California Academy of Science
Ocean Acidification Mock Conference
In a comprehensive role playing activity, teens play the parts of different stakeholders in the realm of acidic oceans. They research, debate, and create a presentation from the perspective of either ocean organisms, the fishing...
Curated OER
TE Activity: Environmental Interactions
Students design a web that shows the interactions between the living and non-living parts of the environment. They determine what an environment is and how engineers work together to solve problems. They complete a tally chart that they...
Curated OER
Environmental Health Hazards and Children
Learners are introduced to the environmental hazards their community is facing. In groups, they develop a list of the ways humans have changed the Earth and how these changes have lead to environmental hazards. They record their...
Curated OER
What's Down the Well?
Middle schoolers examine how environmental engineers determine possible sites for drinking water wells. They listen to a teacher led-lecture, and create their own groundwater well model using a coffee can and wire screening, observing...
Curated OER
What's a Kid to Do?
Students participate in an environmental action letter-writing campaign. They conduct Internet research on the Global Response website, discuss various successful Global Response campaigns, select a campaign they are interested in, and...
Curated OER
What Makes Up a Healthy Watershed
Students, after observing the elements of a local watershed, explore the need to protect watersheds as water resources for the future. They examine the factors involved with a watershed: geology, ecology, and the effect of man's...
Curated OER
What's In Our Backyard?
Eighth graders investigate the importance of an ecosystem by studying their own backyards. In this environmental lesson, 8th graders examine a schoolyard or backyard by marking quadrants and recording any animal or plant findings...
Curated OER
What's Air Got to Do with It?
Young scholars use M&M's to create a pie graph that expresses their understanding of the composition of air. They watch and conduct several simple experiments to develop an understanding of the properties of air (it has mass, it...
Curated OER
Methods of Power- Hybrids
Young scholars list the reasons why people chose hybrid cars over traditional cars. In this technology lesson, students create a poster describing how hybrid cars work. They discuss ways to save fuel and improve a car's efficiency.
Curated OER
Case Study--"What Good Is It?"
Students receive a realistic introduction to the intricacies of the endangered species problem. Students examine and refine personal concepts of non-utilitarian value and biocentric stewardship. Students examine what, if any, duties the...
Curated OER
Earth Science
Young scholars analyze the mechanisms for generating ocean currents, temperature, and deep ocean circulation. They are able to assess the formation and breaking of waves and their effect on shorelines, particularly the North Carolina...
Curated OER
Rockin? Chalk (Integrating science - make own chalk)
Students use plaster of Paris, talc, and cornstarch to create their own chalk. They hypothesize what mixture of ingredients produce the "best" chalk. Students discuss what they think are the characteristics of the "best" chalk.
Curated OER
What Do We Need In Our Environment To Survive?
Learners discuss and write about waste management to save the environment. In this environment instructional activity, students discuss what an alien coming to Earth would notice about the environmental needs of humans for survival. They...
Curated OER
The Heat Is On- Spread the Word
Students research global warming. For this environmental lesson, students research global warming on the Internet and create a project to share their knowledge with others. Students present their projects to their peers.
Curated OER
Global Resources: What Will You Do with Your Power?
Students examine the human impact on natural resources. They read and discuss an article, evaluate nations regarding their environmental problem-solving, develop a presidential speech on the environment, and conduct a natural resources...
Curated OER
How Clean Is the Air in Your Community?
In this how clean is the air in your community worksheet, students assess the air quality, identify polluters, create an action plan, develop a presentation, evaluate it. This page has many links to helpful Internet resources.
Curated OER
Habitats - Explore the World Around You.
Explore the habitats found around the world. The Desert, Rain Forest, Tundra, Prairie, Grassland, Forest, Marine and Zoo habitats are all covered in this easy to follow presentation. Each slide has a themed background picture, several...
Curated OER
Floating Fishes: Fishing Expedition
A referenced PowerPoint is not included, but this lesson can still make an impact with emerging environmentalists. After introducing them to the facts about overfishing, they experiment with a fishing simulation using colored beads and...
Curated OER
Vote on Disposal Options for Hazardous Household Products
For this health worksheet, students realize that hazardous household products present special disposal challenges. Students view 11 images on an overhead projector and vote (thumbs up, thumbs down) on whether the disposal option is a...
Curated OER
Water Quality and Environmental Pollution
Learners use litmus paper to begin to discover the qualities of acids and bases. They learn about pH by testing clear liquids for acidity with purple cabbage juice as an indicator. The video Streamkeeper, with Bill Nye, and other video...
Global Oneness Project
Deconstructing Consumerism
A short, engaging video provides a critique of the hyper-consumerist mentality that many think have taken over the Western world. After watching the video, pupils reflect on their own habits and use evidence...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Solar Structures
It's time to soak up the sun! Youngsters read about active and passive solar heating systems, then they collaborate to create a miniature solar-heated building. Provide a variety of materials for them to incorporate and watch their...
Chymist
Landfills and Recycling
Examine the nature of landfills through experimentation. Scholars build miniature landfills and monitor changes over a six-week period. Observations allow individuals to draw conclusions about the different types of trash and their...
Global Oneness Project
A Vanishing Island
The effects of rising sea levels on Isle de Jean Charles, located off the coast of Louisiana, are documented in Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee's poignant short video. Viewers are asked to consider not only the plight of residents but also what...