Earth Day: TeachersFirst Editors' Choices
Earth Day presents a special opportunity to connect classroom curriculum with real-world experience, not only in science but also for lessons in math, language arts, social studies, art, and more. With so many outstanding resources available on the web related to environmental concerns, TeachersFirst's editorial team has hand-selected this group of "Editors' Choices" for their potential to engage and involve your students in both the understanding of scientific concepts surrounding Earth Day and in environmental activism for any time of the year.
TeachersFirst has many more reviewed Earth Day resources if you wish to browse a longer listing. You can also narrow your search to a specific topic for earth day or a certain grade range using our keyword search tool in the left column of this page. Be sure to read the tips to optimize your search of our reviewed collection.
Whether you seek ideas for a community service project for Earth Day or ways to use innovative technologies to bring the environment into your classroom, our editors have found "the best of the best" to meet your needs.
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Nature Works Everywhere - The Nature Conservancy
Grades
3 to 9
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Explore and understand nature through the use of these great videos, interactives, and lessons. Learn the science behind nature and why it is very important for every living thing on...more
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Explore and understand nature through the use of these great videos, interactives, and lessons. Learn the science behind nature and why it is very important for every living thing on this planet. Find overarching topics such as Water, Stuff (how nature creates the stuff that we use), and more! View featured educational games, scientist biographies, and featured videos on the homepage. Take a video tour of the site, find lesson plans, and read about scientists involved in the project through the tabs along the top.
tag(s): conservation (115), natural resources (31), scientists (39), water (101)
In the Classroom
Be sure to save (bookmark) this page on your blog, wiki, or class website for easy access. Provide a link on a classroom computer for ease of access during an ecology unit. Allow opportunity for students to look at the information on the site to find a topic of interest to them for further research. Or choose a project to do together as a class or school in connection with Earth Day. Create an awareness campaign for students to educate others in the community about the science behind nature, why it is important to conserve, and simple actions that everyone can do. Have students create online posters on paper or do it together as a class using a tool such as Web Poster Wizard (reviewed here) or PicLits (reviewed here. Connect the science learned in your class with the nature around your students lives.
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Metro: Sustainable Living - Metro
Grades
6 to 12
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Make steps towards sustainable living. Find practical and inspiring tips to use at your job, at home, or when traveling. Find incredible resources, ideas, and tips for a better quality...more
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Make steps towards sustainable living. Find practical and inspiring tips to use at your job, at home, or when traveling. Find incredible resources, ideas, and tips for a better quality life for you, your family, and the planet.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): environment (266), natural resources (31), recycling (45), resources (92), sustainability (14)
In the Classroom
Though originally for residents of Portland, Oregon, anyone, anywhere can use this resource. Use as a start for good ideas and search for additional information for better understanding. Create blog posts, websites, posters, or other media to share ideas with others to create community involvement in sustainable living. Have students make a multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here. When researching and discussing environmental issues, be sure to add practical ways for others to DO something. Challenge your students to create their own community of young people at your school to become involved in sustainable living. Use this site for ideas to launch Earth Day initiatives and public service announcements.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Project Laundry List - Project Laundry List, Inc.
