Although over 70% of Earth's surface is covered with water, only a small portion of this water is available for human consumption. Students can use this interactive tool to view sources of fresh water.
This learning activity was created as a result of the Girls Engaged in Math and Science University, GEMS-U Project.
This video explores the problem of overfishing, its impact on nearshore fishers, and one possible solution that can turn the tide of overfishing and protect near-shore fisheries for the future. It can be used as an introduction to a lesson on human impact on the environment or embedded within a lesson on the topic.
In this interactive lesson, students explore how things are the same and how they are different as you compare and contrast information with videos and text (and a slimy snail!). Play recycling games, read secret ‘snail trail’ messages, and learn why we must reduce our landfills.
In this Martha Speaks interactive story, students explore the benefits of sorting waste in order to help the environment. Students learn about how recycling and composting work. When used as a part of Martha’s True Stories Buddies Program, buddy pairs engage with the interactive story, then talk and write as they create their own Earth Pledge about how they will help protect the earth. To familiarize yourself with the program, begin by reading the Martha's True Stories Buddies Program: Overview.
The teacher will present an informational text from the website, ReadWorks. Students will interact with this non-fiction text by annotating the text digitally. The students will answer the questions associated with the article as an assessment. This learning activity can introduce students to the concepts of recycling and conservation, serve as reinforcement after students have already learned this concept, or be used as an assessment at the conclusion of a lesson.
This online interactive asks students questions about their daily water usage. After answering all of the questions, students are presented with their daily water consumption. Each student's results will be compared with the average American's daily water consumption. The interactive also provides students with methods to decrease their daily water consumption and conserve this precious natural resource.
This online interactive asks students questions about their daily activities. After answering all of the questions, students are presented with their daily carbon dioxide emissions based on their activities. Each student's results will be compared with the average American's daily carbon footprint. The interactive also provides students with methods to reduce their carbon footprint.
This lesson uses a book called Recycled Science by Tammy Enz and Jodi Wheeler-Toppen. The purpose of this lesson is to explore how common household items can be re-used to make something new, the science behind constructing these new items, and the impact of waste on the environment. In this lesson, students explore how many different items that are considered trash can be reused to create something new.
This lesson is the first of a two-part series on garbage and recycling. This lesson invites students to take a closer look at the everyday items they throw in the trash. Students are prompted to think about what everyday products—such as bottles, cans, cartons, plastic, and food—are made of and how they are generally produced. They learn about natural resources, both renewable and nonrenewable, and work in teams to further research and report on how these resources and products are developed and used up before being discarded in the trash.
This lesson is the second of a two-part series on garbage and recycling. In this lesson, students apply what they have learned about throwaway products—and the valuable natural resources from which they're derived—by thinking about where garbage goes after they throw it out. They also examine their own ideas and habits about recycling and discover what a serious effect litter and mass waste disposal have on the environment. They should come to realize that recycling is one solution to limit this ongoing global problem. They learn about how recycling generally works, what kinds of products can be recycled, and what other valuable products recyclable materials can be turned into.
