Young scholars read "The Great Kapok Tree" by Lynne Cherry. They, in groups, research the economic impacts of deforestation in areas with rain forest and identify resources that humans use from the rain forest.

Ninth graders test water in a local creek using chemical kits and probes. They take GPS readings and digital photos. They calculate the Water Quality Index and create a spreadsheet of the test data.

Seventh graders complete a simulation in which they travel through the Amazon rainforest. Using their map skills, they determine the best route and where to see specific plants and animals. They develop their own database to organize...

Ninth graders study the impact that climate has on the land. They discuss how deforestation leads to erosion and soil damage and how trees and vegetation help to stabilize the land. They draw a large map of the Caribbean and show Haiti...

Students use the Internet to investigate earthquakes and plate tectonics. In this plate tectonics instructional activity, students complete a web quest with multiple links and activity types relating to earthquakes and volcanoes. They...

Students define agricultural using concept maps. In this agriculture lesson, students use concept maps to determine the ideas that are related to agriculture such as farming, food, flowers, and forestry before defining the word...

Students discover how often earthquakes happen in a region of their choice. In this science lesson plan, students use online resouces to help them do their investigations. Students make their own map of their region and show how many...

Students read about cats in Borneo and discuss role predators play in controlling population size. They map the interdependencies among species. They read about flux in ecosystems and complete a worksheet.

Ninth graders test water in a local creek using chemical kits and probes. They take GPS readings and digital photographs. They calculate the Water Quality Index and create a spreadsheet.

Students study thematic maps (included with the lesson) to determine possible relationships. They develop three hypotheses about the relationship. Students choose one of their hypotheses to explain. The explanation is to include reasons...

Fourth graders study the Grand Canyon. They research the Grand Canyon and locate the Colorado River on the map of Arizona. They discuss erosion and read how sedimentary rock was formed. They view photographs of the Grand Canyon and...

Learners use a set of maps depicting a front passing through the state to identify two distinct air masses and the frontal boundary. They then deterine whether the front is moving in time and in what direction the front is moving.

Students research a website to learn about the Florida panther. In this animal research lesson, students use the scavenger hunt directions to search a website about Florida panthers. Students also solve word puzzles within the activity.

Students construct a "A Year in Pennsylvania" poster on which they creatively describe at least three examples of how the climate they live in shapes their lives during every season of the year.

Young scholars use the Live Access Server (LAS) to form maps and a numerical text file of snow cover for each continent on a particular date. They analyze the data for each map and corresponding text file to determine an estimate of snow...

Students map data on employment in wood products manufacturing in Oregon counties. In this Oregon forest lesson, students discover the percentage of people employed in the forest manufacturing industry. Students create a box and whisker...

Students develop an understanding of the role both nature and nurture play in determining an individual's traits. Using a website, students answer questions about nature and nurture in order to solve the riddle, What do you call a smart...

Students define surface water, drainage basin or watershed. They investigate what affects runoff in a drainage basin. They complete lab sheets and worksheets.

Learners use a zipcode map to locate earthquake experiences based on the Modified Mercalli Scale. They discuss the difference of the magnitude of an earthquake compared to the intensity of the shaking it causes.

Young scholars 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...

Students identify a variety of animals that can be found at the zoo and select one to conduct research on. In pairs they conduct Internet research, complete a graphic organizer chart, and create a two slide PowerPoint presentation.

Students investigate the concept of being part of a global community. In this global community lesson, students learning the definition of stewardship as it relates to taking care of the Earth. They listen to the lyrics of the song,...

Ninth graders study and identify the six major drainage systems in Pennsylvania.  In this watershed lesson students read an article, complete an activity and take a quiz on what they learned. 

Students identify the locations of coral reefs. In this oceanography lesson plan, students use the Coral Reefs website to locate the coral reefs on a world map and discuss ways to help protect the coral reefs.