Grades
2 to 12
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Save the planet, one load of laundry at a time with Project Laundry List. This website is dedicated to encouraging people to use clotheslines and other sensible alternatives to wasteful...more
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Save the planet, one load of laundry at a time with Project Laundry List. This website is dedicated to encouraging people to use clotheslines and other sensible alternatives to wasteful energy consumption. Don't miss the Cost Calculator: a spreadsheet that you download to your computer, enter the amount and type of laundry you do, and automatically calculate energy and water costs of clothes care. It even shows your washer's carbon dioxide emissions! The calculator suggests easy ways to reduce costs, which, in turn reduces your impact on the environment. In the Programs Education section, find "The Clothesline Plan." It provides strategies about how to get involved with the clothesline, cold water washing movement. Featured here, among other good laundry history resources, is also "National Hanging Out Day" which is used to educate and create awareness about energy savings through the use of clotheslines.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): earth day (104), ecology (124), environment (266), holidays (117)
In the Classroom
During environmental science units or Earth Day, use this to have students calculate what their own households spend to care for clothing. Have students consider different tips for reducing environmental impact and saving money. As a homework assignment, have students implement two changes for two weeks. Have parents sign off on a log form to verify student participation. (Parents will love the extra help and possible money savings!) Set up your own celebration of "National Hanging Out Day" by having teams of students prepare presentations (the website even provides one) to share with others students and the community.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Ship-2-Shore Education/ Mapping Plastic Marine Pollution - Algalita Marine Research Foundation
Grades
4 to 12
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Explore plastic pollution in the North Pacific Ocean at this terrific site. Take a virtual journey on one of the ships that measures and keeps track of marine pollution. You ...more
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Explore plastic pollution in the North Pacific Ocean at this terrific site. Take a virtual journey on one of the ships that measures and keeps track of marine pollution. You will find complete lessons to use in free Google Earth software. There are separate lessons for each grade level 4 through 12. Download PDF Activity Sheets and print for students or students can open the activity sheet on computers and type their responses into the form fields. If you cannot use Google Earth to your school computers, have no fear! Use portions of the lessons online in Google Maps (reviewed here). Voyage files are on Google Maps, and students can access them there. Access the current voyage (2012) through the site's blog. Note that the downloads are "zipped" files you must unzip THEN open in Google Earth or Google Maps. Each placemarker (KML) file has little sailboat icons that open to very detailed information about what was found at that location.
tag(s): environment (266), oceans (112), plastics (6), pollution (60)
In the Classroom
Use your interactive whiteboard and projector to introduce this site and one voyage. Point out all the little sail boat icons. Click to see text and images. Use these lessons as is or adapt for your own use. Consider having students work in groups of four, and have each group explore a different voyage (listed by year). There are a lot of sail boat placemarkers for each voyage. Have the small groups of students investigate the first several days of each voyage together. After that, suggest they split the placemarkers up, take notes about what they learn, and inform each other about what happened on the days they investigated. Once they've investigated their voyage, remix the groups so you have one student from each of the different voyages together. Have them share information and determine what was alike and different for each year. Use a graphic organizer or mind mapping tool such as WiseMapping reviewed here, or Exploratree reviewed here to help students keep track of the information. Once done have students access the additional resources page and click on the comparison mapping button. Have them compare their information to the maps provided. Older students may want to investigate information about careers related to GIS, Conservation, and Marine Biology by using the link at the bottom of the page.
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Seaview - Underwater Earth
Grades
K to 12
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View unbelievable imagery of the sea with this interactive, undersea viewer. View life along Barrier Reefs and in the Sea. See the different fish and other organisms who call the ...more
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View unbelievable imagery of the sea with this interactive, undersea viewer. View life along Barrier Reefs and in the Sea. See the different fish and other organisms who call the reef their home. Discover the characteristics of the ecosystem that allows for such a varied amount of organisms to call it their home. This project is just getting started as it surveys the Great Barrier Reef and documents it visually. Read the details by clicking "The Science." Click on Seaview Demo to begin your exploration. Rotate your mouse to look at any direction under the sea. Use the map along the right to choose a different location to view. Several objects are available to click on and zoom to for a closer look.
tag(s): conservation (115), earth day (104), ecology (124), ecosystems (67), oceans (112), reefs (11)
In the Classroom
Explore this site as a virtual field trip under the sea during a unit on animal habitats, biomes, or oceans. Create a poem, song, or artwork using the images from the viewer as inspiration. Use tools such as Voicethread to upload student-made images and record these thoughts. Create a poster campaign (digital or traditional) to identify why conservation is important in these areas.
