Water

Students develop an integrated project through the comprehensive study of a species, a region, or both. This long-term project requires students to explore fiction, history, cultural attitudes, and government. The scientific data students can collect and analyze may include GIS information, climate and weather, satellite tracking/mapping, and observations from research scientists' journals. This lesson is best suited for grades 5-9 and adheres to National Science Education Standards.

The Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (COSEE) Central Gulf of Mexico website offers a database of lesson plans created by teacher participants with the COSEE Central Gulf of Mexico project. The lesson plans are organized under three broad subject areas: habitats and organisms, coastal processes and marine technology. Lesson plans are available for grades K-12 and adhere to Ocean Science Literacy Standards and National Science Education Standards.

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.

In this Project Wild activity from the Council for Environmental Education, students identify ways that oil spills can adversely affect birds and explore the negative impacts pollutants can have on wildlife, people and the environment. The lesson is appropriate for grades 5-8 and aligns with national science and mathematics standards.

This lesson plan is an investigation in which students consider the criteria used to assess damage to natural resources and mitigation measures when a large scale environmental threat, such as an oil spill, occurs. The lesson plan is appropriate grades 7-12 and aligns with National Geography and Science Education Standards.

Goo-Be-Gone is a science fair project idea from Science Buddies that tests the absorptivity of different materials to determine which are the best for cleaning up oil spills. The project is most appropriate for middle and high school students and can be adapted to meet educational standards in science and math.

In this lesson plan from the New York Times Learning Network, students create experiments to learn more about the effects of oil spills and apply their findings to coastal communities in the gulf region. They also explore the economic impacts of the oil spill as well as the technological progress involved in stopping the leak. The lesson is appropriate for students in grades 6-12 and meets McREL standards in Engineering Education, Geography, Health, Science, Technology and World History.

This lesson plan from the American Society for Engineering Education focuses on how engineers use various techniques to provide speedy solutions to oil spills. Students work in teams to analyze an oil spill, then design, build and test a system made from everyday materials to contain and remove the oil from the water. The lesson is appropriate for grades 3-12 and adheres to National Science Education Standards as well as Standards for Technological Literacy.

Songbirds at the Crossroads of Migration is a comprehensive curriculum guide that provides educators with information, hands-on lessons, and opportunities to involve students in learning about the importance of New Jersey's habitats and ecosystems as they relate to the needs of migratory songbirds. This lesson is best suited for grades 7-12 and adheres to New Jersey Core Curriculum Standards.

This lesson plan engages students in a real-life exploration of climate change as it is affected by greenhouse emissions from vehicles. The aim of this activity is for students to realize the impact of vehicle use in their family and to give students the opportunity to brainstorm viable alternatives to vehicle use.