Students audit their classroom for environmentally friendly practices. In this "green" instructional activity, students take an inventory of the classroom and identify ways to improve practices. Students complete a worksheet, brainstorm...

Written as field trip preparation to Gateway National Recreation Area, this resource is also appropriate for any class that is studying the impact of human activity on the environment. During the first activity, learners identify...

Young scholars reach out into the community and learn about different environmental science careers in this inquiry-based instructional activity. Beginning with a short research assignment, children gain background knowledge about...

Pair earth scientists up to use an amazing online arctic portal mapping tool and Google Earth to analyze permafrost changes. They compare changes to data on atmospheric concentrations of methane to see if there is a correlation. Then...

Students observe, record, and present knowledge of their local built environment while conducting a walking tour of their community. They develop written and photo journals, drawings, time lines, graphs, and charts to engage in...

Collaborative earth science groups create a working model of a watershed. Once it has been developed, you come along and introduce a change in land use, impacting the quality of water throughout their watershed. Model making is an...

Second graders examine diversity and disabilities that arise in the classroom environment by listening to a read aloud. They watch a slide show that demonstrates differences among students and how to communicate effectively in diverse...

Students investigate nutrient cycling in a simplified desktop ecosystem involving aquarium and hydro-ponically grown plants. They set up an aquarium with 10 gallons of water at least a week before the lab is planned and place...

Young scholars explore environmental safety by planting seeds outside their classroom. In this Earth Day lesson, students identify the different ways to recycle and conserve resources on Earth while facilitating recycling bins around...

Using 2-liter bottles, junior ecologists create composting tubes in which they place nitrogen-rich and carbon-rich materials. They observe what changes occur over two weeks' time. Provide more specific direction to your class as to what...

Students explore the concept of environmental stewardship. In this interdisciplinary lesson plan, students investigate the media response to the Gulf oil spill as they examine live streaming video, interpret data, and share their...

Students observe, record and analyze the mortality rates of the monarch larvae that are being held in a controlled environment versus those that are in the wild.

Combat hate online by bringing it into the light. Begin by giving learners a quiz, then lead a discussion based on the issues the quiz brought up. As a class, develop strategies to confront online hate. Assign different venues to groups...

Students analyze classroom solid waste. In this environmental lesson, students weight and categorize classroom waste over a one week period. Students examine ideas on how to limit the amount of waste.

Eighth graders create a plant study guide using their outdoor classroom environment. In this ecology instructional activity, 8th graders take photographs of plants they collect from the outdoor classroom and create plant field...

Students examine potential contamination on the environment due to products and by-products of a new industrial process. Students conduct a lab that explores the economic differences between choices of pollution cleanup and prevention.

Students rank a list of everyday risks to compare with classmates. They rate each risk on both its ability to be controlled and its observability in the environment. Results are graphed.

First graders explore wildlife and habitats in the Arizona desert. Throughout a classroom discussion, 1st graders observe pictures of the desert and animals that live there. As they go on a nature walk around the school, students...

High schoolers assemble a classroom river model as an example of a lotic system. They control and measure biotic and abiotic information for the in-class system and compare data with a lotic system in a natural environment.

Examine a slug? Of course, what else would a 2nd grader do with it? Pupils use clues and go on a slug hunt, read a slug story, or make a cooperative group mural of a slug's habitat. While older learners catalog slugs, go on a slug hunt,...

First graders build a habitat for crickets after studying animal survival needs. They care for and observe the crickets in the classroom habitat.

Students view a video about the experience of boys from West Africa in the American school system. They discover how one's environment can affect them in the classroom. They write about the experience from different points of view.

Students investigate people, places and environments. Using the internet, students gather information about the country and culture that they visit. Students use Classport technology to collaborate and communicate with students on a...

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...