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Mother Nature Network: Earth Matters - MNN Holdings, LLC
Grades
4 to 12
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Find information and recent news about the environment, energy, animals, weather, environmental politics, and more. Search various topics through the drop down menu. Click on headlines...more
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Find information and recent news about the environment, energy, animals, weather, environmental politics, and more. Search various topics through the drop down menu. Click on headlines in the Latest News section. Images found in the Photo Galleries are impressive. Search through videos and articles, as well as blogger columns.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): animals (197), climate change (41), earth (196), earth day (104), energy (150), environment (266), natural resources (31), nuclear energy (19), politics (71), solar energy (24), space (152), weather (158)
In the Classroom
Click on each topic for more information. For example, Choosing Energy shows latest news related to energy alone. Use the spectacular images as writing prompts or to encourage discussions. Find incredible photographic lists to use as a writing prompt and for further research. Research more information under the Learn more section. Use the information for research, understanding issues involved with the environment, for questioning the natural world, and to encourage action. Reading specialists can find informational reading passages to use for practice with reading comprehension. Clear out clutter on the page with the article using the Readability tool, reviewed here. Then share the article on interactive whiteboard for students to use the pens to annotate main idea, etc. In science class, have students read an article of choice and create a public service announcement type assignment. Consider using Tildee, reviewed here. With Tildee students can use text, screen shots, and video to develop their public service announcement. Be sure to provide a link of this site on your website or a classroom computer for easy access.
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Earth Day - Funschool/Disney
Grades
2 to 8
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Earth Day provides students with Earth Day themed quizzes, games and crafts. This is a very colorful and eclectic site. Warning: there is a catchy (yet persistent) tune played on ...more
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Earth Day provides students with Earth Day themed quizzes, games and crafts. This is a very colorful and eclectic site. Warning: there is a catchy (yet persistent) tune played on the main page. So you may want to turn the volume down.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
In the Classroom
Teachers this site is perfect for teaching about Earth Day. Use the site with an interactive whiteboard or projector. Use the quiz as a pre-assessment to see how much students know about Earth Day. After the unit is complete have students retake the quiz to see what they've learned. Create centers in the classroom with the website. Have the arcade games as a station, the word play on the interactive whiteboard and have the crafts as another center. Show students the slide show about five ways they can save the planet. Have them work in groups and create posters to be hung around the school. Use an online poster creator, such as Padlet (reviewed here).
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Early Sprouts - Early Sprouts Program; Keene State College
Grades
K to 4
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This website offers a complete curriculum to introduce young students to the importance of healthy eating based on having them grow and prepare their own foods. The 24-week program...more
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This website offers a complete curriculum to introduce young students to the importance of healthy eating based on having them grow and prepare their own foods. The 24-week program includes a variety of child-friendly activities that familiarize students with nutritious fruits and vegetables, for example, by touching, growing, smelling, preparing, and eating them. Supporting materials for family and community involvement round out the curriculum.
tag(s): child development (16), cooking (26), nutrition (116), obesity (16)
In the Classroom
Use this site as the starting point for individual or group projects. Use the print sources and images from this site for your bulletin boards. This site is a perfect addition to Earth Day activities. When you have lessons on nutrition, make them real by including the sensory aspects of this curriculum. Try some of the simple recipes in class, or cut and paste to make a classroom cookbook.Use this site as a jumping off point for growing those parent gifts of sweet potato greens or other small vegetable plants.
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Waterlife - National Film Board of Canada
Grades
4 to 12
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Get swept away in an ocean of images and waves of powerful music in this unbelievable site about the ecology, grandeur, and necessity of the Great Lakes. Visit often because ...more
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Get swept away in an ocean of images and waves of powerful music in this unbelievable site about the ecology, grandeur, and necessity of the Great Lakes. Visit often because clicks can lead to a variety of different places. Learn the different ways the Great Lakes are a necessary resource and how they are currently under stresses affecting humans and many other species. This site requires a bit of bandwidth with the moving images, music, and narration. Be sure to try it out on your class computer in advance and limit the number of computers connecting at the same time. Be sure to check out all the topics, including invasive species, home, political, evaporating, and much more. Take a look at the link "Water Is" to view the list of topics. You will need headphones or speakers for the audio on this site.
tag(s): ecology (124), ecosystems (67), pollution (60), water (101), water cycle (26), watersheds (11), wetlands (8)
In the Classroom
Use as an introduction to a unit on water or pollution. Use to introduce the chemistry of water (and how life on Earth would not be possible without it) by finding ways that water is affected by other materials and discussing the chemistry behind it. Explore in a civics and government class as a contemporary issue not constrained by international boundaries. Allow students the opportunity to explore on their own and report interesting facts and troublesome points to the rest of the class for further review and research. Use on Earth Day or as part of Earth Week activities. Divide younger students into cooperative learning groups to explore the site. Create letters to the editor, blog posts, and other multimedia or conventional items to portray what they have learned. Have cooperative learning groups create podcasts demonstrating their understanding of one of the concepts and their additional research. Use a site such as PodOmatic (reviewed here). Have students make a multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here.
