Curated OER
Runoff: Intro to Watersheds
Young scholars are taught that a watershed is, what types of basic land cover are impermeable and permeable to water. They trace the flow of water around their school and around their home. Students determine what watershed their school...
Curated OER
Invasives and Marsh Birds
High schoolers are taught that invasive plant removal can have a variety of impacts. They are shown this by using graphs. Students view maps of vegetation change on Iona Island. They discuss implications of changes on marsh birds using...
Curated OER
Water Chestnut Graphing Activity
Students are taught how to format and enter data into an Excel spreadsheet. They make a graph and interpret graphed data. Students discuss possible impacts of water chestnut invasion. They graph data on water chestnut. Students report...
Curated OER
Water Quality with Samples
Students recognize whether one wants to drink water, swim in it, or for the health of the organisms living in it. They prepare different water samples to observe and collect samples regarding the water quality.
Curated OER
Bottled Water vs. Tap Water
Students analyze the similarities and differences between tap water and bottled water. They make informed decisions about their use of each. Students are asked if they drink mostly tap water straight from the tap or water fountain. They...
Curated OER
Wastewater
Students discuss what happens to their wastewater. They read about the wastewater treatment process. Students are asked what types of things get flushed down toilets or goes down drains in sinks and showers. They are taught what happens...
Curated OER
Hudson Valley Rocks
Students identify each of the rocks provided and locate where in the valley they are found. They explain why the rocks came to be as they are in each location. In addition, they relate the exercise to how the Hudson Valley's geologic...
Curated OER
Glacial Groundwater
Students study glacial deposition and groundwater in Dutchess County, new York. They identify the permeability rates in different glacial deposits and relate this information to ground water capacity of sediments found in Dutchess...
Curated OER
How Much Water is in That River?
Students practice measurement using the Hudson River. They calculate the discharge measurement at a location on the Hudson River using ingenuity and a topographic map.
Curated OER
Toward a Sustainable Agriculture
Your class considers a case study of a sustainable agro-ecosystem and view a PowerPoint presentation about a sustainable farm. They complete a case study worksheet. Extension activities are included.
Curated OER
Functions of Leaves
The title is a little deceiving since only one of 17 slides is dedicated to the function of leaves, while the rest is dedicated to the structure. Both internal and external structure is taught with accompanying diagrams. If you are going...
Curated OER
Planning and Preparing a Vegetable Garden
An anticipatory slide suggests personal benefits from gardening. Then the presentation goes into choosing a location, considering soil type, the use of fertilizers, and the variety of crops available to choose from. If you are teaching...
Curated OER
Think Green
Learners experience and practice compositing and recycling through hands-on-activities. They distinguish between which items from their trash can be recycled, composted and reused. The process for making recycled paper is also covered in...
Curated OER
Trash Disposal Choices
Students investigate the use of landfills. In this landfill use and recycling lesson, students discuss what happens to trash and junk. They review the types of trash before categorizing a list of items they throw away each day. They...
Curated OER
Using the Land
In this land worksheet, students review the different ways that land is used such as landfills, topsoil, farmland, and hazardous waste. This worksheet has 13 true or false questions and 1 short answer question.
Curated OER
Integrated Solid Waste Management
Students examine the EPA's approach to integrated solid waste management. They read about source reduction, recycling, composting, waste-to-energy incineration, and land filling, and create symbols for each of the aspects of solid waste...
Curated OER
The Rotten Truth
Students study the process of decomposition using lunch leftovers and soil. They complete the inquiry over set periods time as they observe the how composting takes place and finally, they sort the materials into biodegradable,...
Curated OER
Under Our Feet
Young scholars investigate the forest ecosystem to learn of the living and non-living elements of the soil. In this ecosystem lesson, students examine soil for twigs, moss, fungi, leaves, roots and other matter. Young scholars complete...
Curated OER
WHAT'S ORGANIC?
Middle schoolers explore how certain foods come to be certified "organic." They write the words "organic" and "synthetic" and given the definitions of each. Students are given dictionaries. They are asked: "What is organic food?" Middle...
Curated OER
Litter Prevention
Students determine why litter is undesirable and that littering is a behavior that can be changed. They rank a variety of litter items from "most undesirable" to "least undesirable" and discuss their reasoning. They group the "litter"...
PBS
Cloud Clues
It's cloudy with a good chance of learning! An inquiry-based lesson begins with an exploration of transparent, translucent, and opaque materials. Young scientists then connect their learning to the different cloud types as they take the...
Curated OER
Decomposition, Soil, and Life Cycle Research
Students conduct background research on the decomposition process, soil composition, and the life cycle using the resources provided for Internet searches. They work in collaborative groups to research topics as a particular plant, soil...
Curated OER
Micro-organisms
Students learn what a micro-organism is. In this micro-organism lesson, students understand that micro-organisms may be too small to see. Students learn microorganisms could be bacteria, fungi, something beneficial or a harmful microbe....
Curated OER
Earthworms and Making a Wormery
Students explore the environment by researching insects. In this earthworm lesson, students utilize soil and plexiglass to build a see through wormery in which students can observe the worms at work. Students identify the benefits of...