After cutting down a forest to make a farm, how long would it take the environment to turn an abandoned farm back into a forest? Scholars study this exact scenario while they interpret many charts and graphs of the changing ecosystems as...

The nitrogen cycle is the focus of a well-designed science lesson. In it, learners see that plants and animals produce waste products and decompose after death. Many of the waste products include nitrogen which is absobed by other...

Using the Hudson River as the focus, learners discuss the difference between salt water and fresh water environments, analyze maps and graphs, and complete addition and subtraction problems. This lesson plan comes with a wealth of...

Youngsters examine how people show respect and care for the land. Specifically, learners see how the Native Americans truly did care for and respect the land, and still do so to this day! They also explore how they themselves can care...

How do plants and animals survive in habitats with very little water? Explore arid ecosystems and the way their inhabitants have adapted with a instructional activity and science experiment. After kids listen to a presentation about...

A food web has no organism higher than a tertiary consumer because there wouldn't be enough energy left to sustain them. The fourth installment in a seven-part series begins with a nature walk to get pupils thinking about their...

Here is a different approach: emerging epidemiologists first go home to interview family on the topic of infectious disease. Then they come to class and view a video and PowerPoint that explore how climate change may increase the...

After reading a case study, pupils will explore possible diagnoses, assessment, and treatment plans. Finding the definitions to medical vocabulary and sorting through patient history, they will begin to understand the process of...

First graders identify the different stages in the hydrologic cycle. To study earth science, they investigate how sunlight affects the earth's temperature. They also discuss how the sun's energy is transformed.

Trace pollutants through the environment in the seventh lesson of this series on the science of food. Looking at a picture of the plants and animals in an aquatic ecosystem, learners use dot stickers to represent harmful chemicals as...

Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, check out wing shapes for common ancestry! Beginning biologists compare wings as analogous structures and discover that environment influences evolution of adaptations. A third activity relies on...

Science learners discover that scientific advancements come in increments. Beginning as an idea, changes and developments are influenced by available resources and current societal values. As an example, pupils examine the conclusions...

Not only do mealworms taste great, they are also great for classroom science lessons. In pairs, young scientists observe and record what they see as they check out what their mealworms are doing from minute to minute. Each minute...

El Nino, La Nina ... and the Santa Maria? The 11th installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program explains the mechanism of El Nino/Southern Oscillation. Pupils use previous data to determine...

Fourth graders take a look at the effects of weathering and other geologic activities found in the environments in which they live. Along with a guided geologic walk outside of campus, there is also an effective in-class demonstration of...

Biology beginners observe traits in a collection of plant parts to realize the tremendous amount of genetic variation within a species. They consider rules of nature and discuss what would happen if they changed. They also examine data...

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.

Learners practice skills essential to all scientific investigation: carefully observing and collecting data. They become field biologists in a series of hands-on activities to collect and identify specimens, and survey and calculate the...

Students are able to give examples of local and global sources of pollution. They explain why certain forms of pollution are detrimental to the environment. Students a create a poster promoting Earth Day's message of environmentally...

Young scientist use reference materials to research various local aquatic plants and or animals to find out whether they are natives or exotics. They investigate their impacts on people, other animals and the environment. Students...

Learners create their own rainforest environment. This tropical rainforest instructional activity, introduces where rainforests are located, their real world connections, and their structural make up. It includes further resources online.

Students advocate for clean water.  In this water pollution lesson, students play the Peace Corps Challenge Game, discuss the effects of polluted water and write a letter to the mayor of Wanzuzu highlighting the situation of the...

Students compare kelp and land plants. In this sea plant lesson, students look at the role of algae in aquatic environments. They research the properties of kelp and explore seaweed. 

Getting kids thinking about climate change now, will hopefully push them into action when they become adults. Young environmentalists discuss the evidence and causes of climate change seen in the state of California. They brainstorm ways...