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Discover the Forest - Where the other you lives
Grades
K to 8
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Bring the forest into your classroom with these educational interactives. Match animal tracks, learn how to use a compass, and create leaf rubbings. Download and print the "Book of...more
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Bring the forest into your classroom with these educational interactives. Match animal tracks, learn how to use a compass, and create leaf rubbings. Download and print the "Book of stuff to do outside." Sound can be turned on or off along the bottom of the site.
tag(s): forests (23)
In the Classroom
Discover the forest from the classroom. Find nature sounds and create your own nature podcast or audio recording. Use a site such as PodOmatic (reviewed here). Collect leaves from around the area to create your own leaf rubbings and posters. Create animal tracks of domestic animals to view the difference in tracks.
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WWF Footprint Calculator - World Wildlife Federation
Grades
3 to 12
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Determine ecological footprints with this site. Click start and answer questions about food, travel, home, and stuff. Amounts and questions use British units so students may need help...more
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Determine ecological footprints with this site. Click start and answer questions about food, travel, home, and stuff. Amounts and questions use British units so students may need help in understanding them. At the end, the ecological footprint is displayed as well as strategies for reducing footprints.
tag(s): ecology (124)
In the Classroom
Use this site to determine how each of us affects the environment. Bring math into the classroom by converting British units to American units. Students can research how each of these categories affects the environment and create action plans for reducing their footprint. Follow the action plans and retake the quiz after to see the change in footprint. Create Public Service Announcements in the form of posters or videos to share information. Have students create online posters on paper or do it together as a class using a tool such as Web Poster Wizard (reviewed here) or PicLits (reviewed here).
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Beyond the barrel - Arizona Star
Grades
2 to 12
3 Favorites
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This intriguing site allows you to follow either garbage or recyclables after they leave your garbage can. View videos and narratives of each step of the process. Learn about landfills,...more
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This intriguing site allows you to follow either garbage or recyclables after they leave your garbage can. View videos and narratives of each step of the process. Learn about landfills, recycling and much more.
tag(s): environment (266)
In the Classroom
Encourage students to document the type of garbage at home or school and where local garbage and recyclables go. Create a trash audit and make recommendations for local and school authorities to implement programs. Create environmental posters to create awareness. Have students create online posters on paper or do it together as a class using a tool such as Web Poster Wizard (reviewed here) or PicLits (reviewed here.)Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Global Warming - Chris Clementi
Grades
5 to 8
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This information-rich website offers a WebQuest (which could almost be an entire unit) devoted to Global Warming. It provides an eclectic look at this "hot topic." The teacher-creator...more
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This information-rich website offers a WebQuest (which could almost be an entire unit) devoted to Global Warming. It provides an eclectic look at this "hot topic." The teacher-creator also provides excellent video clips and learning activities. The culminating activity challenges students to create a short movie (using Windows Movie Maker) and to write a one-page newsletter about the specific topic they have researched. A short assessment tool is available at the "evaluation" link. For younger students, please view the videos before sharing them with your class. Some are rather graphic for elementary students. This website requires Flash and Adobe, get them from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
tag(s): earth (196), earth day (104), environment (266)
In the Classroom
Use this "hot topic" website to spark your students' interest in the environment. Even if you don't have time to complete the entire WebQuest, using the short videos and other information would be beneficial to any class studying the effects of global warming or even the environment in general.Make it more interesting for students, and have them create an online poster for the final product instead of a typical paper poster. Use a tool such as Web Poster Wizard (reviewed here) or PicLits (reviewed here) to spice the project up and make it more interesting for students.
