Curated OER
Air: You Can't See It, But It's There!
First graders investigate that air occupies space by performing experiments that show this principle. Students are provided with a lunch bag. Students open the lunch bag and look inside. Students determine if there is anything in their...
Curated OER
Natural Selection in Protected And Unprotected Populations
Studnets compare how two elephant seal populations fare during successive generations. They participate in a simulation using a card game to look at the differences in two populations, one that is protected from mortality by human...
Curated OER
Where In the World Are the Resources?
Students use the internet to research the amount of natural resources in a specific area on Earth. In groups, they locate the supply of each natural resource on a map in that area and what can be done to reduce their usage. They also...
Curated OER
What Makes a Building Green?
Students examine the concepts of green building used in constructing or renovating a building. They conduct an interview with someone who sells green materials, or designs or implements green building plans. They work in teams to...
Curated OER
Science: Comparing Beer and Bread
Students compare and contrast cellular respiration in yeast and plant and animal cells. After discovering the role of yeast in making beer and bread, they describe the short and long term effects of alcohol on the nervous and digestive...
Channel Islands Film
Restoration Channel Islands Debate
Introduce learners to the debate format with an activity that uses the National Park Service's controversial Channel Islands restoration program as a topic. Class members learn how to generate provocative debate questions, how to prepare...
Kenan Fellows
Using Water Chemistry as an Indicator of Stream Health
Will this water source support life? Small groups test the chemistry of the water drawn from two different sources. They then compare the collected data to acceptable levels to draw conclusions about the health of the source. The...
Teach Engineering
Skin and the Effects of Ultraviolet Radiation
Though UV radiation can damage skin, it isn't all bad. The third installment in a six-part series allows the class to study the structure and function of skin. They learn about the different types of skin cancer and the SPF rating...
Curated OER
Crashed on the Moon
Students compare and contrast the environments of the moon and the earth. They discover how the differences might change one's daily activities.
Curated OER
Wet World in Danger
Students investigate the reasons why wetlands are threatened especially by people. They study the wise use of water to preserve wetlands.
Curated OER
Designing an Ecologically Sound City
Fifth graders design an "ecologically sound" city. They write laws for the city to help make all citizens aware of their ecological responsibilities and propose alternative power sources for light and heat.
Curated OER
Genetics
Students create a checklist of traits common in all of their families. Uisng a table, they compare and contrast their family members to non-family members. They also review dominant and recessive traits and discuss how knowing about...
Curated OER
Green Buildings Virtual Tour
Students fill out a worksheet after researching green buildings by taking a virtual tour. In this green buildings lesson plan, students use Google Earth to research green buildings.
Curated OER
Soil Runoff Challenge
Students find ways to decrease soil runoff for an African Village as a part of a Peace Corps project. In this soil runoff lesson, students play a soil runoff challenge online. Students complete online activities and view a slide show to...
Curated OER
Holy Starbucks Batman
Students investigate caffeine as a potential new pollutant in a northwest river system. Effects of caffeine on invertebrates and salmon fry will be explored through field work and lab work.
Curated OER
The Gulf Oil Disaster
High schoolers take a closer look at the Gulf oil spill of 2010. In this global issues instructional activity, students analyze political cartoons related to the crisis. High schoolers discuss their impressions of the crisis and U.S....
Curated OER
Red Wigglers
Students are introduced to the benefits of using Red Wiggler worms to produce compost. They identify the requirements for the worms and the methods to follow in order to produce compost. They draw a picture of a functioning worm bin.
Curated OER
A Tooth for a Tooth
Learners classify mammals as carnivores or herbivores. They look at a set of pictures of animal skulls, observing the shape and size of the teeth, and identify herbivores and carnivores.
Curated OER
Analyzing Soil Samples
Students grow grass or radish seeds in this experiment, which takes three to four weeks to complete. They become familiar with basic soil analysis techniques, as well as, explore the importance of analyzing soil samples.
Curated OER
Protecting Philippine Reefs
Students watch a slide show about the Philippine Reefs to explore the topic of fish populations. In this reef and fish population lesson, students watch a slide show about fish populations and how the Peace Corps works...
Curated OER
Oil Well That Ends Well
Focusing on the effect of oil spills on the environment, learners conduct experiments to explore this issue. First, they create an ocean environment using materials provided. Then, they make a simulated crude oil substance from vegetable...
Curated OER
Enzymes and Catalysts
Students discuss the functioning of the digestive system and the specific enzymes present. They observe the action of amylase on starch to identify characteristics of enzymes then perform an experiment on the effects of temperature on...
Curated OER
Crafting a Fair Climate Agreement
Evaluate the effectiveness of Kyoto Protocol in addressing the issue of global warming. In this global warming lesson, learners compare the pros and cons of the cap-and-trade system versus a carbon tax, as well as other possible...
Curated OER
Meet the Trees!
Students investigate their school forest and make their own miniature forest. In this forest investigation lesson, students read The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein and make alist of reasons to have trees. Students investigate trees by...