Curated OER
Observing Decomposition
In this science instructional activity, students focus upon the concept of decomposition and collect data in order to make interpretations or observations.
National Park Service
Reduce Our Carbon Footprint, Let’s Compost!
Roll up your sleeves and get a little dirty with this elementary and middle school compost lesson. All you need is a large plastic container, a couple old newspapers, some organic waste, and a few hundred worms and you're ready to start...
Curated OER
Decomposition, Soil, and Life Cycle Research
Pupils conduct background research on the decomposition process, soil composition, and the life cycle using the resources provided for Internet searches. They work in collaborative groups to research topics as a particular plant, soil...
Curated OER
Marine Debris
Now is the time to educate tomorrow's citizens to care for the planet, and here is a instructional activity to help facilitate the process. Collect some marine debris and bring it into class. Have your class separate it into types and...
Curated OER
Deconstructing, Decomposition and Compost
Pupils create and tend to an outdoor compost pile. They research about decomposition and composting. They create two activities for their peers to complete.
Curated OER
The Nitrogen Cycle
The nitrogen cycle is the focus of a well-designed science lesson plan. In it, learners see that plants and animals produce waste products and decompose after death. Many of the waste products include nitrogen which is absobed by other...
Santa Monica College
The Properties of Oxygen Gas
Scholars generate and collect pure oxygen through a decomposition reaction of hydrogen peroxide in the fourth lesson of an 11-part series. Then, they complete six investigations into the properties of oxygen.
College Board
2013 AP® Environmental Science Free-Response Questions
While well intentioned, human intervention sometimes has negative effects. Learners explore this and other environmental topics as they respond to four free response exam questions. Topics span from the implementation of bioelectric cars...
Curated OER
The Nitrogen Cycle
Fifth graders investigate the nitrogen cycle and examine the concepts of decomposition and nitrification. Students participate in a class discussion about the creation of waste and ammonia compounds, then using nitrogen cycle cut-outs...
Curated OER
Where Does Al the Waste Go?
Students construct a sanitary mini-landfill and an open mini-dump. Over a thirty day period, they compare the two methods and determine landfills are envorinmentally safer. They observe a demonstration of burning waste. They create...
Curated OER
Composting
Using 2-liter bottles, junior ecologists create composting tubes in which they place nitrogen-rich and carbon-rich materials. They observe what changes occur over two weeks' time. Provide more specific direction to your class as to what...
Curated OER
The Value of a Garden
Students explore the history of taxonomy, the work of Carl Linnaeus, and the factors involved in the decline and extinction of a variety of botanical species.
Curated OER
Litter Garden
Young scholars discuss what man-made and natural materials are visible in litter. Using a sample of litter, they review the concept of decomposition between the two types of materials. They examine the two samples once and a while and...
Curated OER
Micro-organisms and Human Life
In this biology instructional activity, learners identify and locate various vocabulary terms that relate to micro-organisms and human life. There are 20 biology terms located in the word search.
NASA
Decomposers Get Energy From Dead Things
When life gives you mold, make penicillin. Scholars design an inquiry experiment to determine what causes rotting and mold growth. It also covers decomposers and the important role they play for other living things.
Curated OER
Seed to Soup Organic Garden
Have your young biologists visit decomposition stations as they explore the process of organic material. This activity involves some set-up as kids will be visiting 13 desks to collect colored paper each representing a different element...
Chymist
Landfills and Recycling
Examine the nature of landfills through experimentation. Scholars build miniature landfills and monitor changes over a six-week period. Observations allow individuals to draw conclusions about the different types of trash and their...
Curated OER
pH Potential
Students experiment to determine the positive and negative impacts of human activities on environmental change. They examine how physical and biological processes such as decomposition affect soil characteristics while looking at the pH...
Curated OER
Carbon Cycle Game
In this carbon cycle lesson, middle schoolers review the carbon cycle and visit stations in the room where they experience every phase in the carbon cycle. Middle schoolers journal about their journey through the cycle and brainstorm...
Montana State University
Climb into Action!
Climate change affects even the largest and intimidating of landforms—even Mount Everest! A resource helps teach learners the connection between global climate change and its effects on Earth. Activities include videos, class discussion,...
Curated OER
Biochemical Cycles: Recycling Carbon and Nitrogen
Students construct flow diagrams of the carbon and nitrogen cycle processes. They identify sequences in each cycle that are affected by human impact and present their research to the class.
Curated OER
Yeast Power!
Students examine how not all microorganisms are bad and that some can actually be beneficial. In this yeast lesson students complete an experiment with yeast and answer questions.
Curated OER
Cows, Worms, and Compost
Students study decomposition. In this decomposition lesson, students discuss the background information about decomposition. Students then complete the 'Chew It Twice' worksheet.
NASA
Next Generation Spacecraft—Orion
What is the cross-sectional area of the Orion spacecraft? Groups work together to estimate the area of a cross section of the Orion spacecraft by first counting the number of grids a scale drawing covers. Pupils also employ a method...