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Virtual Visit to a School Garden - TeachersFirst/Meriwether Lewis Elementary
Grades
3 to 8
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Watch the archived version of a live webcast from Meriwether Lewis Elementary School garden on Earth Day 2009, a cooperative project with TeachersFirst. See students explain concepts...more
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Watch the archived version of a live webcast from Meriwether Lewis Elementary School garden on Earth Day 2009, a cooperative project with TeachersFirst. See students explain concepts of organic vegetable gardening, natural building with cob, composting, rainwater collection, planting their new bioswale, Pacific Northwest native plants, and more. TeachersFirst's complete how-to information for making your own video field trips is linked from this page, as well.
tag(s): earth day (104), environment (266)
In the Classroom
Scroll down to a list of suggestions for using this archived webcast in your classroom. Talk about local sites where you might be able to take a team of students to create a local student created "video field trip" to share with other classes both in and outside of your school. See TeachersFirst's complete how-to information to try one of your own.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Biomes of the World - TeachersFirst
Grades
4 to 8
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Introduce the earth's different biomes with this unit, created by TeachersFirst. Biomes include coniferous forest, deciduous forest, tropical rainforest, tundra, ocean, fresh...more
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Introduce the earth's different biomes with this unit, created by TeachersFirst. Biomes include coniferous forest, deciduous forest, tropical rainforest, tundra, ocean, fresh water, desert, and the savannah. Each link includes information and pictures. Students can complete an on-line research project on a biome of their choice, using selected web resources, or they can learn the basics of biomes with the information provided in the unit. There are links to the introduction, to learn more about the project, and even a teachers link (with a TON of class activity ideas). This site does require Adobe Acrobat. You can get it from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
tag(s): biomes (112), earth (196), earth day (104), ecosystems (67)
In the Classroom
Have students work in cooperative learning groups to explore this site. Challenge students to create multimedia presentations about the biomes. How about a Powerpoint? Or have students narrate a photo of the biome using a site such as VoiceThread (reviewed here). Other options include creating a wiki, blog, or video.
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Learning to Give - Points of Light Institute
Grades
K to 12
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The goal of this site is to educate youth about philanthropy and giving their time and knowledge for the global good. To do this, they offer over 1400 free lesson ...more
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The goal of this site is to educate youth about philanthropy and giving their time and knowledge for the global good. To do this, they offer over 1400 free lesson plans for teachers, parents, and community leaders. Lessons are coded to state standards and can be searched by grade level, keyword, subject, or academic or philanthropy standard. Some lessons are geared toward private or religious schools and are clearly labeled as such. Lessons include subject, key concepts, vocabulary, objectives, materials needed, approximate time, procedures, extensions, handouts, and much more. An example of a grade 3-5 lesson would be Cool Kids Compost which explores responsible use of resources by gathering data about lunchroom waste. Don't let the concept of philanthropy keep you from exploring the site, there are many great classroom lessons available for all subjects.
tag(s): african american (106), animal homes (19), animals (197), charts and graphs (159), colonial america (89), communities (24), data (118), diversity (38), ecology (124), environment (266), heroes (10), money (154), recycling (45)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a resource for all subject matters, search for subject and browse resources. Share with other teachers in your building or district including teachers of the arts. Get your students involved! Challenge cooperative learning groups to create a multimedia presentation using one of many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here discussing one of the topics at this site.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Operation: Resilient Planet - The JASON Project
Grades
6 to 12
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This task based website from the Jason Project provides an interactive way to teach about the environment. The site has an introduction video reminiscent of "Mission Impossible" assignments....more
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This task based website from the Jason Project provides an interactive way to teach about the environment. The site has an introduction video reminiscent of "Mission Impossible" assignments. The series of five missions all include a briefing (or more!), laboratory activities, and field assignments. Standards are also provided. Missions could be used independently or as a complete unit. The information and formatting is easy to understand, and is very visually appealing. Students interact with the information to internalize concepts. For "full access" you must be registered and logged in - which is FREE.
tag(s): earth day (104), ecology (124), environment (266)
In the Classroom
Try showing the operation video on the interactive whiteboard or projector. Challenge the class to be able to complete the objectives by the end of the unit. Have students complete portions in class and at home. Once the operation is complete, revisit the video objectives as a way to assess knowledge and retention of concepts.Have your students choose an environmental issue to explore, and challenge them to explain to the class: the issue, why it's important to fix the problem, and possible solutions. Have them move past PowerPoint and create an online Prezi presentation (reviewed here) or another presentation tool from the TeachersFirst Edge.
