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MATERIALS, Using What’s Local: Native Materials, Local Sources
Young scholars consider the development of different societies. In this environmental building instructional activity, students consider local resources and how societies choose to use them. Young scholars use their findings to design a...
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Telling Our Own Stories
Explore online profiles and social media with your middle and high school classes. Use blogs to inspire your class to craft a well-written, thoughtful response to a prompt you give. A few example prompts are given.
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Reading Comprehension 5: Level 10
Whether used as a reading comprehension assessment, as the basis of a mini-lesson on reading strategies, or as extra practice, this exercise will prove to be valuable because of the answers and explanation key that accompanies the...
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How Much Are We Using?
Third graders investigate environmental stability through consumption and recycling. They look into how much of a recyclable good it takes to create one new product. Pupils compile a list of these quantities, then create posters that are...
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Garbage or Art?
The three R's are, reduce, reuse, and recycle. Third graders use recycled materials to design and create an environmentally themed piece of art. They discuss and examine major art works that were created using recycled materials, then...
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Acid Rain
Create a simulation of acid rain in your classroom with lemon juice and bean plants to help kids study the effects of pollution on plants. In addition, learners will listen to a story and write responses based on guiding questions.
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The Coastal Ocean: Estuaries and Continental Shelves
Amazing high-quality satellite imagery, photos, informational graphs, and detailed diagrams comprise this presentation on the movement of estuaries and the continental shelf. Data used as an example is from The Chesapeake Bay and because...
Global Oneness Project
Deconstructing Consumerism
To increase awareness and launch a discussion of consumerism, class members view What Would It Look Like, a 25 minute film of images that capture the global effects of the consumption of goods. Viewers make a list of the images that they...
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Evaluating the Strength of Scientific Evidence: The Rediscovery of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker
A happy discovery occurred in Arkansas in 2004: a woodpecker, believed to be extinct since the 1940s, reappeared! Or did it? Middle to high school ecologists examine scientific evidence and use critical-thinking skills to determine...
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MountainQuest!
Your scientists are employed by NASA! They have to evaluate five potential sites around the world and decide which location would serve the scientists best. There are comprehensive lesson plans for this electronic field trip, and your...
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Water Meter Reader
Junior high schoolers learn how to read a water meter, track their family water usage, and discuss the amount in class with other pupils. They will interpret real-world data and graph it. It is ideal for increasing awareness and...
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Reading Comprehension 6: Level 9
Did you know that an acre of trees can absorb as much carbon dioxide as a car emits in 11,000 miles of driving? Such fun facts abound in a short reading comprehension passage detailing the benefits of parks and rooftop gardens. After...
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Un Vélo-Taxi
Bike taxis are all the rage! Environmentally sound, this type of transportation is becoming popular across several countries from the United States to France. French pupils read the short passage and complete two brief exercises....
Rural Science Education Program
Bees and Flowers – Partners in Pollination
Why are bees so important? After several activities where kids investigate the form and function of flowers, they learn about the different types of bees and label them. They then examine pollen under a microscope and decide which bees...
Dick Blick Art Materials
“Gawu” — African-influenced Tapestry
Here's a great way to combine environmental science with art. Kids use recycled materials to create their own Gawu, a tapestry made of discards. Although designed for special education classrooms, the activity is sure to engage all...
It's About Time
Coal and Your Community
When I was young, I was afraid of the dark. Now I am afraid of getting the electric bill. This fourth lesson in a series of eight focuses on coal mining, conservation, and energy efficiency. Scholars start by taking data from a table and...
Intel
Energy Innovations
Collaborative groups examine the importance of energy resources on quality of life by researching different energy sources and alternative energy sources through data analysis. They make a comparison of different countries and cultures,...
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Cultura: Vias de Conciencia Ambiental
High schoolers discuss what house and home represent in this country and read an article from a Venezuelan newspaper about environmental awareness. They create a Venn diagram that compares and contrasts environmental awareness and...
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Hazard Alert
Students examine data regarding the occurrence of natural hazards as they occur in the United States. They record data on a classroom chart, map the areas affected by the hazards, and analyze and discuss conclusions drawn from the...
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Sonoran Desert
Students discuss the complicated environmental issues that face different people today. They establish legal positions surrounding several different scenarios.
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Ocean Pollution
Students study their role in eliminating ocean pollution and helping keep the oceans clean. In this environmental issues lesson, students define pollution and brainstorm examples of ocean pollution. Students define biodegradable and...
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Diversity And Adaptations Of Organisms
Seventh graders investigate how organisms respond to environmental stimuli through their behavior. They observe how plants and animals respond to varying amounts of light, water and gravity.
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There is Room for All
Pupils create a poster about the three main uses of forest lands. In this forest lesson plan, students focus on its economic use, environmental use, and recreation use.
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Dreaming of Gardens
Students demonstrate ways to be an environmental philanthropist. In this philanthropy lesson, students read The Gardener and Just a Dream and compare the two books. Students discuss ways the characters demonstrated environmental...