Science

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.

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 will observe and record the use of carpools and become aware of alternative means of transportation. Students will collect, tabulate, graph, and analyze information on how they get around. They will compare advantages and disadvantages of different forms of travel. This lesson is best suited for grades K-5 and adheres to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills 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.

What's Up in the Environment has produced three long-term projects focusing on water issues: Contaminated Water, Watersheds, and Wetlands. Each project provides step-by-step instructions and resources for educators to get their students involved in local water issues.

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.

Congress answered this question in the preamble to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, recognizing that endangered and threatened species of wildlife and plants "are of esthetic, ecological, educational, historical, recreational, and scientific value to the Nation and its people."

Coastal resources are under constant threat from natural processes and human activities. News media regularly feature stories of damage to coral reefs, estuaries, fisheries and other resources caused by storms, ship groundings, oil spills, chemical releases, and many other events. Modern coastal resource management includes using science and technology to protect and restore coastal resources affected by such events. These efforts can include removing pollutants and invasive species, repairing damaged habitats, restoring natural ecosystem processes such as water flow, and re-introducing native organisms.

By examining the case of the Chernobyl nuclear meltdown in 1986, students study the adverse effects of high doses of radiation on biological systems.

In the early 19th century, the Lewis and Clark's Expedition was charged by President Jefferson to map the Louisiana Purchase. During their exploration, they also collected and recorded plant and animal species, kept detailed records of the diversity of life, drew and painted examples of the plant and animals, and named these newly identified species. Students will focus on a two- week period in 1804, and select one plant and one animal species to research. They will draw each plant and animal species and create a journal entry for each item. From the Kennedy Center's ArtsEdge.