American Museum of Natural History
Ask a Scientist About Our Environment
Let's ask an expert! Scientists at the American Museum of Natural History field questions about the environment in an interactive resource. Question topics range from global warming and conservation to endangered species and habitats.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
The Anthropocene: Human Impact on the Environment
Will human existence define an epoch? Many scientists think we are in a new epoch, the anthropocene, defined by humans and our impact on the environment. An online interactive demonstrates the immense impact humans have had on every part...
Curated OER
Humans and the Environment
This PowerPoint is a straightforward list of facts about how humans impact the environment. Subjects covered are extinction, natural resources, different types of pollution, and conservation efforts. Questions are presented on some...
NOAA
Climate Is Our Friend…Isn’t It?: Make an Extinction Polyhedron
Climate affects populations in different ways. Scholars research extinct organisms and mass extinctions in part three of the 10-installment Discover Your Changing World series. They create graphic organizers, then fill in the information...
Curated OER
The Extinction of Dinosaurs
Students study the life and death of the dinosaur by building dioramas. For this dinosaur lesson, students research the extinct creatures, then build dinosaur dioramas. Afterward, the students engage in a discussion about the extinction...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
The Day the Mesozoic Died
While this is not the traditional, step-by-step lesson plan, it is chock-full of material that you can easily incorporate into your earth history unit. Its main purpose is to serve as a guide to using a three-part film, The Day the...
Curated OER
PASSENGER PIGEONS: NOMADS LOST
Students explore the concept and implications of extinction using the example of the Passenger Pigeon, once an extremely abundant species that was completely eliminated by humans.
Curated OER
Sustainability and Extinction
Galapagos Penguins are the only penguins on earth that live north of the equator (in the wild). In this last lesson plan a discussion on how the Galapagos islands developed their populations and diversity sparks the introduction. Two...
American Museum of Natural History
Ask a Scientist About Our Environment
Scientists respond to 26 question posed by learners. These experts answer in easy to understand language, include photos to illustrate the issue, offer suggestions for how young people can make a difference, and supply links to resources...
Curated OER
Extinction Extravagance
Students brainstorm and discuss what it means for a species to be considered endangered and/or extinct. They research animals in Puerto Rico and choose one that is considered endangered and create a poster about it. In addition, they...
Curated OER
Extinction Trade Questions
There are many ethical and moral issues surrounding critically endangered species. Use these higher-level thinking questions to help high schoolers examine ecological, socioeconomic, and political scenarios about human impacts on...
Curated OER
Endangered Species and Extinction
Eighth graders determine the difference between extinction and endangered species. Using the internet, they research one endangered species, identify its common and specific name, where it lives and what it eats. To end the lesson,...
Curated OER
Extinction
Students explore reasons why the dinosaurs became extinct, and the specific needs (habitat, environment, food) of individual types of dinosaurs.
Curated OER
Where Are the Dinosaurs?
Students explore the concept of extinction by studying dinosaurs. In this extinction lesson, students watch dinosaur video clips or complete a puppet finger play about dinosaurs. Students may then complete a dinosaur diorama or a...
Curated OER
Animal Survival
Viewers of this PowerPoint are introduced to endangered and extinct animals. They discover why apes, elephants, pandas, polar bears, rhinoceri, and marine turtles are threatened. Finally, ways that humans have and can make a difference...
Curated OER
The Responsibility of Preservation
Upper elementary and middle schoolers study the case of the ivory-billed woodpecker, a bird that was once-thought to be extinct. Learners explore the responsibility of people to preserve habitats, and take care of the animals who live in...
It's About Time
Diversity in Living Things
How diverse is the world we live in compared to the way things used to be? Young biologists explore diverse organisms and relate the structure of each organism to its ability to survive in our current environmental conditions....
Chicago Botanic Garden
Migration, Adaptation, and Changing Climates
People adjust to their environments without even thinking about it—even if it's simply throwing on a sweatshirt. Lead the class in a discussion about the adjustments people make in their daily lives as an introduction to adaptations,...
Curated OER
Our Environment
Students examine the world's environmental dilemmas and create project depicting how to improve the environment. They study ten endangered species.
Curated OER
Where Are the Dinosaurs?
Students view videos and websites and create finger puppets and hatchable eggs. In this dinosaur lesson, students view video clips and a website to introduce the dinosaurs. They do a finger puppet play and create hatchable dinosaur eggs.
Curated OER
Environment Vocabulary Quiz
In this environment vocabulary worksheet, students draw lines to match 13 words to their definitions in another column. Words pertain to the environment. Examples: biosphere, habitat, greenhouse effect, smog.
Curated OER
Endangered Species
Students define extinction, name four animals and two plant species that are extinct, list three reasons why animals and plants become extinct, and create ways that would help prevent extinction.
Curated OER
Dinosaurs 1: Where Are the Dinosaurs?
Students explore the time of the dinosaurs. In this extinction lesson, students watch a video clip about different dinosaurs and are asked about what they observed. Students talk about how dinosaurs hatched from eggs and compare that...
Curated OER
Where Are The Dinosaurs?
Students examine the concept of extinction in relationship to the dinosaurs. In this elementary science lesson students become familiar with dinosaurs and that they are extinct. Students differentiate between different types of dinosaurs.