Have your young scientists questioned why plants grow a particular way? Through this learning opportunity, scientists gain firsthand knowledge about how plants develop and various factors that affect rates of growth as they bring plants...

Learners identify a community environmental problem and possible solutions. They analyze the connection between the problem and the solutions and the importance of it to the local community. Students then draw a picture of an...

Students investigate plant growth. In this plant growth lesson, students investigate what would happen to plants if they did not have water and sunlight. Students conduct experiments to determine what plants need. Students create a...

Second graders construct a model of an ant, exemplifying that ants are insects. Students gather data create a pictograph chart to show ant food preferences. Also, 2nd graders access the Internet to explore ant eating habits.

Students discover the causes of different types of weather and it's effect on society.  For this environmental lesson, students utilize the Internet to examine cloud types, normal weather conditions and the type of weather...

Students, in groups, collect and analyze samples of native grassland plants near and around a road to show how roads have an impact on surrounding habitat.

Students, after researching/analyzing the concept of environmental health to air quality, role-play the basic principals of epidemiology. They act out a specific scenario to generate questions, draft a research plan, and generate...

Young scholars complete a survey and enter the responses in a spreadsheet. The spread sheet is used to create a bar graph. Students complete spreadsheets listing types of hazards in their community.

Climate change is a hot topic in the news. Class members examine carbon dioxide data to analyze trends of our atmospheric makeup over time. They also discuss climate and climate change, and determine how these changes are affecting life...

By studying the assumed extinction, and subsequent rediscovery of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, learners use maps and come up with a scenario for the rediscovery of the bird. This incredibly thorough lesson plan is chock-full of...

Another fantastic lesson on energy is presented by the American Coal Foundation. This one focuses on electricity; how it is produced, how it is delivered, and how it is used. Some excellent handouts are embedded in this fine plan which...

Conduct an investigation on the plants used by the Hohokam tribe. To survive in the harsh desert environment the Hohokam used many natural resources. Learners read, research, map, and graph multiple aspects of Hohokam plant use as a...

What caused the collapse of the environment on Rapa Nui (Easter Island)? Who constructed the Moai? What was their purpose? Class members assume the role of investigators and use evidence drawn from field studies, ships' logs, and...

Students study energy sources to learn about fossil fuels and environmental concerns. In this energy sources lesson, students watch demonstrations for various energy examples. Students find hidden pennies, make a bar graph on their data,...

Students explore how recycling helps save trees and protect the environment. In this environmental concern lesson, students color a handout of animals that live in forests. Students discuss how recycling paper can save trees and set up...

Students investigate the geological characteristics of the ocean environment and create a labeled drawing of the ocean floor's geography. Students view videos and conduct Internet research about the ocean's floor and then create their...

Fifth graders begin the lesson by identifying the different types of natural resources. As a class, they discuss how environments are destructed and how the loss of one natural resource can affect the economy. Using a map, they label the...

Students discuss the components necessary to keep animal populations alive . Then they participate in a game where they interact as deer, food, water, and shelter. The activity demonstrates that nature is not static, but changes with the...

Students view a video about non-native/invasion species. They create a non-native/invasion species that they think would have an impact on farming, industry, recreation, or water in the local environment.

Fourth graders collect data about the habitats of pinniped adaptations using digital probes. They determine how pinnipeds make adaptations to their natural environment by completing an experiment to determine how human and pinniped...

Students explore recent changes in the Artic's climate that have been observed by Artic residents. They watch videos, take notes and create a concept map. They also look at historical weather data from a specific Artic community. The...

Students investigate the impact of human activity on the environment.  In this secondary math/science instructional activity, students analyze and interpret information from data and graphs as they investigate trends in climate...

Students examine the characteristics of a South American tropical rainforest. They analyze maps, develop graphs, listen to the book, The Great Kapok Tree, and create a rainforest mural.

Fifth graders use the scientific method to conduct experiments on the temperature effects on organisms. In this temperature effects on organisms lesson plan, 5th graders observe and record the hatching or the developing of organisms into...