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National Environmental Education Week - National Environmental Education Foundation
Grades
4 to 12
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Join Environmental Education Week which is held the week before Earth Day. Get involved in Education Week programs by registering your school and classrooms. Find curricula, webinars,...more
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Join Environmental Education Week which is held the week before Earth Day. Get involved in Education Week programs by registering your school and classrooms. Find curricula, webinars, and resources under the "Resources" tab. Click on the resource list on the left for Educational materials including a Curricular Library, Green Reading, Nature Center Maps, Quizzes, and more. Be sure to subscribe to their monthly newsletter. Lesson plans and other activities can be downloaded.
tag(s): earth (196), earth day (104), ecology (124), environment (266), resources (92), water (101)
In the Classroom
Use this resource to plan great activities, lessons, and events for students leading up to Earth Day. For example, search through the Water resources to find great curricula for different age groups and be sure to use resources such as the "Water-Energy connection" to tie various resources together for better understanding of how resources and our use of them are interconnected. Use the articles and reports to pique student interest, use short videos in the classroom, and find great websites and programs linked from the page. Find lesson plans and fact sheets that can be downloaded and used. Use these resources not only for greater understanding of issues but to create awareness campaigns for change in the home, school, or community. Create posters of information learned, partner with local groups (conservation or not) to create action plans and events, and provide opportunities for change in the community. Have your students create an interactive online poster ("glog") using Glogster EDU, reviewed here.
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We Can Waste Wise - Florida PBS Stations in Partnership with DEP
Grades
2 to 5
2 Favorites
0 Comments
"We Can Waste Wise" is a fun, interactive challenge for younger students. This site is created through the partnership of several different concerned companies to promote earth-friendly...more
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"We Can Waste Wise" is a fun, interactive challenge for younger students. This site is created through the partnership of several different concerned companies to promote earth-friendly practices and especially recycling starting at a young age. The game is easy to play and navigate. There are three different levels of recycling that include washing the recyclables, too. After each level of the activity is an informative piece of information that is both in words on the screen and read to you. The final part of the activity is where students can create new characters or machines out of recycled materials. These creations can be emailed to share, but this step is optional.
In the Classroom
Try using this interactive with students as an introduction to a lesson on recycling. Students can make guesses based on what they may already know about recycling and reusing to complete the activity. Teach the lesson on the three R's of reduce, reuse, and recycle. Then have students revisit the activity to see if their scores improve. An extension based on this activity could be to have students research freecycle.org (reviewed here) with their parents. Student could put their unwanted toys or outgrown clothes on freecycle.org with their parents help, or do an outgrown clothes drive for Goodwill or other such organizations.
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Ecovoyageurs - Unilever
Grades
2 to 12
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0 Comments
Use this site to identify your environmental footprint, identify ways we impact the Earth, and how we can all help restore the planet. Be sure to check out the Teachers ...more
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Use this site to identify your environmental footprint, identify ways we impact the Earth, and how we can all help restore the planet. Be sure to check out the Teachers section for downloads, ways to take actions, and how to measure our footprint. Downloads are available for teacher material as well as student materials. The You Can Help section has many ideas to use for Earth Day or class/schoolwide projects, even with younger students. This site has much to explore!
tag(s): conservation (115), ecology (124), energy (150), environment (266)
In the Classroom
Create annotations on downloads and even create a webquest (try zunal.com reviewed here) using driving questions to guide students throughout the web site. Use this site as a great introduction to conservation, energy, and the environment. Use information from this site to ask further questions and research more information for an even greater understanding of energy and conservation issues.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
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