National Wildlife Federation
Why All The Wiggling on the Way Up?
Some of the CO2 emitted by burning fossil fuels is removed from the atmosphere by natural sinks, such as the ocean. The fifth engaging lesson in the series of 21 examines the CO2 data from three very different locations. It then makes a...
National Wildlife Federation
Ghost Town
Around 93 percent of the reefs on Australia's Great Barrier Reef have been bleached, and almost one quarter of them are now dead. Scholars research the sea temperatures, especially around the areas with coral reefs, to make connections...
National Wildlife Federation
Stifling, Oppressive, Sweltering, Oh My!
Looking for a hot date? Pick any day in August, statistically the hottest month in the United States. The 15th lesson in the series of 21 instructs pupils to investigate the August 2007 heat wave through NASA data, daily temperature...
National Wildlife Federation
Climate Solutions – A Call to Action!
The final lesson in the 21-part series on climate change focuses on energy solutions to the consumption problem. Using data specific to their school, pupils make recommendations, follow up on actions, and carefully track progress....
National Wildlife Federation
Quantifying Land Changes Over Time Using Landsat
"Humans have become a geologic agent comparable to erosion and [volcanic] eruptions ..." Paul J. Crutzen, a Nobel Prize-winning atmospheric chemist. Using Landsat imagery, scholars create a grid showing land use type, such as urban,...
National Wildlife Federation
The Tide is High, but I’m Holding On… Using ICESat Data to Investigate Sea Level Rise
Based on the rate of melting observed from 2003-2007 in Greenland, it would take less than 10 minutes to fill the Dallas Cowboys' Stadium. The 17th lesson in a series of 21 has scholars use the ICESat data to understand the ice mass...
National Wildlife Federation
It's A Bird...It's A Plane...It's...CARBON!
An interesting lesson takes pupils on a trip through the carbon cycle. A reading passage allows scholars to take notes and make choices about what happens to the carbon on its journey. This third lesson in a series of 21 discusses...
Curated OER
Design an Egyptian Playground
Learners are broken up into four groups. Each group will use their knowledge about Egypt to originate a playground for Egyptian children. This will involve brainstorming ideas on paper, building a prototype with Legos or other material,...
Curated OER
Using Technology To Learn Independently
Students explore learning strategies that may be incorporated into a classroom. In groups, they prepare a role play that demonstrates a specific learning strategy. students discuss necessary materials,l take notes on the learning...
Curated OER
Best Practices of Technology Integration
Learners are introduced to the functions of state and local government. In groups, they research Michigan as their home state and one other state given to them and answer questions given to them in a packet. They discuss their answers...
Curated OER
Science: Designer genes
Students engineer new organisms using biotechnology. In small groups, they write procedures, list benefits and drawbacks, and explain how their new organism might affect the environment. After creating their new organisms, they present...
Curated OER
Using technology to engage students in science through inquiry research
Students study animals and their behaviors. For this animal behavior lesson students divide into groups and collect data and research animal behaviors.
Curated OER
Wind Power: From Eyesore to Energy
Students design their own wind turbine according to client's needs. In this science and technology lesson, students analyze the pros and cons of using wind power. They construct a model of their proposed wind turbine and present it to...
Curated OER
Find It!
Students analyze the basic concept of Global Positioning Systems using triangulation and measurement on a small scale in the classroom. They describe a satellite and how it helps in locating a person on Earth. They explain how...
Curated OER
Creating the Model
Students comprehend what has been explored in the previous earthquake engineering design lessons, by putting their designs to the test.
They are given pairs a piece of paper, and an empty plastic bottle or can. Students stand the...
Curated OER
The Robot Explorer
Students design a robotic vehicle to explore underwater caves. In this robot technology lesson, students brainstorm, research, and report about a robotic vehicle design capable of sensing objects and taking appropriate actions to avoid...
Curated OER
Spaghetti Bridge
Middle schoolers work together to build their own spaghetti bridge. They test the bridge to see how much weight it can hold before breaking. They discover how engineers use this type of information to design bridges.
Curated OER
Traveling Sound
Young scholars explore how sound waves move through liquids, solids and gases in a series of simple sound energy experiments. They describe how sound needs molecules to move and that changing the medium that it travels through changes...
Curated OER
Developing Effective Instructional Plans and Assessments in Mathematics
Students in a teacher education program develop a technology based lesson plan. After the lesson is created, they develop their own performance assessment. They identify the characteristics of good assessment instruments and model best...
Curated OER
Building Straw Towers
Students apply their knowledge of technology to help them build. In this science and technology lesson, students build straw towers and investigate the strength and form of the structure. They analyze the best design the make the...
Curated OER
Fuel Mystery Dis-Solved
Students describe how temperature and surface area exposure affect the rate at which fuel is consumed. They explain why engineers want to know about the properties of a fuel when designing rockets. They create a bar graph of result data.
Curated OER
Mother Nature Pattern Maker
Students in a teacher education program enhance their awareness of patterns. They discover how to support their students in developing this skill in mathematical terms. They role play the role of a K-2 student and collect images from...
Curated OER
Tenochtitlan Needs a Drink
Students engineer a way to provide drinking water using Aztec technology. In this engineering a way to provide drinking water using Aztec technology lesson, students find a way to deliver fresh water to a city surrounded by salt...
Curated OER
Summer Fun! Vacation Destination Postcards
Students design a postcard with a graph and text. They research their favorite vacation spot. Pupils write a friendly letter to their parents requesting to visit this vacation destination. Students use a Circle Map, to help fill in their...