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Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

Oceans as a Heat Reservoir

For Teachers 7th - 11th Standards
Oceans absorb half of the carbon dioxide and 80 percent of the greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. Scholars learn how and why the oceans store heat more effectively than land and how they help mitigate global warming. Pupils...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Iron Fertilization - Pumping Iron

For Teachers 9th - 12th
The theory that adding iron to ocean water may increase phytoplankton ability to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is examined. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute is monitoring conditions off the California coast to...
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Lesson Plan
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Curated OER

Carbon Footprint Estimator

For Teachers K - 5th
Students discover what a Carbon Footprint represents. In this sustainable lifestyle lesson, students determine their Carbon Footprint as an individual and as a class. Students use a the Internet to calculate how many earths it would take...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hot Stuff!

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students observe different demonstrations on the greenhouse effect. They build their own models to show the phenomenon. They discus the role of greenhouse gases on global warming.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Local and Global Impacts

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students conduct an interview with Dr. Hajo Eicken to discuss local and global impacts. They hold an audio conference to ask about characteristics of the Arctic environment, climate, climate change, the greenhouse effect and global...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Climate Challenge Game

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students explore climate change, its impacts and possible solutions. They play a television-style quiz challenge game. Students discuss the topics pertaining to global, local, and personal solutions to climate changes.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Climate Change & Coral Activities

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Learners study how the ocean stabilizes our planet's climates and how global warming is becoming a threat to this fine balance.  In this climate change lesson plan, students identify that fossil fuel emissions are responsible for global...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Greenhouse Gasses

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Young scholars study words in the news. They explore vocabulary including "climate change" and discuss its meanings and related meanings. They read a text about climate change and carbon dioxide emissions and answer questions. They...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Effects of the Sun on Our Planet (Grades 2-4)

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students observe how the sun's rays can cause evaporation and discuss its role in the weather cycle. They discover what the sun's energy brings to plants. They examine how different types of technology can enhance the amount of solar...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Biomes: the Threat of the Sea

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers study global warming including its causes and effects.  In this creative instructional activity students make posters on global warming.   
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Lesson Plan
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Curated OER

The Garbage Patch: Two Earth day Lessons

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students view a seven minute video called Gorilla in the Greenhouse. In this Earth day lesson, students review the history of Earth day. Students work in groups to describe the life cycle of a plastic bag. Students understand that...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Environment -- Unit on Globalization and the Environment

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students examine the effect of human activities on the environment. They discover issues that are causing problems around the world. They participate in a debate using their own research.
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Lesson Plan
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Chicago Botanic Garden

Personal Choices and the Planet

For Students 7th - 9th Standards
The last activity in the series of four has individuals determine steps they can take to reduce their carbon footprints and then analyze their schools' recycling programs. Through a sustainability audit, they identify how and where their...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Awful 8: A Play

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students perform a play that presents the causes and effects on people and the environment of the eight major air pollutants.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth's Changing Atmosphere

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students examine the constant changing of the Earth's atmosphere. After labeling the layers of the Earth, they identify various processes inside the Earth that can cause gases to be emitted. Using the internet, they research how the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Secret Agents of Dissolved Oxygen

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students determine the changes in different types of water in a sealed container over time. They investigate how to measure dissolved oxygen, temperature, and carbon dioxide with calculator or computer probe-ware. Students determine the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Barriers to Change: The Myths about Vehicle Idling

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Learners have the opportunity to confront some of the most common misconceptions that surround vehicle idling, and employ the concept of social marketing to initiate change. The goal is to give students an appreciation of the impact of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

It's All In The Surface: The Effects Of Color & Texture On The Ability Of A Surface To Absorb Solar Energy

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders examine how dark surfaces absorb more light than light surfaces. They perform an experiment that compares various surfaces abilities to absorb heat, then record and analyze the results.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

It's Getting Hot out Here! Should I be concerned? (Climate Change)

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers explore the effects of global warming. They examine the differences between weather and climate. After viewing a video, students summarize information on climate change and drought.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Using Mathematic Models to Investigate Planitary Habitablity

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students examine how the sun's intensity affects the temperature on various planets. They determine whether or not these planets could be habitable. Finally, they factor in the average albedo of the planets to determine whether or not...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Heat is On

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students investigate climate change. In this current events lesson, students research the listed Web sites that include information about the effects of greenhouse gases on the Earth. Students discuss how to combat the negative effects...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Climate Change

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students explore environmental care by researching the impact of human beings on our planet. For this climate change lesson, students utilize the Internet to read informational text about climate change and the effect it will have on our...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Global Warming

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine how human produced emissions of carbon dioxide contribute to global warming. Using the internet, they research the future effects of global warming on the Earth. In groups, they discover ways to reduce daily energy...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fossil Fuels vs. Alternative Fueling Systems

For Teachers 4th
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...