Chemistry

The NCSE-NASA Interdisciplinary Climate Change Education Team is developing a curricular package on climate change based on a University of California Davis course taught by Professor Arnold Bloom. The curriculum includes modules that cover a wide range of topics relevant to climate change. Data produced by NASA is used to create data-driven modules focusing on ice core and recent climate change observations.

Cluster Busters is a unique science curriculum in which students research disease clusters that might be induced by environmental toxicants. In the process, students utilize a range of skills, draw from various academic subjects, and learn the issues and processes of disease cluster investigation. The game introduces the concepts of epidemiology, risk assessment, and toxicology. The process of investigation encourages logical thinking and problem solving and enhances student familiarity with research techniques and statistics.

To become familiar with endangered species' habitats and characteristics, students design, present, and evaluate a visual presentation (kiosk or website) for a specific endangered species. This lesson is designed for grade 4 and adheres to Florida Sunshine State Standards.

This activity, developed by Smithsonian Education and tied to National Science Content Standards and National Mathematics Standards, helps introduce environmental issues using fun and challenging real-world math problems. Students do the work of a team of paleontologists studying a time of rapid global warming 55 million years ago. By examining fossils of leaves from various tree species, and by incorporating the findings into a mathematical formula, the students are able to tell average annual temperatures during this prehistoric time.

Students identify the role of government in protecting the environment and participate in a game where they run a profitable or unprofitable power plant in changing market conditions. They summarize the pros and cons of emissions credit trading. This lesson is best suited for grades 9-12 and adheres to National Education Standards.

In this lesson, students examine the causes and effects of air pollution, as well as ways in which various industries and government organizations are aiming to control it. Students first use the internet to answer a series of questions about air pollution and to compile a list of related websites, and then use these websites to create informative posters about air pollution topics.

Students study lichens as indicators of air quality. They learn to use GPS units, track their lichen research using scientific data collection methods, and determine the air quality of a region based on their findings. This lesson is best suited for grades 6-8 and adheres to National Science Education Standards.

Students engage in experiment activities, which illustrate that air is made of matter, does take up space, and is very important to our health. This lesson contains activities for a variety of grade levels. This lesson is best suited for grades K-5 and adheres to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills standards.

In this lesson for grades 9-12, students work in teams to design a heat- and water-conserving “green roof” of plant material for an urban apartment building. They address economic and community considerations of green roof design.

Students will:
Study design decisions that affect energy transfer between a building and the outside environment.
Identify and consider decisions involved in improving a building’s energy profile.
Analyze economic and community aspects of green roof options.