Curated OER
Conservation Collage
Students identify many different ways the environment is polluted, and determine ways to prevent pollution. They create a collage of pictures describing how the earth becomes polluted.
Curated OER
Solid Waste Management
Sixth graders examine the role of packaging of everyday products and urge manufacturers to reduce the amount of it. They also discover how many products they use everyday can be recycled.
Curated OER
Agriculture
Young scholars examine the types of agriculture in their own state and in their local community. They examine how food makes it to their local grocery store. They compare data from different states.
Curated OER
Investigate Factors Affecting Nitrates in Groundwater
Students participate in an experiment in which they investigate the factors affecting the levels of nitrates in groundwater. Using examples, they explain the nitrogen cycle and identify the sources of chemical nitrogen fertilizers. ...
Curated OER
Particulate Matter in the Air
Students conduct an inquiry exploring the different kinds of particulate matter in the air. They name three different types of particulate matter found in the air and identify different types of solid particulate matter found in the air...
Curated OER
Classroom Composting
Students observe and describe the cyclic nature of life. They identify and appreciate the importance of a balanced ecosystem. Finally, students compare and contrast biodegradable and non-biodegradable resources in nature and describe the...
Curated OER
Where to shop?
Young scholars study a topic of an environmental nature that is relevant to them (as individuals) on a local level, but with global implications. They consider whether their family's shopping habits have any lasting effects on the...
Curated OER
Vegetable Twister
Young scholars review vegetables and their nutrient values and production. In this vegetable production worksheet, students read information about the nutrients in vegetables and how they are grown. Young scholars participate in a game...
Curated OER
The Terrible Transformation: Freedom Denied
Students learn about the legal foundations for slavery and explore autobiographical writings of slaves. Students trace the development of laws that enforced the slave status of Africans and their descendants.
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Biotic Factors
Students identify individual organism, a species, and a population within the study community. They identify biotic factors at the site and attempt to characterize the site's species diversity.
Curated OER
Don't Trust Your Eyes
Students brainstorm a list of possible actions that they could do to protect the water resources from pollution. They create hypotheses and conclusions by completing experiments and observing different pollutants.
Curated OER
Lets Think About...Plants
Students bring in various vegetables and make friendship soup. They plant seeds and discuss the things plants need to grow and thrive.
Curated OER
Water Pollution Lesson Plan: Don't Trust Your Eyes
Students develop a list of actions they could perform that would protect our water resources from pollution. They formulate hypotheses, conduct experiments and draw conclusions about actual pollutants found in our water supply.
Curated OER
Toxicology 2: Finding the Toxic Dose
High schoolers brainstorm with group partners to decide upon a chemical they would like to test, and outline a procedure for their investigation. They then present in groups their ideas to the rest of the class as well as the chemical...
Curated OER
This Stuff Makes Me Sick
Learners participate in a lab showing the effects of pesticides on Lumbriculus variegatus. Several extensions and variations are also included in this lesson including one which relates the experiment to how pesticides enter our drinking...
Curated OER
Project Design
Twelfth graders study Thoreau as "philosopher" and developing a personal philosophy of life (both metaphorically and literally). They come to an understanding of the interconnectedness of the natural world. Students come to a realization...
Curated OER
Earth Day Crossword
For this crossword puzzle worksheet, students read the 25 clues about Earth Day. Students then complete the crossword puzzle about Earth Day.
Curated OER
Mud Painting
Students invent mud mixtures to paint with. In this mud painting lesson, students experiment with different mixtures to develop the perfect mud paint. Students paint a picture.
Curated OER
Spud Smear
Students study various samples of microorganisms in petri dishes. For this microorganism lesson, students place various samples of items in petri dishes and observe them after several days of incubation.
American Geosciences Institute
American Geosciences Institute: Soils
Seven hands-on lessons module allows middle schoolers to learn about soils. These inquiry-based investigations explore the kinds and arrangements of materials in soils, the amount of water that flows through soil, and how soil is eroded.
Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy: Gardens Activity Guide: Soil
In this activity students conduct a soil analysis to understand soil types and explore the relationship between the garden and healthy, fertile soil. Soil is a natural resource that is crucial to life on Earth and when managed properly,...
Other
Indianetzone: Types of Soil
Get to know the five different kinds of soil .. clay, sand, loam, chalk, and peat.
Huntington Library
Huntington Library: Garden Lesson Plans: Rooting Into the Soil [Pdf]
An experiment to investigate the capacity of different soils to retain water, and how this impacts on the survival, evolution, and adaptations of plants. Extension activities are included.
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Earthworm Castings: Soil for Young Garden Plants
Everybody knows that worms are good for the soil, but not everybody knows why. Here's a project that investigates just one of the ways earthworms improve the earth.