National Wildlife Federation
Quantifying Land Changes Over Time Using Landsat
"Humans have become a geologic agent comparable to erosion and [volcanic] eruptions ..." Paul J. Crutzen, a Nobel Prize-winning atmospheric chemist. Using Landsat imagery, scholars create a grid showing land use type, such as urban,...
MENSA Education & Research Foundation
Ecosystems
Explore the Earth's different ecosystems through four lessons, an assessment, and extension activities. Lessons include informative text and step-by-step instructions to apply knowledge in interactive, and thought provoking ways; such as...
Curated OER
Urban Ecosystems 2: Why are There Cities? A Historical Perspective
Second in a series of five lessons, this lesson encourages preteens to consider cities as urban ecosystems. First, they keep a food diary for a few days. They visit the Natrional Agricultural Statistics Service website for current data...
Curated OER
Land Use and Soil Loss
In this land use and soil loss worksheet, students match 5 types of land use with their description and write true or false to 5 statements about the effects of land use and soil loss. The correct false statements to make them true.
Curated OER
Desertification
Middle schoolers investigate the process of desertification in the Sahel region of Africa. They discuss photos from a National Geographic magazine, analyze the physical/political map of the Sahara, identify the causes and effects of...
Curated OER
Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
In this day to combat desertification and drought instructional activity, students read or listen to a passage, then match phrases, fill in the blanks, choose the correct words, unscramble words and sentences, write discussion questions...
Country Studies US
Country Studies: Uzbekistan: Environment
This article from the Library of Congress addresses the sad state of the environment in Uzbekistan caused by chemical, water, and air pollution. Particular emphasis is focused on the Aral Sea.
Geographypods
Geographypods: Theme 2: Natural Environments
A rich collection of highly engaging learning modules on topics related to the natural environment. Covers four main areas - plate tectonics, forms and processes, weather and climate, and rainforest and desert. Within each of these,...
Geographypods
Geographypods: Patterns in Environmental Quality and Sustainability
This collection of five learning modules looks at issues related to environmental change and sustainability. Topics addressed include changes in the atmosphere, soil, water, and biodiversity, and what can be done to counteract this and...
United Nations
United Nations Sustainable Development Issues
United Nations Division for Sustainable Development covers issues ranging from Agriculture to Waste. This site offers documents and action plan implementation for sustainable development of the earth's natural resources.
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning: Ap Environmental Science: Geology, Soil and Land Management
Students explore how Earth processes shape the land, and how important managing the land can be in response to these natural activities.
US Geological Survey
U.s. Geological Survey: Desertification
Read about the destructive process of desertification and how this impacts human beings, how satellite images provide data to document what is happening, and some solutions that have been developed to combat the problem.
United Nations
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
This is the website for a United Nations organization that works to develop solutions for desertification. There are lots of resources for learning about how desertification is affecting different parts of the world and about what...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Farming the Desert: The Science Behind Desertification
This lesson introduces students to the factors that contribute to desertification and solutions that have been implemented in the Sahel region of West Africa. A 21-page teaching guide is also provided. [4:39]
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Farming the Desert: Geography of the Sahel
This lesson is provided to introduce students to the geography and people of the Sahel region and to have them discover the challenges and conflicts faced by the inhabitants. They learn about desertification and what farmers are doing to...
The World Bank
The World Bank: Curbing Desertification in China
This article and video look at the issue of desertification in China and what the World Bank is doing to help combat the problem, as well as how this investment is helping local economies. (Published July 4, 2019) [4:37]
Other
The Great Green Wall
The Great Green Wall is an African-led movement with an epic ambition to grow an 8,000 km natural wonder of the world across the entire width of Africa. A decade in and roughly 15% underway, the initiative is already bringing life back...
Other
Ben Gurion University of the Negev: State of Israel
This site from Ben-Gurion University contains the first national report on the implementation of the United Nations Convention to combat desertification.
US Geological Survey
Deserts: Geology and Resources
The U.S. Geological Survey provides information on what a desert is, how the atmosphere influences aridity, where deserts form, types of deserts, desert features, eolian processes, types of dunes, remote sensing of arid lands, mineral...
Travel Document Systems
Tds: Algeria: Geography
A discussion of the geography of Algeria. You can read about the three distinct geographic regions, the climate, and the natural hazards. Information from the CIA World Fact Book.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: How Should Our Gardens Grow?
In this activity, students will learn about types of land use by humans and evaluate the ways land is used in their local community. They will also consider the environmental effects of the different types of land use. Students will...
Science Struck
Science Struck: Facts About the Gobi Desert
Desertification is a growing problem in the world today and it is taking place in the Gobi Desert as well. Learn facts about the Gobi Desert, including its five ecoregions, the climate, and the flora and fauna.
The History Cat
The History Cat: Geography: Environment: The Incredible Shrinking Sea
Describes the economic policies of the Soviet Union that turned the Aral Sea, once the world's largest body of fresh water, into two smaller seas and desert. Includes a video. [10:29]
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Fourth Grade Science: Life Science: Habitat Destruction
Looks at ways plants and animals, including humans, can impact the environment in this learning module.