Curated OER
Dispose of Waste Properly
Students examine how to dispose of waste properly and discover how pollution affects plants and animals that live in streams. In this effects of waste lesson, students explore biodegradable detergents and the concept of dilution as the...
Curated OER
Our Earth
In this Earth's environment worksheet, students complete a crossword puzzle given 35 clues about a variety of topics related to our Earth. Topics include ecosystems, precipitation, biomes, energy transfer, soil, weathering and rocks.
K12 Reader
Summarize It: President Theodore Roosevelt's 7th Annual Message to Congress
How did Theodore Roosevelt stress the importance of conservation during his time as president of the United States? Take a closer look at the language Roosevelt used himself in a 1907 address to Congress, and have your young historians...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Introducing Ecosystem Services
Purifying air and water, providing soil in which to grow crops, and moving water through its natural cycle are all services an ecosystem provides that benefit humans. Lesson four in a series lets learners explore and discuss the value of...
American Museum of Natural History
Bio-Benefits
Kick-start a discussion of the importance of biodiversity with a colorful resource that touts the benefits of maintaining healthy ecosystems. The images stress the interdependence of all the elements of an ecosystem.
Curated OER
Class Conservation Corps (CCC)
Students investigate how the loss of soil, a valuable natural resource, affects their lives through loss of productive land to grow food, loss of coastal land mass, and poor water quality from runoff. They design a project to keep soil...
Curated OER
Science with Mud!
Eighth graders give some examples of chemical reactions they see everyday. In this chemistry lesson, 8th graders investigate how much water soil can hold. They collect data and compare results with others.
Curated OER
Manage Soil
Students identify and classify soil ypes according to data on the soil triangle. Given examples, students identify soil conservation practices, using criterion assessment instrument. When giving a case situation involving soil...
Curated OER
Nebraska's Geology, Soils, Groundwater Regions, and Topographic Regions
Students examine the distribution of geology, soils, groundwater, topography, and geography in Nebraska. They identify various regions and characteristics on a map, and develop a plan to manage the soil and groundwater resources of the...
Curated OER
Creating a Mini-Landfill
Students create a min-landfill from lunchbox waste to discover what happens when they throw away packaging and scraps. Using a clear plastic bin, they throw away their trash and layer it with scoops of soil. Students observe what types...
Curated OER
Field Trip Preparation
Students prepare for a field trip. They navigate through a Underground Network site. This "field trip" can be conducted in a patch of healthy grass or soil anywhere you can find it: right outside your building, in a backyard or at a...
Cal Recycle
Conserving Natural Resources
Trying to plan an engaging elementary science unit on natural resources? Conserve your energy! This five-part series of lessons and hands-on activities has exactly what you need to teach young scholars about the importance of conservation.
Curated OER
National Worm Survey
Pupils participate in the National Worm Survey. In this National Worm Survey lesson, students generate data on earthworms. Pupils submit their data to the online database Worm Watch.
Curated OER
Environment: How'd That Pollution Get There?
Students examine how global wind and water patterns aid in the spread of worldwide pollution. In groups, they read articles about the domino effect of pollution and create posters displaying its journey. On blank world maps, students...
Curated OER
What are the Chemical and Microbiological Effects of Run-off from a Catfish Pond on the Surrounding Soil and Water?
Students study data from a USDA catfish pond. They look for microbial populations and chemical concentrations in the runoff to determine the effectiveness of filter strips. They use their knowledge of biogeochemical cycles to explain the...
Curated OER
The Rotten Truth: Healthy Food from Healthy Soil
Students investigate methods of decomposition in order to make compost. In this decomposition science lesson, students set up compost bags using food and materials which decay over time. The initial lesson is approximately 30 minutes,...
Cornell University
Weed IPM
Go on a weed hunt! Scholars gain insight into the characteristics of plants and examine the outdoor environment in order to identify five different types of weeds. Learners then show what they know with a one-page reflection.
Curated OER
Solid Waste and Recycling
Young scholars demonstrate effects of waste on environment and ways of reducing it, observe how much packaging goes into bag lunches each day, and survey their families to assess awareness levels and household recycling practices....
Chymist
Alum from Waste Aluminum Cans
Turn aluminum cans into pickles! An engaging experiment has learners chemically change aluminum into a substance with many purposes including the manufacture of pickles. After performing the chemical conversion, the experimenters verify...
Curated OER
WHO CARES FOR THE LAND?
Students explore the importance of natural resources. They are given copies of the story, "Who Cares For The Land," and students follow
along as the teacher reads it. Students identify the key points in the story. (Soil, water and air...
Curated OER
Solid Waste Takes Over
Students explore solid waste and its effects on the environment. They explain some of the major problems caused by waste disposal and the use of landfills. They suggest ways to reduce the amount of solid waste going into a landfill.
Curated OER
The Effects of Trash and Garbage On the Environment
Students recognize the importance of solid waste management. In this science lesson plan, students analyze individual solid waste management habits as they enhance their knowledge of solid waste disposal and the recycling process.
Curated OER
Where Oh Where Did the Rainwater Go?
Third graders conduct an experiment to determine how water moves through different soils found in the Apalachicola River watershed. They read a scenario, conduct the experiment, answer follow-up questions, and draw the water movement...
Curated OER
Protective Agencies
This rare resource is a brief overview of some of our government protective agencies. There is a slide for each of the following: Bureau of Land Management, Department of Fish and Wildlife, National Parks Service, Environmental...