Curated OER
Gwynns Falls
Students investigate the question: What is the impact of urban development and expansion on the health of a decidious forest ecosystem and humans? They examine the issue of land development by responding to a specific scenario and...
Curated OER
Exploring the Aral and Salton Seas
High schoolers investigate the environments of the Aral and Salton Seas. They use images taken from the space shuttle, the U2 spy planes, and remote sensing satellites to learn more about what is happening in each region. Students...
Curated OER
Let's Put a Spin on Things: Graffiti Role Play
Fourth graders examine what is and what isn't graffiti. They role-play various scenarios, research the Graffiti Hurts website, and discuss when graffiti should be reported to local law enforcement.
Curated OER
Fish Communities in the Hudson
Learning to read data tables is an important skill. Use this resource for your third, fourth, or fifth graders. Learners will will study tables of fish collection data to draw conclusions. The data is based on fish environments in the...
Forest Foundation
The Sustainable Forest
As part of their examination of forest ecosystems, class members examine how foresters, biologists, botanists, geologists, and hydrologists work to together to develop a management plan for sustainable forests.
Curated OER
Water Filtration
In this water pollution and filtration lesson plan, 5th graders read the story 'Saving Salila's Turtle' and discuss the impact pollution has had on the Ganges river. Students work in groups to brainstorm different types of water...
Teach Engineering
Dirty Decomposers
Do not let the class just sit and rot. Pupils learn how decomposition and nutrient recycling is important to an ecosystem. Groups design an experiment to determine how environmental conditions affect decomposition. They develop a poster...
Curated OER
Burning Up! A Look at Global Warming
Students investigate global warming. In this global warming lesson, students watch movies about global warming, discuss problems in their local community and see how communities have changed over time. Students realize the importance of...
Curated OER
Protecting Our Planet
Students examine the impact of pollution. In this pollution lesson, students watch Protecting Our Planet, then participate in a simulation of the effect of pollution on a variety of organisms.
Curated OER
Investigating Factors That Affect Cell Membrane Permeability
Cell membranes and the factors that affect its integrity are studied, with Beet tissue used as the model. A poster to display findings of the permeability of the membranes would clarify understanding and also allow a layer of language...
Curated OER
The Three Gorges: Should Nature or Technology Reign?
Students participate in a debate regarding the Three Gorges Dam in China. In this research skills lesson, students prepare for a debate regarding the construction of the Three Gorges Dam in China. Students participate in the dam taking...
Curated OER
Analyzing Hurricanes Using Web and Desktop GIS
High schoolers analyze hurricanes. In hurricanes lesson, students use the Internet and GIS to analyze hurricanes. High schoolers view the National Atlas of Maps to discuss the direction hurricanes move. Students study the wind and...
Captain Planet Foundation
Help a Sister Out: Garden Companions
Explore Native American gardening traditions with a instructional activity on companion planting. Based on the concept that certain crops grow better when planted near other specific crops, kids research the gardening method with...
Channel Islands Film
Human Impact on the Food Web of Santa Cruz Island
What happens when a non-native species is introduced onto an island? Santa Cruz Island, part of the Channel Island chain located off the coast of southern California, provides the perfect laboratory for young environmental scientists to...
Curated OER
Plastics: Field Trip - Vancouver Landfill
Students examine the amount of garbage that is produced by the City of Vancouver. In this landfill lesson, students participate in a field trip to the City of Vancouver Landfill. They look at what happens to garbage, recycling, and yard...
Curated OER
The Human Mind
High schoolers read and discuss twin studies to explore the debate of nature vs. nurture. They create a list of characteristics and then look for evidence of whether it is primarily a genetic or environmental characteristic. All of the...
Curated OER
Trade and the Global Economy
Pupils discuss the role of trade and a global economy. As a class, they identify the costs and benefits of trade and how it is being questioned in today's society. They discover what is imported to the United States and the role of the...
Curated OER
Populations- The Survival of the Fittest
Students examine the ways that populations become diverse and how mutation changes the diversity of a population. In this exploratory lesson students study natural selection by completing a lab activity and discussing what they...
Curated OER
Comparing Light Bulbs
An average home produces twice as many emissions as an average car. Teach your class how to reduce energy consumption by replacing standard incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs. Perform an experiment to compare...
Kenan Fellows
Effects of a Golf Course on Stream Health
Is the golf course causing issues in the stream? Find out with a resource that has groups perform chemical water tests to analyze the effects of a golf course on a stream. Pupils collect water above and below the course and analyze the...
Curated OER
Exploring Air Issues
Young scholars collects survey data from their community on air pollution. In this environmental science activity, students consider the opinion of the community on air pollution and create a plan to reduce it. Young scholars plan...
Curated OER
Need vs. Wants in Creating Sustainable Communities
Ninth graders create a T chart of their needs and wants. In this environmental science lesson, 9th graders brainstorm ideas on how to create a sustainable community. They decide what they would give up and keep to make the community...
Curated OER
Creatures That Glow In The Night
Pupils investigate the different bioluminescent organisms. They use microscopes in order to make observations and draw what is seen. Students demonstrate they have studies the differences between the process of photosynthesis and...
Curated OER
Roads & Plant Diversity
Learners, in groups, collect and analyze samples of native grassland plants near and around a road to show how roads have an impact on surrounding habitat.