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Keeping Warm When it is Cold: How does a polar bear keep warm?
Young scholars make a model of a polar bear and discuss why fur/skin color is important. They also perform a simple experiment using black and white socks to determine how color affects temperature.
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Bacteria: Friend or Foe?
Students examine a variety of environmental and industrial roles of bacteria. explore where bacteria can be found and distinguish bacteria from other organisms.
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TE Activity: Environmental Interactions
Students design a web that shows the interactions between the living and non-living parts of the environment. They determine what an environment is and how engineers work together to solve problems. They complete a tally chart that they...
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Earthquake Epicenter
Students use chart data to determine the location of the epicenter of an earthquake. This task assesses students' abilities to generalize and infer, organize data, interpret data, and apply mathematical concepts.
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Current Groundwater Contamination Research
Students research the effects of groundwater pollutants on life. They name and describe 1 environmental factor that has an effect on our drinking water. Students read the Water-Groundwater and Pollution Article. They discuss and...
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Mystery Creek
Fourth graders are introduced to the Riparian Ecosystem. They define the following terms: riparian and riparian ecosystem. Students take a trip to the creek, where they make observations about the environment around them. They are...
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Fossil Fuels (Part II), The Geology of Oil: Topographic Mapping, Crustal Deformation, Rock Porosity, and Environmental Pollution
Young scholars review an interpretation of geologic history and relate it to the formation of oil deposits. They explore and explain factors controlling the porosity and permeability of sediments and sedimentary rocks. Pupils also...
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Water Resources Engineering
Students illustrate the chemical differences between surface and tap-water. They investigate the common chemical and physical parameters relevant for water quality and gain hands on experience with water quality testing.
They enhance...
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To Protect Your Streams, Protect Your Mountains
Students build and experiment with a watershed to understand the effects of pollution. In this movement of water lesson, students work in groups creating rock formations and change the viscosity of the liquids falling down the mountain....
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Wood You Believe: Wood Products
For this wood products lesson, students walk to a forest near their school where they sit by themselves for a few minutes and quietly observe their surroundings. Students brainstorm wood or wood by products, discuss everything we get...
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I Can Preserve My Planet
Students explore renewable and nonrenewable resources. In this ocean preservation lesson, students use KWL charts to understand ways the ocean is important to our daily lives. Students create a poster or wirte a letter to someone...
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What's In Our Backyard?
Eighth graders investigate the importance of an ecosystem by studying their own backyards. In this environmental lesson, 8th graders examine a schoolyard or backyard by marking quadrants and recording any animal or plant findings on...
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Protect Your Melon
Students construct a helmet to protect their heads from falling objects. In this constructing lesson plan, students design this helmet with the lowest cost possible.
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A Day in the Life of a San Francisco Native Animal
Learners write from an animal's perspective. In this writing lesson plan students explore the landscape of San Francisco prior to the arrival of the explorers. Learners research animals indigenous to the area.
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Fable of the Fainting Goat
Second graders explore animal life by reading children stories in class. In this goat fable lesson, 2nd graders read several books which describe the different myths and folklore about goats. Students identify the needs of living animals...
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My Little Seed House
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...
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Vermicomposting
Second graders create an eco-bin and study the habitat of the worm in soil. In this vermicomposting instructional activity, 2nd graders observe the effects of water ( too much or too little) and other factors on the eco-bin.
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A Very Simple Conductivity Meter
Middle schoolers investigate the hardness of different water samples using the conductivity meter. In this chemistry lesson, students build their own meter following specific procedures. They identify an unknown sample of water.
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Landfills: A Solid Waste Management Plan
Students are able to list the types of household waste that they produce daily. They are able to describe some other types of waste that are produced by industry or agriculture to help maintain their lifestyles. Students are able to...
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How Are Clouds and Fog Formed?
Fifth graders investigate how clouds and fog are made of tiny droplets of water. They discuss how clouds and fog are formed, then conduct an experiment in which they observe what happens when an ice cube is placed on top of a bottle...
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Object Sorting
First graders follow directions when sorting objects. They illustrate how objects are categorized by drawing at least two of the categories that they sorted the objects into. Students work in small groups at completing the task of...
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Using Vegetation, Precipitation, and Surface Temperature to Study Climate Zones
Students begin their examination of the climate zones found around the world. Using a software program, they identify the relationship between the vegetation, climate and temperatures of the different zones. They also plot coordinates...
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Ecology Scavenger Hunt
Who doesn't love a scavenger hunt? Have your class complete a scavenger hunt to become familiar with ecology in this engaging lesson that has them organize their items on a paper bag to illustrate information. Furthermore, learners will...
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Can You Do It?
Middle schoolers create a simple machine to help with the design of the traditional can opener. For this simple machines lesson plan, students analyze the can opener, and use the design process to solve problems.