Make sure your house is warm in the winter. Pupils analyze graphs of heating costs for two similar houses and make hypotheses for why the costs differ. They then build models of houses with appropriate insulation to reduce heating costs.

Many innovators are working on solutions to address environmental problems like energy-inefficient housing. Scholars have an opportunity to develop their own strategies using the fourth of five lessons from the WE Are...

Read the story "Sunflower House,"  by Eve Bunting with your 2nd graders to investigate the relationships between plants and animals. They will discover how living things change during their lives by creating their own sprout houses....

Study the different materials needed to build a house. Kindergartners and first graders read five sentence frames, and match the phrases that describe wood planks, glass, and clay. An experiment prompts kids to test different types of...

A series of different houses is shown, defined by their architectural details, and then used in a compare and contrast activity. Learners will compare various houses with a peer and then note similarities and differences between their...

A solid foundation is important for all things—especially houses. Learners research different materials for foundations based on environmental impact and cost. They decide whether concrete, insulated concrete, or wood would be best for...

Bats usually get a bad rap. Scholars learn about the importance of bats and the threat their declining population has on the environment. They then build bat houses to attract and welcome bats into the area.

Students evaluate the impact climates have on the building of structures. They research the different types of materials used to build houses in various climates and build small models of houses which are tested against different climates.

Second graders design and sketch a model house. In this technology lesson, 2nd graders construct their house using teacher provided materials. They present their finished project and explain their design in class.

Students are able to design, construct, evaluate and recommend materials for planned Eco-house to be built on campus. They investigate about good design and plan for construction. Students have a greater knowledge and appreciation of...

Whose home is it anyway? Design teams plan a housing development in which they must also protect a native species. The teams consist of a project manager, civil engineer, environmental engineer, and graphic designer. Teams present their...

What do your learners know about mining? Invite them to read about all of the materials that come from mining that go into building a house. Additionally, they answer four questions at the bottom of the worksheet.

What features make a home energy-efficient? Pupils attempt to answer the question with the fourth lesson from the five-part WE Are Innovators—High School Modules set. Scholars learn how certain building materials help save energy. Using...

Students read about the green house effect and how our environment is deteriorating and what we can do to help it. In this green house effect lesson plan, students conduct a home and school energy audit, and create a rap.

In this national park worksheet, students view five different habitats/houses that animals may live in and draw the animals that may indeed reside in each one.

I suppose there are a lot of different creatures that dwell in our homes. You and your class can learn about the various insects, bugs, and spiders that call our houses home. The house fly, furniture beetle, silver fish,...

Young learners listen to a read aloud of Gail Gibbons book, Apples and the story A Red House With No Windows and No Doors. They compare characteristics of a number of kinds of apples, graph them and create a apple print picture. Learners...

Students design and build a foam core house which has a light in each room. They demonstrate an understanding of series, parallel, and complex circuits. They complete a worksheet, in complete, sentences expressing these electrical concepts.

First graders read a story. In this seeds lesson plan, 1st graders read The Tiny Seed and make their own seed house. Students write down their observations and complete a worksheet.

Second graders explore plant life by participating in a germination activity. In this botany lesson plan, 2nd graders read several books about seed germination including Sunflower House and Tiny Seed. Students identify the necessary...

Mini-meteorologists visit the National Climate Data Center online to gather past weather information for the area that they live in. They consider how the weather patterns may have influenced the architecture of the area. Finally, they...

Students examine the advantages and disadvantages of renewable and non renewable energy sources.  In this engineering activity students explain what it means for a house to be "off the grid".

Does it cost more per year to heat Bill's home in North Dakota or to cool Bubba's home in Georgia? Using heat transfer concepts, mathematical equations, and critical thinking skills, young engineers work in groups to determine who is...

Engage young marine biologists in a reading of Eric Carle's A House for Hermit Crab with a fun hands-on activity. Given a set of clipart images of the different aquatic animals that appear in the book, children identify each one...