Curated OER
Water, Weather, and the World
Students in a special education classroom examine the role of weather and water in their lives. Each day, they add a symbol for the weather outside and identify the proper activities for the weather on that day. In groups, they...
Curated OER
Water: Our Most Important Beverage
Third graders complete a KWL chart on what they already know about water and what they want to know. As a class, they participate in an activity in which they discover the amount of drinkable water on Earth and are introduced to the...
Curated OER
The Magic of Solar Thermal: How the Sun Can Be Used to Heat Water
Students are introduced to how the sun is used to heat water. For this solar lesson students identify the different types of solar water heating and demonstrate how it works.
Curated OER
Water filtration with Plants
Sixth graders explain how soil and plants effect contaminated water in nature. In this filtration lesson, 6th graders work in groups to test biofiltration units. Students determine which biofiltration units work best and how they can...
Kenan Fellows
Determining the Effects of a Golf Course on Stream Health
Do golf courses affect the water organisms in nearby streams and ponds? Small groups collect samples of water upstream and downstream from a golf course and analyze the macroinvertebrates found and the stream index values of the two...
Kenan Fellows
Microorganisms in Pond Water
That is living in the water? Groups of two to three view pond water with microscopes in order to find microorganisms. They draw pictures of the ones they find in their slides. The groups compare their drawings to pictures of common pond...
Curated OER
Acid Rain
Create a simulation of acid rain in your classroom with lemon juice and bean plants to help kids study the effects of pollution on plants. In addition, learners will listen to a story and write responses based on guiding questions.
Curated OER
The Air We Have Around Us
Students listen to story, The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss, discuss air quality and how people affect the earth and its atmospheric cycles, and give oral reports on what they have learned.
Curated OER
Acid Rain Effects
Get out the goggles and conduct a simple experiment to model and explore the harmful effects of acid rain (vinegar) on living (green leaf and eggshell) and non-living (paper clip) objects. Young chemists observe and describe the harmful...
Curated OER
Make Your Own Biodegradable Plastic Stuff
Students identify the four basic natural resources. They distinguish bettween renewable and non-renewable resources. Pupils recognize that all natural resources are needed by living plants and animals. Students list consequences for...
Curated OER
Chemical Consequences of Burning Fossil Fuels
Future scientists are introduced to the chemical consequences of burning fossil fuels, learning that fossil fuel combustion leads to the formation of oxides of three nonmetals: carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur, all of which end up in the...
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
Missing Macroinvertebrates - Stream Side Science
Field study groups collect samples of stream water and identify the macroinvertebrates found. Using their data, they calculate a water quality index to rate the health of the stream. They graph their data and discuss the value of a water...
Curated OER
CO2 and Air Pollution
Seventh graders observe and test for the presence of carbon dioxide gas. They compare concentrations of carbon dioxide gas and conclude high concentrations of carbon dioxide gas are unhealthy for human beings.
Curated OER
Give a Hoot - Don't Pollute at Black Bayou Lake
Fourth graders visit Black Bayou Lake refuge to observe the effects of land and water pollution. They photograph examples of pollution. They list the effects of land and water pollution. They write a persuasive letter to convince others...
Curated OER
Contaminated Drinking Water
Students discover whether their senses can detect unsafe drinking water. In the water activity lesson, students follow procedures to determine whether their bodies can detect contaminated water.
National Park Service
Glaciers and Water
Explore the amazing power of glaciers with a hands-on earth science experiment! After first learning basic background information, learners go on to create their very own chunks of frozen water and gravel in order to observe first-hand...
Teach Engineering
Aerogels in Action
Model an oil spill cleanup. An engaging engineering lesson has groups using aerogels to simulate an oil spill cleanup (vegetable oil in water). Along the way, they learn about nanotechnology and hydrophilia/hydrophobia.
Curated OER
Fossil Fuels: Facing the Issues
Students explore energy by researching fuel usage on Earth. In this fossil fuel instructional activity, students define fossil fuels, the energy created by burning them, and the impact on the environment when using them. Students conduct...
Curated OER
What's in the Water?
Learners examine how pollutants can affect ocean animals. In this pollution lesson, students read a story about the ocean floor, think about what would happen to the plants and animals if the ocean became dirty or polluted, and conduct...
Curated OER
Water Issues on Puerto Rico and Oahu: A Comparison of Two Islands
Fifth graders explore how the tow islands receive and use fresh water. They also address some of the threats to the fresh water supply on each island. Students explore the lesson objectives through water cycle models and experiments.
Curated OER
The Affect of Water Temperature on Living Organisms
Students examine the environmental impact of global warming. In this environmental science lesson, students design and conduct an experiment about the effect of temperature on paramecia. They write a lab report about their experiment.
Curated OER
Contaminated Drinking Water
Students investigate drinking water. In this water lesson, students discover if the water we drink is safe by participating in an experiment. Students use water and vinegar to observe how drinking water can be contaminated.
Curated OER
Clean Water vs. Dirty Water
Students study the importance of clean water to the survival of organisms and what activiities and material pollute water. They measure the temperature of water samples and create a class graph.