California Academy of Science
Pollution in Our Watershed
The concept of a how pesticides and other chemicals pass through a watershed can be difficult for younger learners to grasp without a concrete example. In the activity here, some blank paper, markers, and a spray bottle are all you need...
Curated OER
Midnight Dumpers
Students explain how pollution affects ground water. They participate in a simulation to discover the location of an illegal dump. Students explore the monetary benefits, risk and environmental concerns are factors in business decisions.
Calvin Crest Outdoor School
Survival
Equip young campers with important survival knowledge with a set of engaging lessons. Teammates work together to complete three outdoor activities, which include building a shelter, starting a campfire, and finding directions in the...
NOAA
Toxic! Or Is It?
Super scientists tests the toxicity of water using radish seed bioassays. Over the course of five days, scholars observe the germination process of several radish seeds, looking closely at their roots to determine the level of toxins...
Curated OER
Acid Rain Effects
Get out the goggles and conduct a simple experiment to model and explore the harmful effects of acid rain (vinegar) on living (green leaf and eggshell) and non-living (paper clip) objects. Young chemists observe and describe the harmful...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
How Can Nanoparticles Move from Land to Ocean?
Investigate the migration of the nanoparticle from land to water! A lab investigation asks budding scientists to simulate runoff. Testing water samples before and after the simulation leads individuals to make conclusions about pollution...
University of Waikato
Groundwater Contamination
Scientists study how pollution occurs in hopes of minimizing its effects. A quick activity shows how point and non-point source pollution enters groundwater and aquifers. Learners mimic the phenomenon with models that show how rain...
Sargent Art
Protect Our Marine Life
Encourage water conservation and boost art skills with a hands-on activity that challenges young painters to create a scene highlighting marine life. Using oil pastels, scholars draw an underwater scene and write a tip for viewers to...
National Wildlife Federation
The Wheel of Trouble
What kind of troubles affect turtles? Learners create paper plate wheels to show four different hazards to sea turtles. Pupils color four segments of a picture to represent the overharvesting, changing beaches, pollution, and fishing...
Curated OER
Water Wash
Students define watersheds, ground water and nonpoint source pollution. They describe how rainwater moves on the surface, as well as underground, as part of the water cycle. They recognize what flooding is as well as its causes.
Curated OER
Groundwater Pollution Lab
In this groundwater pollution instructional activity, students use a piece of bread to represent the earth, food coloring to represent contaminants in the ground and water to simulate the movement of pollutants with water through the...
Curated OER
The Other Water Cycle
Students examine human impacts on the water cycle. They compare/contrast the permeability of various materials for the purpose of engineering landscape drainage systems, and answer discussion questions.
Curated OER
Ocean Pollution
Students explore ocean pollution. In this ecology lesson, students view a video entitled This Pretty Planet and identify common biodegradable products. Students participate in activities designed to simulate the negative effects of...
Curated OER
Pollution and Marine Life
In this pollution and marine life learning exercise, students use 9 given terms related to types of pollution and ocean food chains to complete sentences. Students number the effects of human sewage and soil runoff that harm ocean...
Curated OER
Water Quality Testing
Student explore factors affecting ecosystems. They test local water samples for pH level. After creating a methodology for data collection, they collect data, compare results, and draw conclusions based upon results.
Curated OER
Water Cycle
Ninth graders explore ways water moves through various reservoirs on Earth, examine how human activities change water cycle, investigate substances present in water that indicate human activity, and discuss how understanding water cycle...
Curated OER
Acid Rain Environment Pollution
Students combine different materials to create chemical reactions. In this chemical reaction lesson plan, students will combine different materials to create chemical reactions and define these results as acids or bases. They will also...
Curated OER
How Pollution Disrupts Our Natural Environment
Students conduct experiments to illustrate global warming. In this air pollution lesson, students first examine how a layer of greenhouse gasses might impact the earth's atmospheric temperature, then evaluate how the layer of gasses...
Curated OER
Pollution Search
First graders identify forms of pollution and describe effects that various pollutants can have on people, wildlife, and plants; students describe relationships between various forms of pollution and human actions.
Curated OER
Water: Where in the Watershed?
Students become connected to their watershed by exploring a local water body and mapping its features. They focus on how the local watershed fits into the larger scheme of the watershed.
Curated OER
Importance of Water
Students complete a KWL chart on what they comprehend about water. They complete a water activity determining how much usable water is available, and they determine the water usage in their households. Students take notes on water and...
Curated OER
Caution: Fix It!
Young scholars explore the concept of environmental stewardship. In this science instructional activity, students investigate events that have harmed coastal resources and how human activity has restored coastal resources.
Curated OER
How Much Water is There?
Students investigate the amount of fresh water on earth and which water can be used for consumption. In this fresh water lesson plan, students calculate the amount of fresh water that can be used for consumption on earth. They use a 5...
Curated OER
Water, Weather, and the World
Students in a special education classroom examine the role of weather and water in their lives. Each day, they add a symbol for the weather outside and identify the proper activities for the weather on that day. In groups, they...