Pore over the properties of plastic. Working through four different stations, pupils investigate some properties of plastic, including chemical decomposition, mechanical breakdown, density, and the ability to infiltrate the food chain....

Students participate in a discussion dealing with the relationship between Phoenix's particular history of growth and the environment issues it faces today. They read and examine various documents and charts to propose possible solutions...

Great things come in small packages! What better way to illustrate this point than a week-long look at nanotechnology? Earth science scholars explore water quality issues through lab activities, then research new innovations in nanotech...

E is for economics, environment, and social equity. The fifth installment of a 15-part series has scholars first considering ecological impacts, such as determining how much water it takes to produce a can of soda. They then use decision...

Plastics are forever. The second lesson plan in a 10-part unit has pupils research the effects of plastics on the environment. They present their findings by creating an infographic.

Students utilize a digital camera to record interesting objects in their environment.  In this ecology lesson, students participate in a mini-field trip around their campus as they take 2-3 pictures of the school environment....

What's the best way to learn how watersheds work? Build one! Combining engineering, the water cycle, and ecology concerns, the activity is the perfect fit for an interdisciplinary unit. Teams construct a model watershed with simple...

Second in a series of five lessons, this lesson 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 data...

Students examine interactions within the environment and environmental engineering careers. They discuss and view photos of natural and manmade environments, explore various websites, create a web to identify interactions between living...

Fourth graders examine habitats for animals by creating their own in class environment.  In this environment lesson, 4th graders research the Internet for information on certain wild animals and the places in which they live....

First graders explore and explain that different plants and animals live in different kinds of environments. They illustrate various plants and animals and how they survive in the places where they live. A nature journal for enrichment...

Second graders identify what constitutes as a desert by reading a habitat checklist.  In this environment lesson plan, 2nd graders read a nature website to discover facts about the desert and where they are located.  Students...

Students explore fisheries in the open ocean. For this ocean environment lesson, students study the impact fisheries have on the ocean habitat. Students complete a WebQuest and summary project regarding fisheries.

Students consider caring for their environment. In this environmental stewardship lesson, students read Miss Rumphius and discuss how sharing their time, talent, and treasure through volunteering makes the world better.

Young scholars investigate their environment by completing an in-class experiment.  In this ecological lesson, students define the roles of dams and how electricity is created by them.  Young scholars utilize plastic jugs, sand...

Young scholars discover ways to preserve their environment by identifying threats.  In this ecological lesson, students view an EarthWatch DVD and investigate the Brazilian wetland known as Pantanal.  Young scholars complete a...

How do dams support bodies of water? Scholars engage in a hands-on STEM activity where they design, build, and test dams to learn about bodies of water and how humans use natural resources. They learn how criteria and constraints affect...

Students investigate the changes of their environment by experimenting with photography.  In this environmental observation lesson, students compare historic photographs of areas with pictures they have just taken.  Students...

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...

Students explore, experience and experiment identifying the human impact on the environment of vegetative differences within the same biome. They assess what causes deserts, rain forests, savannahs, tundras and saguaros and how these...

Young scholars explore animal habitats.  In this cross curriculum animal survival and writing lesson, students view a website about wild horses on Shackelford Island and discuss ways in which the horses have changed to this...

Sixth graders participate in an online, cooperative project researching trees in their local environments for use in an online knowledge game. They take digital pictures of the trees, bark, and leaves. After completing their research,...

One person's trash is another man's treasure. Challenge your class to build something useful out of the trash they throw away on a regular basis. Groups design and build a practical item from trash they collect, allowing the class to...

Second graders investigate rain forests by reading a habitat checklist.  In this environment instructional activity, 2nd graders read the book The Great Kapok Tree, and discuss what characteristics make up a rain forest....