Curated OER
Global Environmental Issues: Air and Water Pollution
Thinking about designing a project for your social studies or environmental science classes? Use an overview of a project that prompts class groups to research an environmental issue.
NASA
Cleaning Water
Give young scientists a new appreciation of fresh, clean drinking water. After learning about the ways astronauts recycle their air and water, your class will work in small groups creating and testing their very own water filtration...
Curated OER
Working With Environmental Issues
Students consider the source of disease and parasites in West Africa. In this environmental issues lesson, students read "Working with Environmental Issues," by Fred Koehler. Students participate in an activity that requires students to...
Curated OER
Recreational Water Contamination and Beach Closurew
Young scholars work in teams to develop a presentation and handout representing a particular point of view in a recreational Water Contaminationand Beach Closure Debate. They synthesize their knowledge of recreational water, sewage, and...
Curated OER
Robo-Lobster
Introduce environmental science or engineering explorers to different forms of sampling. They read an article about "Robo-lobsters," lobsters being studied to help design robots that can used to sniff out pollution in ocean waters. The...
Curated OER
Wheeling and Dealing NPS Wheel
A collection of three worksheets create a "Wheeling and Dealing NPS Wheel" when properly cut out and fastened together, This activity would be perfect when used with any study of how our water sources get polluted.
Curated OER
Water Cycle
Identify and interpret the earth's different water sources. Third and fourth graders describe and demonstrate the process of the water cycle, make a model of its two main parts, and predict and infer to answer questions about the model.Â
Kenan Fellows
Designing a Water Treatment Plant
How does dirty water get clean enough to drink? After viewing a PowerPoint that outlines the process water goes through at a water treatment plant, groups work together to design a chlorination chamber for a treatment plant.
Curated OER
The Water Cycle and Sources of Pollution
Students make an island that has a construction site on it. They spill siulated pollution and trash on top of the island and then water it to simulate rain. They will observe how the rain washes dirt, sand, and pollution off the island...
Curated OER
Water Pollution and Food Chains
Sixth graders study the effect of pollution in our food chains. In this plant biology lesson, 6th graders first experiment with pollution by placing a carnation in colored water. Next they use a food chain triangle to see the concept of...
US Environmental Protection Agency
Aquifer in a Cup
Young scientists create their very own aquifers in this science lesson on ground water. After learning about how some people get their drinking water from underground wells, young learners use sand, modeling clay, and aquarium rocks to...
Curated OER
What's in My Water, and How Did it Get There?
Students analyze water samples to see the contaminants and then use the Internet to find the sources of the contamination. In this investigative water lesson students analyze water and work together to solve the mystery of contaminants.
Curated OER
Environmental Action
Middle schoolers debate one another. In this pollution instructional activity, pupils work in teams to debate which is more serious, air or water pollution. They research their topic to come up with valid points to justify their side of...
Curated OER
Water Conservation/ Pollution: Why is the Water Running?
Students consider water conservation and chemical pollution of water. In this water use instructional activity, students discover how water towers and dams are used to take water to desired locations. Students also discuss the effects of...
Curated OER
Water Pollution Experiments
Fifth graders conduct experiments in simulated water pollution using a box of items to hold "pollutants"and an aquarium, representing a waterway. They observe how "rain" from a watering can poured into the box washes the pollutants into...
Curated OER
What Is a Watershed?
Students explore the concept of water pollution. In this environmental stewardship lesson, students discover what watersheds are and consider how to protect them.
DiscoverE
Build a Watershed
What's the best way to learn how watersheds work? Build one! Combining engineering, the water cycle, and ecology concerns, the activity is the perfect fit for an interdisciplinary unit. Teams construct a model watershed with simple...
National Library of Medicine
Your Environment, Your Health: Runoff, Impervious Surfaces, and Smart Development
Can a sidewalk increase the amount of pollution in local streams? Scholars learn the answer to this question though research and experimentation in the fifth unit in the six-part series. Pupils study runoff, impervious surfaces, and the...
Curated OER
Assessing Risks for Inhalation and Ingestion of Pollutants
Students use a hypothetical scenario to investigate inhalation of an airborne pollutant and ingestion of a waterborne pollutant. They work in pairs, investigating differences in overall exposure to contaminants by calculating inhalation...
Michigan Sea Grant
What's in This Water?
Pupils investigate the biological and chemical characteristics of water to determine where purple loosestrife occurs. They create data sheets to record water quality tests in several locations and work in groups to conduct the water...
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Recycled Water: A Smart Way to Reuse Water
Learn about wastewater and recycled water with a science reading activity. After learners finish a two-page passage about conserving the water supply, they answer six comprehension questions about what they have read.
Curated OER
WET Science Lesson #11: How Light Affects Water
Scientists listen to the story of Wadja Egnankou who works to save African mangrove forests. They experiment with refraction and the introduction of particulate matter to water. They conclude with creative writing about the need for a...
Curated OER
Air Quality Issues
Students identify the different layers of the atmosphere. They examine the different types of air pollutants. They also discover laws in effect that work to protect the environment.
Curated OER
Environmental Concerns (1) Analysis of Lead in Paint (2) Analysis of Water
A scenario and background information are provided for two different open-ended experiments that experienced chemistry classes can perform toward the end of the school year. In the first, they design a method for testing flakes of paint...