Curated OER
Attenuation of Light in Water
Students explore what happens to light intensity as depth increases using a light intensity logger. They construct a PVC model to hold water and identify what factors could influence the amount of light attenuation.
Curated OER
Oh, California: Understanding Primary Sources: What Did John Muir See?
Pupils read a selection from the writings of John Muir. They discover his view on California and its natural resources. They create a display of images that show what California has to offer.
Curated OER
Drinking Dirty Water
Students consider the importance of clean drinking water. They conduct a taste experiment with water, adding incremental drips of salt and vinegar to determine at which point it doesn't taste drinkable.
Curated OER
Car Wash
Students determine the most appropriate site for a car wash, based on each site's soil characteristics (chemical, physical) and topographic features. They perform an experiment to determine the changes to three different soil types when...
Curated OER
Oil + Water + Wildlife = A Real Mess
Middle schoolers conduct an experiment. In this environmental protection lesson, students explore how oil spills affect living organisms in an ecosystem. Middle schoolers work in groups to complete a lab activity and then discuss their...
Curated OER
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 instructional activity, students work in groups creating rock formations and change the viscosity of the liquids falling...
Calvin Crest Outdoor School
Survival
Equip young campers with important survival knowledge with a set of engaging lessons. Teammates work together to complete three outdoor activities, which include building a shelter, starting a campfire, and finding directions in the...
Teach Engineering
Introduction to Environmental Engineering
A series on environmental engineering introduces the class to issues that environmental engineers work to solve. This first lesson plan focuses on air and land issues, and looks at ways to reduce pollution.
Curated OER
The Shadow Knows - Creating Shadows
Young learners recognize a shadow and witness how shadows occur when light is blocked. They access streamed video, standard video, and websites in order to engage in their study of how light is naturally blocked to create shadows. An...
Curated OER
Designing an Ecologically Sound City
Fifth graders design an "ecologically sound" city. They write laws for the city to help make all citizens aware of their ecological responsibilities and propose alternative power sources for light and heat.
Curated OER
Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Resources
Here's a fine lesson plan on renewable and non-renewable sources of energy for your 5th graders. In it, learners list a number of natural resources on the board, then try to sort the resources into appropriate categories. This helps them...
Curated OER
Plumbing the Deep-Using Sound Waves to See
Students explore and learn about the concept of echolocation. In this echolocation lesson, students explore how animals and engineers use echolocation (seeing under water) and sound waves to look and hear things under the deep water.
Curated OER
The Ocean Floor and Shore Zones
Make textbook reading more engaging using this reading activities instructional activity, through which scholars review major features found on the ocean floor and the processes that formed these features. They complete 11 terms in a...
Curated OER
A Matter of Survival
Fourth graders dance with inspiration from wild animals. In this creative movement lesson, 4th graders watch a video clip and then move like an animal might move in their natural surroundings.
Curated OER
Make a Windmill
Students explore Earth science by conducting an energy experiment in class. In this windmill lesson, students identify how wind has been used to pump water throughout history and the latest developments wind energy has produced. Students...
Curated OER
Know Your Watershed
Students investigate the importance and the location of their own watershed by visiting and EPA website and also work in groups to create an action plan on how to protect their local watershed.
Curated OER
All Hands on Deck: A Harbor Education Program
Students build a model of an estuary. For this wetland lesson, students build a model estuary with a paint tray and modeling clay. They use the model to illustrate the impact of non-point pollution on the watershed.
Curated OER
Observation Journal
In this ocean life learning exercise, students observe the plants, animals, human activity, park rules/local laws, at a specific location. Students also observe any activity in neighborhoods, the water sources for the area, the water...
Curated OER
Natural Hazards
Young scholars evaluate the hazards of naturally occurring events. After watching a video concerning safety hazards, students work in groups to discuss the safety issues involved in taking a trip to a mountainous region. ...
Curated OER
Blowing and Flowing
Fifth graders compare and evaluate the rate of erosion from water and wind on three type of landscape: bare land, land with sparse vegetation, and land covered by dense vegetation.
Curated OER
Take a Dip: Be a Field Guide
Students create a Visitor's Field Guide for the local area in order to enhance the understanding of natural features of the area for those who may be unfamiliar with the area.
Curated OER
Look At What Nature Has Done!
Pupils examine how easy it is to break rock. They investigate weathering and erosion in a number of activities.
Curated OER
Water, Water Everywhere: The Johnstown Flood
Students analyze the events that lead up to the failure of the South Fork Dam and the impact the flood had on the region. For this historical lesson students develop presentations on the Johnstown Flood.
Curated OER
What's Holding Up the Water?
Students read about the history and locate dams in Arizona. In this Arizona dams lesson plan, students write a summary about what they read focusing on word choice, ideas, conventions, and geography content.