lesson, students pretend to be an interested party for...
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Reaching Across Borders In Southern Africa

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students gain a greater understanding of how political borders impact human and environmental development. Then, either individually or as a class, establish a correspondence with a Peace Corps volunteer working in Africa.
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Coastal Surveys

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students investigate the human impact on coastal land. For this coastal surveys lesson plan, students choose a coastal area and complete a survey sheet about the area. They choose a topic about a sea side village called Dunwich to...
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Yellowstone Fires

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students assume the role of environmental biologists and help several government agencies resolve the debate surrounding "let it burn" policies in national parks.
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Mining Riches

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Young scholars research and map how various mining ventures have changed local geographies and populations. First they read the article provided--Examining the Environmental and Social Impact of the Mining Industry.
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Drought Threatens Huge Man-Made Lake

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students locate Lake Mead, then read a news article about Lake Mead drying up and how that would effect water and power supplies to the region. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a map and vocabulary...
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Exploring Energy with GIS

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Learners examine GIS technology as it is used to locate energy sources. For this GIS lesson, student access an assigned website to locate a series of lessons using the GIS software. They use the maps that are located on the primary...
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Park Brochures

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders investigate natural environments by researching national parks. In this brochure making lesson, 6th graders explore a specific national park and research it's information by utilizing the web. Students create travel...
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Voyage to Kure Viewing Guide

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students complete a worksheet while viewing a video about the oceans. They locate the oceans on a map and identify positive and negative ways in which humans have impacted them. They discuss any questions at the end of the lesson.
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Sewage Spill into Biscayne Bay

For Teachers 10th - Higher Ed
Young scholars use a hypothetical case study to learn about environmental health issues associated with water, recreational water, and sewage. They use an inquiry-based learning module to generate questions, draft a research plan, and...
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Marine Biology Field Trips

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students visit a Marine Biology study area 2-3 times and write a report after the last visit. They participate in the Marine Biology field trips working with lab partners. They complete data sheets to write their primitive environmental...