Chicago Botanic Garden
Are You Bigfoot?
Scholars independently explore several websites to calculate their ecological footprint. Using their new found knowledge, they answer six short-answer questions and take part in a grand conversation with their peers about how our...
Curated OER
Energy and the Environment: What Can We Do?
Students consider the impacts of global warming and brainstorm ways to help decrease their contribution to the problem. In this climate change lesson, students are exposed to facts concerning global warming and think of ways to decrease...
Curated OER
Eco Points Score Card
Students play a game in which points are assigned to daily activities which require fossil fuels or electricity. They compare the impact their energy and transportation choices have in everyday life.
Curated OER
The Greenhouse Effect
Students complete a group experiment which simulates the greenhouse effect as well as compare the climate on Earth to the climate on Venus following a class discussion on the greenhouse effect.
Curated OER
The Lesson: Bio-fuels
Students explore the pros and cons of bio-fuel use. In this environmental stewardship lesson, students visit selected websites to discover what bio-fuels are and the effect they may have on the environment.
Curated OER
Online Worksheet- Switched On- Electricity
In this online electricity learning exercise, students use the links to find answers to questions about solar, hydro, nuclear, fossil fuel, and geothermal energy sources. They conduct two experiments that are based at online sources.
Cal Recycle
Conserving Natural Resources
Trying to plan an engaging elementary science unit on natural resources? Conserve your energy! This five-part series of lessons and hands-on activities has exactly what you need to teach young scholars about the importance of conservation.
California Academy of Science
Ocean Acidification Mock Conference
In a comprehensive role playing activity, teens play the parts of different stakeholders in the realm of acidic oceans. They research, debate, and create a presentation from the perspective of either ocean organisms, the fishing...
Curated OER
Mission 6: Renewable Energy
In these renewable energy worksheets, students learn about renewable energy and energy sources. Students complete a 23 page packet for the activity.
Curated OER
Environment: Methane Sources
Students discover how human activity is increasing the release of methane gas into the atmosphere. Woring in groups, they visit the Eduzone Website and complete worksheets. Students identify the natural and human causes of methane gas.
Chicago Botanic Garden
Greenhouse Gas Emissions – Natural and Human Causes
Part three in the series of seven has pupils discussing the different greenhouses gases, learning about the carbon cycle, and then watching a short video about the carbon cycle. Based on their knowledge, individuals complete a greenhouse...
Curated OER
Energy and Cars: What Does the Future Hold?
Students examine alternative energy. In this research based lesson, students study alternative energy and how it will influence transportation in the future. They will write a report and give an oral presentation of their findings.
Teach Engineering
Algae: Tiny Plants with Big Energy Potential
My, what big energy potential you have! Scholars learn about the energy potential of using algae as a biofuel. A PowerPoint presentation first describes the structure of algae and then how researchers use algae as biofuel to produce energy.
Curated OER
Global Warming Webquest- Energy Expert
In this energy and global warming worksheet, students complete 6 short answer questions about energy sources on our planet. Students must consider where we get energy for electricity and what sources we use for fuel.
Curated OER
Chocolate Chip Cookie Mining
To understand the impact coal mining has on the environment, pupils will extract chocolate chips from a cookie. Imagine the cookie is the environment and the chips are the coal. Instruct them to mine as many chips as they can, then have...
Wild BC
Greenhouse Gas Line-Up
Discuss different sources of energy and how much greenhouse gas each might emit. The six sources are then ranked according to emissions from greatest to least. Finally, the true cumulative emissions are revealed to show the class how...
Curated OER
Blast Off to Learning
Students explain the laws of volume and pressure, identify what a limiting reagent is and why it is important in a chemical reaction, and distinguish between fossil fuels and renewable energy sources.
Re Energy
Build Your Own Biogas Generator
What is biogas and how is it made? After examining background information about the sources of biogas and biogas generators, class members follow the provided information and build a biogas generator that can be used in the classroom.
California Academy of Science
Natural Resources Bingo
Bingo isn't just a silly game, it's a great way to practice all types of skills. After reviewing that the earth is composed of natural resources, what those natural resources are, and sustainability, the class plays a game of bingo. The...
Curated OER
Science: Generating Electricity
Eighth graders examine the various methods of generating electricity and explain their commonalities. They determine what is the most common source of energy and what are the potential environmental health hazards due to electrical...
Curated OER
Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Resources
Fifth graders are introduced to the important topic of renewable, and non-renewable, resources. They are expected to be able to correctly categorize different types of resources as renewable or non-renewable. Another emphasis of this...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Calculating Your Carbon Footprint
Unplugging from technology for one day per week will decrease your carbon footprint—are you up to the challenge? Part two in a series of three allows individuals to explore their personal carbon footprints. By first taking a quiz at home...
NOAA
Exploring Potential Human Impacts
Arctic sea ice reflects 80 percent of sunlight, striking it back into space; with sea ice melting, the world's oceans become warmer, which furthers global warming. These activities explore how humans are impacting ecosystems around the...
Teach Engineering
Efficiency of an Electromechanical System
How efficient is a motor in a LEGO set? Future engineers conduct an activity where a LEGO motor-generator system raises an object to a specified height. They then show what they learned and use their measurements to calculate the energy...