Curated OER
Land Development and the Environment
Students examine the relationship between land development and the environment. In this environmental stewardship instructional activity, students explore how population density, land development, transportation, and impervious surfaces...
Curated OER
The Urban Explosion
Students investigate the uncontrolled development of the world's major cities. They define key vocabulary terms, view and discuss video excerpts, and complete a project that involves drawing a "perfect city," developing a plan to...
Curated OER
A Tree Is More than a Street Name
Eighth graders discuss the role of trees as one of the most important natural resources. In groups, they examine how the forests nearby helped to shape their urban city. Using the internet, they research the use of the forest in early...
Curated OER
The High Cost of Chemical Dependency
Sixth graders explore, analyze and study the effect and impact that humans have on the environment based on their choices as individuals, businesses and governments. They assess the balance between human activities and aquatic pollution.
Curated OER
Protecting Holy Cows
Young scholars study the interrelationships of organisms and their environments. They study ecological communities and determine what is necessary for survival. Students discuss and answer questions concerning a group's biome, habitat,...
School Improvement in Maryland
Smart Growth
New roads, new businesses, new developments, new mass transit systems. All growth has both positive and negative effects on communities. Government classes investigate the principles of Maryland's 1997 Smart Growth program and...
Curated OER
Urban Rivers
Learners discuss how urban rivers have shaped the region in which they live. They research river geology and ecology. They examine a case study of life and living along the Delaware River.
Curated OER
Environment: Assess Your Habitat's Health
Students research their ecozone in Canada and label on maps various parks and wildlife areas. They role-play as doctors with their ecozones as patients and search for symptoms from pollution, urbanization, loss of habitat, and decline of...
Curated OER
World Geography: Smart Cities
Students are able to analyze how a variety of cities both in the USA and abroad have worked to improve human health and environment. They combine their prior knowledge of previous lessons and apply that knowledge to compare how each...
Curated OER
Environmental Justice
Students investigate the problem of pollution and its effects on the environment. The use of questions for research stimulate thinking and advanced problem solving skills. The important skill of reflection is used to help students form...
Curated OER
Know Your Watershed
Young scholars investigate the importance and the location of their own watershed by visiting and EPA website and also work in groups to create an action plan on how to protect their local watershed.
Curated OER
Social Studies: Canadian City Comparison
Students research Canadian population distribution while comparing and contrasting the quality of life in two cities. They discuss issues and problems that cities and rural towns face. Students apply various methods, such as graphs and...
Curated OER
Mobility: A Green City, Past, Present, and Future
Students explore transportation systems through history. In this transportation lesson, students determine how modes of transportation affect quality of life and design transportation plans for cities.
Curated OER
Progressive City Planners
Learners plan cities. In this environmental racism lesson, students design imaginary cities taking into consideration the amenities and environmental hazards that exist. Learners discuss city planning challenges.
Curated OER
Social Studies: Towne Planning in Tidewater
Students discover how European values dominated colonial life. They also examine the effects of slavery in the Americas. Students compare the planning of their home town with that of colonial Williamsburg. They locate key sites such...
Curated OER
The Zabbaleen, Cairo's Garbage Workers
Here is a fascinating human geography study of the Zabbaleen. They are a sub-class of people who work as garbage collectors in Cairo, Egypt. I can't say enough good things about this resource in my limited space here. It is fabulous! If...
Curated OER
Planning a Healthy City
Ninth graders create a scaled model city. They create a blueprint that provides for the economic and cultural needs of a community. They identify where essential elements of the city should be located and explain the rationale for the...
PBS
Pbs Teachers: The Urban Explosion
Describe the environmental problems created by rapid development of urban areas, and identify solutions for dealing with problems caused by uncontrolled urbanization. Explain the importance of urban development plans for dealing with...
US National Archives
Docsteach: Birth of the Environmental Protection Agency (Epa)
By the late 1960s, issues of unchecked land development, urban decay, and air, noise, and water pollution came to Americans' attention. In November 1971, the newly created Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a large-scale...
Other
Solar Schools: The Advantages and Disadvantages of Renewable Energy
One major advantage with the use of renewable energy is that as it is renewable it is therefore sustainable and so will never run out. Renewable energy facilities generally require less maintenance than traditional generators. Their fuel...