Now you have a new excuse not to do your homework. A long-term experiment has learners explore cellulose-digesting enzymes. They simulate how paper breaks down in a compost bin. There's no need to blame your dog for eating your homework...

Students work in teams to identify and sort types of packaging used in food production. They consider ways to reduce the environmental impact of packaging and reflect how consumer choices play a role in trash production.

Student can explain the difference between biodegradable and non-biodegradable. They calculate how much rubbish bags all their families together produce each week and then calculate how much rubbish their families produce during the...

High schoolers investigate the concept of garbage and define how it may be useful for people. The consumption of products is estimated to predict the annual volume of garbage for a household. Then students attempt to create a treasure...

Fourth graders explore the uses of trees, In this trees instructional activity, 4th graders discover the uses of trees and how we use them everyday. Students collect items and decide if they are made from trees, have a scavenger hunt for...

Students study the process of creating paper. They read and discuss a flier and visit centers in small groups to study Paper Fun, Historical Paper, What Paper Is Made Of, and Homemade Paper. After visiting each center, they share the...

Students go on an outing and note garbage near picnic tables. They brainstorm ways to be involved with anti-litter campaigns and write letters to local officials.

Students create a potpourri hanger.  In this Christmas craft lesson, students reuse materials to make a Christmas potpourri hangar for the tree or for a gift. 

Students desribe the interdependence between humans and nature and positive behavior with regards to natural resources. They demonstrate respectful attitudes and behaviors with regards to the environment. Students gain knowledge of...

Students use misprinted photographs donated from a photo processing company to create paintings of a snowy landscape at night.

Students identify many different ways the environment is polluted, and determine ways to prevent pollution. They create a collage of pictures describing how the earth becomes polluted.

Students investigate the food chain by researching the Internet.  In this ecosystem instructional activity, students view the video "Competitor and Predator" and read a book from the series "The Magic School Bus."  Students...

Students apply cause and effect relationships to water pollution in a stream. For this pollution lesson students recognize the importance of clean water in their daily lives. Students accompany "Fred the Fish" as he travels down stream....

Students explore environmental protection by conducting a research experiment in class. In this botany lesson plan, students identify the necessities for growing a plant indoors and create a small terrarium for their plant. Students...

Students investigate politics by writing a formal letter. In this U.S. Government lesson, students discuss political issues they would like to address and research their topic using the Internet. Students locate an appropriate political...

Students explore environmental cleanliness by completing a worksheet in class. In this waste management lesson, students identify the technological advances in society and how they increase waste production our planet is unable to deal...

Students investigate the decomposition process and the parameters which influence the rate at which it occurs. They design a "controlled" experiment by comparing decomposition rates between two compost piles. Analysis questions include...

Pupils work together in groups to report on different topics related to decomposition. They answer questions and share their answers with the class. They discuss any topic that is unclear.

Students classify earth's layers and plates using Ocean Seismicity data. In this plate tectonics lesson, students outline where the plate boundaries are on the world map. They then compare these predicted boundaries with USGS map of the...

Students participate in a number of activities that reinforce the knowledge they have learned from previous units over waste management.

Students look at a day's accumulation of recyclable trash from first through fifth grade classrooms, not knowing which classes it came from. After setting up a collection sheet for data, students remove items from the receptacle and...

Students develop an understanding of waste and its effects.  In this managing waste lesson students participate in one of a few activities including creating a poster, summarizing an article or writing a research paper. 

Middle schoolers define the term forest stewardship and they identify good forest stewardship practices. They are asked:"Does anyone enjoy spending time in the woods?" Students identify techniques of practicing good forest stewardship...

Students make a biodome out of a recycled soda bottle. In this biodome lesson plan, students make a self contained environment for a plant to grow and watch the plants growth.