Curated OER
Land of Plenty, Land of Want
Students view a video about the state of the environment. They discover the topic of sustainable agriculture. They identify problems and how to solve them.
Curated OER
Cherishing the Water of Life
Students work in small groups to brainstorm a list of all creatures, plants, natural, and artificial processes that use or depend on fresh water. The class views an aquarium filled with water representing all the water in the world. The...
Curated OER
Environment: Rivers of Destiny
Students investigate the results of human intervention with the Mekong. Mississippi, and Amazon rivers. After watching a video about the status of the three rivers, they complete experiments demonstrating the effects of erosion and...
Curated OER
Water Cycle (Role of Water)
Second graders explore the role of water as a natural resource in order to conserve and protect its use for future generations.
K5 Learning
Space Based Astronomy
How much astronomy can you study with the naked eye? Learn more about the ways scientists explore the galaxy with a short reading passage and set of short-answer questions.
Kenan Fellows
Renewable vs. Nonrenewable Energy Resources
Is one type of energy inherently good or bad? Young scientists explore energy resources in a week-long unit. After extensive research, groups create powerful position statements and presentations supporting their energy resource of choice.
University of Wisconsin
Follow the Drop
Young surveyors look for patterns in water flow around campus. Using a map of the school (that you will need to create), they mark the direction of the path of water. They also perform calculations for the volume that becomes runoff. The...
Curated OER
The Greening of Mars: The Changes Necessary to Sustain Life on Mars
Fifth graders discuss the currents conditions on the planet of Mars. In groups, they work together to develop a mechanism that allows for a balanced ecosystem to survive on the planet. After presenting their ideas to the class, they...
Curated OER
Wonderfully Wild Unit the four L's of Wildlife
Young scholars appreciate the natural environment. In this "four L's" lesson, students observe, reflect and appreciate unique ecosystems and how they help sustain life. Young scholars create posters with the four L's.
Curated OER
SAVE OUR EARTH
Learners research current environmental problems in order to develop and deliver an oral presentation. The presentation persuades the audience to act on the student's point of view on the issue.
Curated OER
Martian Earth Tours
Students study a variety of global wetland habitats, their similarities and differences. They examine the variety of life that such wetlands support and determine that many animals and plants are adapted to life in wetlands, that...
Curated OER
May We Present Planet Earth?
Students draw a map to scale. They illustrate knowledge of how to use DOGS TAILS on a map. Students identify the main parts of a map. They identify and illustrate the major features necessary for sustaining a quality of life for a society.
California Academy of Science
Natural Resources Bingo
Bingo isn't just a silly game, it's a great way to practice all types of skills. After reviewing that the earth is composed of natural resources, what those natural resources are, and sustainability, the class plays a game of bingo. The...
Teach Engineering
Solar Power
How much solar energy is available at my location? An engaging resource provides a presentation along with script to give the class background information on determining solar radiation. Pupils then work through a worksheet to...
National Energy Education Development Project
Introduction to Solar Energy
People have been using solar energy for many generations to dry crops, heat homes, and for light. This presentation explains how now it is possible to capture the solar energy and store it for future use, details how and where...
Polar Bears International
Taking Action!
Motivate young scientists to stand up and take action with this environmental science lesson. To begin, the class works in small groups brainstorming actions that support the conservation of the earth before creating and implementing an...
Read Works
Fireflies in the Garden
Imagine a dark sky lit up with fireflies. Robert Frost's "Fireflies in the Garden" instills a visual in the reader's mind of a star lit sky glowing with fireflies. After reading the poem, learners compare and contrast the image the...
Global Oneness Project
Resiliency Among the Salmon People
Is losing cultural traditions the cost of social progress, or should people make stronger efforts to preserve these traditions? High schoolers watch a short film about the native Yup'ik people in Alaska and how they handle the shifts in...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Nature Walk and Ecosystem Introduction
A food web has no organism higher than a tertiary consumer because there wouldn't be enough energy left to sustain them. The fourth installment in a seven-part series begins with a nature walk to get pupils thinking about their...
Teach Engineering
Energy in Our Lives Carousel
Don't waste any more energy trying to find a great resource on energy. The third installment of a 25-part Energy Systems and Solutions unit focuses on energy use in pupils' lives. They consider how their daily routines consume energy and...
Curated OER
Seepy Sandwich
Students explore Earth science by participating in a pollution activity. In this water infiltration lesson, students utilize a water sprayer, food coloring and slices of bread to simulate how pollution can spread into our drinking water...
Curated OER
Ecological Impact of Wood Extraction
Students explore their local environment by conducting a class experiment. In this deforestation lesson, students discuss the effects of wood harvesting on forests around the world and research environment related vocabulary terms....
Curated OER
What Makes you Hot?
High schoolers manipulate different variables in a model and make inferences about the temperature on Earth. In this heat lesson students calculate the blackbody radiation of an object at a certain temperature.
Curated OER
Materials: Hidden Costs, Mapping the Source and Cost of Raw Materials.
Students map connections among raw materials. In this environmental stewardship lesson, students design strategies to minimize the use of raw materials and discuss how to use more sustainable materials.