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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fossil Fuels (Part I), The Geology of Oil

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Junior geologists work through three mini-lessons that familiarize them with the formation and location of fossil fuels. Part one involves reading about petroleum and where it comes from via a thorough set of handouts. A lab activity...
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Interactive
Magic of Physics

Franklin's Lab

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Get energized! Circuitry scholars follow the path of energy from its beginnings as a fossil fuel all the way to bulbs and batteries using an interesting interactive. Groups or individuals help Ben Franklin discover how to convert and...
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Lesson Plan
Kenan Fellows

Farm to Fuel: The Alternative Fuels Industry

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Need a lesson to fuel young minds? A variety of hands-on activities is sure to get your class fired up! Beginning with an introductory slideshow and culminating with group presentations, the week-long unit has something for everyone....
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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

Coal Derivatives by Destructive Distillation

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Chemists use the destructive distillation technique to produce three derivatives from a sample of bituminous coal. You will find background information, a materials list, procedures, and sample follow-up questions that you can use in...
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Activity
Texas State Energy Conservation Office

Investigation: Oil Recovery

For Teachers 6th - 9th Standards
Energy conservers investigate gravel size to discover if it impacts the amount of oil recovered in the extraction process. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Searching for Tomorrow's Energy

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders investigate energy. In this biology lesson plan, 5th graders will learn about energy, fossil fuels, and renewable and nonrenewable resources. Students will be participating in three lab activities which are described in...
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Lesson Plan
NASA

Climate Change Inquiry Lab

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
With global temperatures on the rise faster than ever recorded, the effects of a heating planet could be devastating. Allow learners to discover just what the world is in store for if the warming continues through a series of videos, a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduction to Photovoltaic Systems

For Teachers 9th - 12th
The Green Education Foundation found that this lesson plan, written by the Texas State Energy Conservation Office, is right up their alley when it comes to teaching sustainability. It is ideal as a first lesson plan on photovoltaic...
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Handout
National Institute of Open Schooling

Air Pollution

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Seventy percent of the air pollution in China is due to car exhaust. Under the umbrella of environmental chemistry, learners extensively explore air pollution. From the makeup of our atmosphere to sources of major air pollutants, classes...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Energy in a Clean Environment

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students identify and describe the different types of energy and how it is transferred.  In this energy lesson students complete several activities including how to calculate joules, adding up wattage, and create a presentation on...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Changing Planet: Black Carbon - a Dusty Situation

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Introduce your young meteorologists to black carbon produced by the burning of fossil fuels by showing the video, "Changing Planet: Black Carbon." Viewers discover that deposition of this carbon on polar ice impacts the absorption of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Carbon Dioxide - Sources and Sinks

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Where does all of the carbon dioxide come from that is supposedly leading to climate change? Earth science pupils test animal, plant, and fossil fuels as sources in this investigation. Using an indicator, BTB, they are able to detect the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Greenhouse Gases Exposed

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore the relationship between greenhouse gases and global warming. Carbon dioxide is studied as a contributor to the problem.
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Lesson Plan
1
1
Consortium for Ocean Science Exploration and Engagement (COSEE)

Ocean Acidification: Whats and Hows

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Open this instructional activity by demonstrating the production of acidic carbon dioxide gas by activated yeast. Emerging ecologists then experiment with seashells to discover the effect of ocean acidification on shelled marine...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Creating Biodiesel and Mitigating Waste

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Biotechnology pros produce their own biofuel using waste oil and fresh vegetable oil. They test the quality of their product using titration techniques and pH analysis. They write their observations and report their findings. Be aware...
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Lesson Plan
1
1
Chicago Botanic Garden

Understanding the Greenhouse Effect

For Teachers 7th - 9th Standards
The greenhouse effect is important, for without it, life on Earth would not exist. An activity that includes modeling the greenhouse effect and acting out the Earth's energy balance makes up the first part in a series of seven lessons....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Household Conservation/Efficiency

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Hook your class up to an online home energy usage calculator so that they can estimate the amount used per month by their families. Then give them Watt meters with which they will measure the power consumption of several small...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Nitrogen Cycle-Stream Side Science

For Teachers 6th - 8th
A thorough background and nitrate sampling lab sheet are provided to share with your young scientists. After discussing the nitrogen cycle with the class, you will break them into small groups and show them how to use their inquiry...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Greenhouse Effect

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Why does it get so hot inside of our cars in the summertime? The greenhouse effect! Lab groups experiment to see what happens to an ice cube enclosed in a jar and placed in sunlight as compared to an ice cube outside of the jar. They...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Greenhouse Gas Lab

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students compare the ability of a sample of carbon dioxide gas to absorb thermal energy compared to a sample of air. They build a visual representation of the greenhouse effect to illustrate the heat-absorption of atmospheric carbon...
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Lesson Plan
1
1
Chicago Botanic Garden

Understanding the Greenhouse Effect

For Teachers 5th - 6th Standards
Dive into the power of the sun with a two-part lesson plan. Budding scientists model the greenhouse effect in a hands-on activity, and then participate in a skit that explores the earth's energy balances and what really occurs in the...
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Worksheet
Texas State Energy Conservation Office

Investigation: Waves and Whistles

For Students 6th - 9th
Wave goodbye to the same old demonstrations for alternative energy sources, and wave hello to this one investigating ocean waves! Using a water bottle to create an oscillating water column, learners see and possibly hear how the...
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Lesson Plan
1
1
Chicago Botanic Garden

Greenhouse Gas Emissions – Natural and Human Causes

For Students 7th - 9th Standards
Part three in the series of seven has pupils discussing the different greenhouses gases, learning about the carbon cycle, and then watching a short video about the carbon cycle. Based on their knowledge, individuals complete a greenhouse...