Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Investigating the Soil

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore the Earth's crust by researching pH levels and acidity. In this environmental safety lesson, students identify the pros and cons of acidity within soil and how it affects plants. Students collaborate in a pH level...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dispose of Waste Properly

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Learners explore biology by participating in an environmental role-play activity. In this animal waste lesson, students identify the appropriate way to dispose of human and animal waste when staying outdoors. Learners conduct an outdoor...
Unit Plan
Curated OER

Life Giving Rivers

For Teachers 3rd
Students examine the world's rivers in this six lessons unit which mingles science with social studies. The dynamic forces that create erosion in nature are also seen as habitats and ecosystems that are affected by environmental and man...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring Ecology

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the basics of ecology. They discuss ecological succession, the water cycle and human impacts on the environment. Students explore the owls, succession, the human impact on the environment and complete the "Incredible...
Worksheet
Curated OER

A is for Air

For Students 1st - 2nd
In this air pollution worksheet, students read the phrase 'EPA cleans up the water we drink and the air we breathe, and 'A is for Air.' Students then color the picture of the sky, cloud, and sun.
Lesson Plan
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Indian Ocean Explored

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students examine the rich array of marine wildlife that lives in waters surrounding the Indian subcontinent. They explore the relationships among organisms in coral reefs. They explore environmental dangers to coral reefs and research...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Something Fishy - Bioaccumulation of Mercury

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the dangers of eating high levels of mercury and how small amounts of mercury in water accumulate in greater quantities in organisms higher in the food chain. They list the health of effects of high levels of mercury on...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Florida Springs

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students discover the many uses of water and the sources of the water we see. They complete a worksheet about the water usage at school and at home.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

To Drink or not to Drink

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders discuss water quality, water availability and water resources and how water is used in the world around them. They view a video on water quality then test for pH, temperature and dissolved oxygen to indicate water quality.
Lesson Plan
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What's Gotten Into You?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students use models to investigate the process and consequences of water contamination on the land, groundwater, and plants.
Lesson Plan
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Who Will Get the Last Drop?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners discuss the importance of California's water system. In this earth science instructional activity, student play the role of different stakeholders. They present a 2-3 minute argument on their group's perspective about their need...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Language Arts: Investigating Issues That Matter

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners are able to become more informed about the dangers of water contamination by sharing their prior knowledge with each other. They discover the importance of communicating these dangers to the public.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Analyze the Results

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Pupils conduct water tests and sample macroinvertebrates from a nearby source to make a general determination about the overall quality of water. They use worksheets and analyze data as part of a larger unit.
Lesson Plan
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Wat-er We Good For?

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders investigate the use of water as a resource that needs to be conserved. They practice the skill of water conservation by taking a home survey of water usage and modify the use in order to decrease the wasting of water.
Lesson Plan
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Climate & Atmosphere: A Global & Local Perspective

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars complete a series of activities in which they study atoms, molecules, and the presence of atmosphere. They study the water cycle and the Greenhouse Effect by investigating and completing handouts.
Lesson Plan
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Urban Ecosystems 2: Why are There Cities? A Historical Perspective

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Second in a series of five lessons, this lesson plan encourages preteens to consider cities as urban ecosystems. First, they keep a food diary for a few days. They visit the Natrional Agricultural Statistics Service website for current...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Soybeans: The Miracle Seed

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students discover why soybeans are called the "miracle seeds." They make their own soynuts and share other foods made from soybeans. They create a bulletin board of soybean products.
Lesson Plan
Bridge

Mercury - Mercury is Rising

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Hold a discussion in your class about the increase in mercury being found in fish that are caught commercially as food for humans. Given a worksheet, learners then calculate how much fish a person can safely eat each month to remain...
Lesson Plan
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Transpiration

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explain the function of the hydrologic cycle and demonstrate how transpiration rates can be experimentally changed.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reading Miss Lady Bird's Wildflowers

For Teachers K - 4th
Students discover the impact "Lady Bird" Johnson had on America by reading a short biography.  In this historical persons lesson, students read a multi page biography of the former first lady and write a summary of her life's work....
Lesson Plan
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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 lesson.
Lesson Plan
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Curated OER

Empty Oceans

For Teachers 6th - 8th
In groups of four, pupils brainstorm about seafood. They view the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch website to examine the problems caused by the seafood industry. Learners are then brought back together to discuss what they...
Lesson Plan
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Down in the Dumps

For Teachers 7th - 8th
After an introduction to municipal sludge, middle school ecologists consider the pros and cons of dumping in the Hudson River Canyon. The class is split into two groups: one to debate in favor or dumping and one to debate against the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Significant Science: Statistics for Planet Earth

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders discover how statistics are used to interpret results of scientific experiments. Students write hypotheses and test the hypotheses by collecting data and organizing the data. Students graph their data to produce a visual....