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Ocean Pollution
Students explore ocean pollution. For this ecology lesson, students view a video entitled This Pretty Planet and identify common biodegradable products. Students participate in activities designed to simulate the negative effects...
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Week 3: Pollution Source and Effects
Lab groups set up an experiment to observe what happens over time in collected pond water when fertilizer, representing pollution, is added. This website does not include student lab sheets, but background information, materials, and...
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Finding Sources of Air Pollution
Students locate on a map the potential areas of air pollution in their community. They identify the possible sources and types of air pollution in the community based on observations and predict and locate on a map potential areas of...
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Pollution Search
First graders identify forms of pollution and describe effects that various pollutants can have on people, wildlife, and plants; students describe relationships between various forms of pollution and human actions.
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The Water Cycle and Sources of Pollution
Young scholars make an island that has a construction site on it. They spill siulated pollution and trash on top of the island and then water it to simulate rain. They will observe how the rain washes dirt, sand, and pollution off the...
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Oil and Gas As A Source of Energy
Students discuss the reasons why oil and gas are the United States' main source of energy. In groups, they use the internet to research how the resources are formed and the amount of consumption by the United States. They choose books...
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Water Pollution
Students explore the causes of water pollution. In this environmental lesson plan, students conduct experiments with natural filtration systems.
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N, B, and T: Pollutants Three
Students explore nutrient, bacterial, and toxic surface water pollution. They identify the amount of water they use each day and summarize the kinds of substances that cause water pollution. They predict what will happen in water...
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The Path of Pollution
Students name and locate countries where radiation from the Chernobyl accident traveled, describe how air pollution travels from one area to another and list the travel of radiation in chronological order.
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Air Pollution: Visible and Invisible
Fourth graders work together to complete an experiment on air pollution. They identify visible and invisible forms of pollution. They gather their data in notebooks and analyze their results to end the instructional activity.
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Water Pollution, Stream Ecosystems
Students participate in a series of simulated activities designed to demonstrate the interconnectedness between the environment and the organisms that live there. They explore how polluting one element of an environment affects the...
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The Path of Pollution
Students examine the path of pollution that was created by the Chernobyl accident. They discover how air pollution travels from one area to another and sequentially locate the countries where radiation traveled to.
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Non-Point Source Pollution
Learners study non-point source pollution. They research the concept of bio-degradation and/or Nutrients/Fertilizers and discuss how non-point source pollution impacts the environment. Afterwards, they participate in an interactive...
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Salt Marsh in a Pan
Students create a model of a salt marsh to discover the impact of pollution and human activities on water-based habitats including bays and the ocean. They recognize the relationship between natural and developed areas. Students impact...
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What Are We?
Students list and describe three types of surface water pollutants. They observe the effects of various water pollutants on algae growth. Three causes of each surface water pollutant is listed.
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Water Filtration Challenge
Learners create an all-natural water filtration system. In this instructional activity on natural water filtration, students build upon prior knowledge to build a filtration unit made of plants, soils, sand, pebbles and rocks that can...
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Particulate Matter- How Dirty is the Air We Breathe?
Fourth graders investigate air pollution. In this air pollution activity, 4th graders test the air quality by using a block of wood and petroleum jelly. Students investigate the pollutants on the wooden block.
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Oceans and Coasts
Students explore the topic of marine pollution. They define key vocabulary words, list examples of marine pollution, complete a true/false handout, read an article, and participate in a class discussion.
California Academy of Science
Pollution in Our Watershed
The concept of a how pesticides and other chemicals pass through a watershed can be difficult for younger learners to grasp without a concrete example. In the activity here, some blank paper, markers, and a spray bottle are all you need...
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Water filtration with Plants
Sixth graders explain how soil and plants effect contaminated water in nature. In this filtration lesson, 6th graders work in groups to test biofiltration units. Students determine which biofiltration units work best and how they...
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Don't Cry Over Spilled Oil
Students study the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill while evaluating oil spill clean up activities. They discover the long term impact can have on an ecosystem by completing this experiment.
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Local Environmental Issues: Pollution
Third graders discuss the ways in which human interaction with the environment and production of waste products contribute to pollution. Through a pollution demonstration, they explain how various groups of plants and animals can be...
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The Path of Pollution
Students conduct a brainstorming exercise that asks them to list all the ideas about air pollution that can be recalled. The ideas are recorded on a chart that the teacher has prepared. The lesson contains sufficient background...
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Air Pollution: Visible And Invisible
Fourth graders observe air pollution that is visible and invisible with experimentation. During the experiment the students collect data that needs analysis. The observations are recorded in the lab journal. The data also is represented...