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Erosion: Changing the Face of Earth
Fourth graders explore how the landscape of the planet can be changed by different elements of wind, water, ice and chemicals through hands-on activities. They examine pictures of areas around town and discuss anything they think is out...
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Onondaga Lake Educational Unit
Students outline the major events in the history of Onondaga Lake. They identify the parties involved in the events of Onondaga Lake. Students determine the sources of pollution that impacted Onondaga lake. They outline the major land...
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Fossil Fuels vs. Alternative Fueling Systems
Fourth graders brainstorm the differences between the fossil fuels that people use in their transportation now and what they could use to minimize greenhouse gas emissions. They use a variety of techniques from webquests to writing...
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Particle Depostition Lab
Middle schoolers collect, study and observe the pollution in our air. They list three kinds of pollution that they think is in our air. Students comprehend that the atmosphere is almost completely made up of invisible gaseous...
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Surface Water Model
Learners examine, through demonstration and experimentation, how water moves through watershed, identify pollutants that can enter water system from different land use activities, and discuss ways people can help prevent water pollution.
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Where Do We Get Clean Water?
Students investigate the concept of a filter. They use simple supplies in order to construct one after watching a demonstration performed by the teacher. An important warning that the project water is not clean for drinking is included....
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Pollution
Third graders investigate pollution. They discuss pollution and its effects. They create a Venn diagram of pollution and people polluting. They create a landfill and predict what will occur over a week's time. They create two air...
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N, B, and T: Pollutants Three
Students explore nutrient, bacterial, and toxic surface water pollution. They identify the amount of water they use each day and summarize the kinds of substances that cause water pollution. They predict what will happen in water...
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Sample Activity From The Water Sourcebook
Learners explore septic system failures and contamination of groundwater. The complete a worksheet to explore the basic parts of a septic system. In a lab situation, students simulate a septic system failure. They explore coliform...
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Stream Watch
Students discuss why it is important to take care of streams, what is non-point source and point source pollution, what are some causes of pollution in streams, and what can we do to prevent some of these causes of pollution? They steam...
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Water Contamination Mapping Lab
Students are introduced briefly to the Biscayne Bay Ecosystem, observed microbe distributions and water current maps are introduced. They measure water current speeds to predict the movement of pollutants based on the type of the tidal...
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Micro- To Macro- Environmental Air Quality Risk Survey
Students research the importance of air quality. In groups, students explore factors leading to poor air quality and methods of minimizing air pollution. Given a diagram of concentric circles, students survey their personal air quality...
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Water Pollution and Food Chains
High schoolers investigate the two key concepts covered in this activity: first, how pollution can affect plants, and, second, how polluted plants affect the rest of the food cycle. In sum, this activity teaches students about...
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Not A Drop To Drink
Fifth graders discuss ways that humans pollute our natural water supply. They observe a video about water pollution. Students identify eight different ways water is contaminated. They investigate an oil spill by conducting a hands-on...
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Wide Open Spaces
Students examine the problem of groundwater pollution. In groups, they develop a solution to solve the problem of a local polluted water source. They also practice measuring the space between sediment particles and the rate of water flow.
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The Impact of Acid Rain and the Greenhouse Effect on the Environment
Students study acid rain and complete several activities that show how it affects the environment. They role play members of the community involved in a major decision involving the protection of the environment.
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How do pollutants bioaccumulate and biomagnify?
Students review the basic concepts of the food chain. In small groups, they research an organism and create a food web. In addition, they study biomagnifications and write a brief essay or make a poster informing others about the...
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Subsurface Contamination of Groundwater
Students watch a demonstration with a balloon filled with water being buried in a milk container that has been cut length wise and filled with sand. Students are told that there is an underground storage tank filled with a contaminate...
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Playing in mud puddles
Students examine the effects of rainfall on different surfaces and discuss water pollution. They review the water cycle and the uses of water in daily lifestyles. Students discuss the effects of soil run off in streams and rivers.
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Environmental Issues in the Polar Regions
Students list environmental problems they are familiar with and check the ones they think affect the polar regions, and they research and answer questions about environmental issues affecting the polar regions. Students discuss their...
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Move To a Healthier Aquatic Balance
Fourth graders examine aquatic orgnaisms and how enviromental chages affect them. This factors include: temperature, Ph, oxygen, nutrients, and pollutants. They also explore habitat quality (erosion). Students compile data and create...
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Phytoremediation
Students participate in a lab designed to facilitate the clean up and remove of substances ranging from heavy metals to dynamite. They focus on the remediation of copper. They discuss their results of this open ended inquiry experiment.
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Recycling: Causes of Pollution
Students read The Lorax by Dr. Seuss while focusing on similarities in their world and that of the Lorax by completing a worksheet. They examine the effects of pollution or garbage on the environment.
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Bionic Trees
Students examine the debate about using trees to clean up the environment by reading and discussing a news article. They research the various contexts for which scientists may want to genetically alter trees and assess the validity of...