Howard Hughes Medical Institute
The Anthropocene: Human Impact on the Environment
Will human existence define an epoch? Many scientists think we are in a new epoch, the anthropocene, defined by humans and our impact on the environment. An online interactive demonstrates the immense impact humans have had on every part...
McGraw Hill
Population Biology
The carrying capacity of an environment varies based on the organisms that live there. Using a virtual lab simulation, scholars test two protists living in their own environments and a third environment where both protists live....
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Ocean Acidification
Human impacts on the environment can sometimes be difficult to measure, especially under water! An activity centered on ocean acidification gives science scholars the opportunity to examine the effects of carbon dioxide on marine life....
National Academy of Sciences
Mitigation Simulator
The United States has more per capita emissions than any other country in the world. An eye-opening simulation encourages users to explore environmental goals and factors that affect climate change by balancing different priorities....
Science 4 Inquiry
Deforestation
Young scientists observe deforestation from satellite photos and discuss the importance of forests to the global environment. They then simulate a plot of forest when farmers move into the area over the course of seven years. Finally,...
SeaWorld
Marvelous Manatees
Here is an interesting lesson on the manatee for your upper graders or middle schoolers. A game is played where learners work together to complete a successful manatee migration. It's a board game, and all of the game components are...
Prince William Network
Migration Headache
During this game, kids become migratory shorebirds and fly among wintering, nesting, and stopover habitats. If they do not arrive at a suitable habitat on time, they do not survive. Catastrophic events are periodically introduced that...
Curated OER
A Research Project and Article For the Natural Inquirer
Get your class to use the scientific process to solve a scientific problem. They utilize the Natural Inquirer magazine to identify a research question which they write an introduction to and collect data to answer. They use graphs,...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Color Variation over Time in Rock Pocket Mouse Populations
A species-specific look at natural selection, the resource herein examines how adaptations have helped the population of rock pocket mice survive in a changing landscape. To begin, middle or high schoolers watch a 10.5 minute video,...
Curated OER
Student News And Weather Channel
Fabulous! Your 5th graders should love this project. As an ongoing instructional activity throughout the year students use temperature probes to record outside temperature and then document their data using spreadsheets. They use their...
Curated OER
A Cleaner Today for a Greener Tomorrow
Students examine recycling efforts. In this environmental stewardship lesson, students trace recycling efforts and script a skit regarding incandescent light bulbs' effect on the environment.
Curated OER
Science: Trouble in the Troposphere
Students research a NASA Website and record information about an assigned city's tropospheric ozone residual monthly climate. In groups, they graph the information for the past year. They form new groups and compare their city's...
Curated OER
Microbe Power - Using a Winogradsky Column as a Battery
In this lesson the student demonstrate analysis of the changes taking place in the bottle as well as bdemonstrate application of the interactions happening in the bottle by applying these changes to the environment.y measuring and...
Curated OER
Under the Sea - Ocean Mammals/Fish
Students explore the similarities and differences between ocean mammals and fish. The characteristics of the life forms observed are placed onto a graph. The classroom becomes the botom of the sea and is explored to gain the required data.
Curated OER
Environmental Health Hazards and Children
Young scholars 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
For the Birds
Second graders explore biology by creating birdhouses. In this bird identification lesson, 2nd graders discuss the different types of birds that live in their environment and what characteristics each type of bird has. Students create a...
Curated OER
Reduce Reuse Recycle
Young scholars discover methods that can save the planet by recycling. In this sustainable planet lesson plan, students read The Berenstein Bears Don't Pollute Anymore, and practice memorizing the 3 R's. Young scholars...
Curated OER
Observing Weather
Students investigate the weather by reading children stories. In this weather observation lesson, students read Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and several other stories about weather before they create a KWL chart....
Curated OER
Air Module Scenario (Exercises #1-5)
Students, after researching/analyzing the concept of environmental health to air quality, role-play the basic principals of epidemiology. They act out a specific scenario to generate questions, draft a research plan, and generate...
Curated OER
Oh Deer!
Learners discuss the components necessary to keep animal populations alive . Then they participate in a game where they interact as deer, food, water, and shelter. The activity demonstrates that nature is not static, but changes with the...
Curated OER
Finding Caterpillars
Young scholars examine how animals protect themselves from predators and camouflage themselves. They participate in a simulation in which they locate red and green yarn "caterpillars," organize their data, and generate a bar graph using...
Curated OER
Rock Eater
Students examine the effects of acid rain by
performing a simulation experiment. They also view the
effects of acid rain and erosion on the reservation and record observations in a science log.
Curated OER
Which Tape is Stickiest?
Young scholars conduct an experiment to determine which style of tape will stick the best. In this controlled experiment lesson, students predict which tape will stick best to a marble that rolls over it, then they conduct the...
Curated OER
The Greenhouse Effect in a Jar
Students explore climate change by participating in a physical science experiment. In this greenhouse effect lesson, students discuss the impact global warming has on our environment and how it works. Students utilize a glass jar,...