Environment

The (not so) Great Pacific Garbage Patch Part 2

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Click on the image above to download the lesson

Description: The students will analyze causes and possible solution to ocean debris with an emphasis on plastics.

Grade level(s): Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School
Standards: OAS, GFL
Produced By: Janet Hall

The (not so) Great Pacific Garbage Patch Part 1

Click on the image above to download the lesson

Click on the image above to download the lesson

Description: The students will analyze causes and possible solution to ocean debris with an emphasis on plastics.

Grade level(s): Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School
Standards: OAS, GFL
Produced By: Janet Hall

Lions, Tigers and Bears: The Dilemma of Ecotourism

Click on the image above to download the lesson

Click on the image above to download the lesson

Description: The objective of the lesson is to investigate the role and effectiveness of wildlife preserves, utilizing a micro-case study from Kenya and making connections to a variety of ecosystems through an online global tour of significant wildlife preserves. Using the essential and supporting questions, students will analyze the advantages and disadvantages of current environmental protection efforts in order to make recommendations regarding a proposed wildlife preserve in Antarctica.

Grade level(s): Middle School, High School
Standards: OAS, GFL
Produced By: Pam Merrill

Rio Platano

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Click on the image above to download the lesson

Description: The objective of the lesson is to provide an in-depth study of Central America’s most important biosphere - the Rio Platano Reserve and its necessity to the survival of both humans and wildlife. Using the essential and supporting questions, students will analyze the perspectives of major groups who seek to utilize the natural resources of the Rio Platano, followed by engagement in a simulated regional conference of stakeholders. A comparative micro-study of the impact of unsustainable use of the monarch butterfly’s habitat in Mexico provides an optional enrichment opportunity for students. In addition, an extension mini-lesson provides an overall understanding of why wildlife preserves are established, how government policies attempt to protect species, and how individuals can be responsible stewards of their environments.

Grade level(s): Middle School
Standards: OAS, GFL
Produced By: Pam Merrill

The Deforestation Balancing Act

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Click on the image above to download the lesson

Description: The objective of the lesson is to examine the evidence linking deforestation to the controversial topic of climate change. Using the essential question, students will demonstrate an understanding of the causes of deforestation, including its role in global climate changes of the present and future. Students will conclude their investigations in a simulated climate conference, during which they will utilize geographic information and facts to support their views toward this controversial topic.

Grade level(s): Elementary, Middle School
Standards: OAS, GFL             
Produced By: Pam Merrill

Carbon Footprints, Finding Solutions

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Click on the image above to download the lesson.

Description: Students will gain understanding in the climate change. Students will engage in technology and create an action plan addressing the world-wide conservation and environmental crisis while learning human-environmental interaction concepts related in geography.

Grade level(s): Middle School, High School
Standards: OAS, C3
Produced By: LeaAnn Wyrick

The Florida Everglades: The Once and Future River of Grass

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Click on the image above to download the lesson.

Description: This lesson focuses on the history of human-environment interactions in the Florida Everglades region since the late 19th century. The long-term effects of these interactions are discussed and evaluated.

 Grade level(s): Middle                     Standards: OAS, GFL             Produced By: Virginia Silvis

Race to the Arctic

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Click on the image above to download the lesson.

Description: The objective of the lesson is to evaluate the underlying causes and develop proposals for addressing the future use of natural resources in the changing environment of the Arctic region. Using the essential questions “How can people cooperatively solve common challenges?” and “What responsibilities do we owe the preservation of Earth’s natural resources?” students will work as cooperative teams to investigate the current changes in the Arctic’s environment, the geo-political issues arising from new access to valuable resources, and the impact current regional conflicts have had on the environment, relationships among the international community, and the economic development of the Arctic region.

 Grade level(s): Middle                     Standards: OAS, GFL             Produced By: Pam Merrill

Our Five Oceans: Exquisite, Essential and Endangered

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Click on the image above to download the lesson.

Description: Through exploration and analysis of primary and secondary sources of visual information, and printed and digital texts, students will investigate and discover this interconnected nature, the importance of protecting the oceans, and how what happens to our oceans affects all life on earth.

 Grade level(s): Middle                     Standards: OAS, GFL             Produced By: Lynn Tilley

To Drill, Or Not To Drill, That is the Question!

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Click on the image above to download the lesson.

Description: Lawmakers have to make decisions about the use of resources that affect their citizens today and in the future. Deciding how to use the nation’s resources is not an easy process when two values are at odds: preserving natural resources and delicate ecosystems or protecting the economy. This was the dilemma for lawmakers when environmentalists fought to preserve Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge while opposed by oil companies who wanted to drill there for oil.

Grade level(s): Middle                        Standards: OAS, GFL              Produced By: Ann Kennedy

Exploring El Niño and La Niña

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Click on the image above to download the lesson.

Description: Students will understand how El Niño and La Niña are formed and how climate patterns can determine if an El Niño or La Niña event is likely to occur.

Grade level(s): Middle                      Standards: OAS, GFL              Produced By: Susan Smith

Climbing Weather

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Click on the image above to download the lesson.

Description: Students will discover the difference between climate and weather. Students will gain perspectives on varying climates in the Western Hemisphere and their connections to physical location, land use, and population.

Grade level(s): Middle                        Standards: OAS, GFL              Produced By: Tiffany Neill

Colorado River Drainage Basin: Fight for Sustainability

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Click on the image above to download the lesson.

Description: Students will gain a better understanding of drainage basins, water scarcity, ecosystem balance, and consequences produced by population growth. Students will examine river basins and human impact on the environment in order to construct solutions.

Grade level(s): Middle                        Standards: OAS, GFL              Produced By: Heather Braucher