Curated OER
A Pollution Solution- Taking Care of the Environment
Learners examine the biodegradability of different brands of toilet paper in a hands-on activity. Through this activity they also discover the steps of the Scientific Method and use new terms such as hypothesis, procedure, observation,...
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Victorian Homes Lesson
Learners investigate British Society in the 19th century by examining Victorian style homes. In this world history lesson plan, students observe photographs of both rich and poor Victorian homes and discuss the main differences between...
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What's The Flow?
Students examine urban runoff and identify peak flows. They examine causes for different flow rates, and complete worksheets and a graph.
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Water Quality and Temperature
Students are led through three activities to explore the effect of temperature fluctuations on the growth and survival of aquatic plants, clams, and shrimp eggs.
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Water Trash
Learners explain the ways plastic waste can affect the marine environment. They are able to describe things they can do to can down on plastic waste entering the marine environment.
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People Cause Pollution
Students investigate the effects of industry on natural features. They discuss the industrial revolution, and create a drawing of a river with one half illustrating pre-industrial revolution time, and the other half representing the...
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Global Change — Change and Cycles Where Land, Air and Water Meet
Students participate in an experiment to define a parts-per-billion solution. For this ecology lesson, students select a second substance to create a parts-per-billion solution and observe and record their results. Students work in...
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Transportation and Environment
Young scholars make an eco-friendly vehicle to help make transportation better for the environment. In this transportation lesson, students learn how transportation inventions are bad for the environment. They then see how engineers have...
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Turning the Tide on Trash: Marine Debris Curriculum
Six different lessons comprise this unit on marine debris. Science, language arts, social studies, and art projects make this an ideal interdisciplinary unit. The result will be well-informed future citizens who can help make a...
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Erosion
Fifth graders engage in some activities that will help them to identify erosion and explain the causes of erosion. They also look into ways that humans can slow the process of erosion in some cases. After a teacher-led demonstration,...
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The Marvels of Mud
Young scientists roll up their sleeves and get a little dirty in this three-day earth science investigation. Following the scientific method, children monitor the growth of algae in pond water samples in order to determine the role that...
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Earth: Our Big Blue Marble
Students investigate Earth and its resources. In this Earth, space, and nature lesson plan, students collaborate to design presentations on the Earth, its cycles, and how humans have impacted the planet. Images, diagrams, and background...
Pulitzer Center
Extractive Industries
Here is a chance for environmental studies classes to take a critical look at crises occurring around the globe by reading articles and viewing video clips. The human activities under scrutiny are the extraction of oil, logging, and...
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Household Conservation/Efficiency
Hook your class up to an online home energy usage calculator so that they can estimate the amount used per month by their families. Then give them Watt meters with which they will measure the power consumption of several small...
NOAA
Build Your Own Ocean Ecosystem
Hold the sea in the palm of your hand! Amateur oceanographers work together to create models of an ocean ecosystem in the sixth and final installment in a series. Raise awareness of global ocean health issues through guided research,...
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Dispose of Waste Properly
Students examine how to dispose of waste properly and discover how pollution affects plants and animals that live in streams. In this effects of waste lesson, students explore biodegradable detergents and the concept of dilution as the...
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Oil Spill
Students explore an important role of environmental engineers by studying the Exxon Valdez oil spill. They experiment with different strategies in order to clean up their own manufactured oil spill.
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Not So Neutral Views
Students explore ways to use indicators to distinguish between acids and bases. They conduct an experiment to model and discuss the harmful effect of acid rain in our living and non-living environment.
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The Atrazine Dilemma
Young scholars understand how farming practices and the topography of a region can effect the health and safety of all living things. Students play a game which helps them understand how the chemical Azatrine has spread in the watershed.
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Marine Debris
Students will perform experiments to examine if debris will float, or blow in the wind. They discuss the effects of these characteristics on marine debris.
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Webquest: Eradicating Guinea Worm Disease in Ghana
Students examine the impact of Guinea Worm Disease. In this world issues lesson plan, students take on the roles of Peace Corps Volunteers. Students will apply their knowledge of the Guinea worm life cycle to create a plan for...
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Ocean in a Bottle
Learners create an enclosed ocean in a bottle and add different pollutants to explore the effects of pollution on the environment.
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Air Quality Presentation for Youth
Students read two books about wind and dust and then participate in a demonstration in which they plant seeds and compare dry, dusty soils to moist soils. They identify the rationale and methods for keeping airborne dust down.
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Wet 'n Wild Watershed
Students engage in a discussion on watershed management. In this ecology lesson, students consider the role of forests in water quality. Students incorporate lecture material into a class room discussion and questions on water shed...