In this lesson, students learn about the interconnectedness of land use, water quality, and water resource management. Students are assigned a river front parcel of land to develop, unaware that each parcel is connected to someone else's parcel. Each team presents their development choices to the class and learns that all of the river sections are contiguous, leading to discussions about the effects of development and downstream water quality issues.

This video shows the development of Myrtle Beach's coast, through human impact of land use changes, and the problems associated with weathering/erosion.

In this virtual resource, students will investigate the lithosphere, focusing specifically on conservation practices to improve soil quality. They will evaluate their school grounds, and sketch a plan to improve the soil health in their space.

The wakelet site features videos demonstrating hands-on activities for students to complete at school in small, socially-distanced settings. Activities may also be adapted for at-home learning. Some activities incorporate an outdoor component, acknowledging the need to balance screen time with green time to support mental health. Tips for taking your students outside can be found here: https://education.eol.org/cnc_materials/TipsForTeachingOutside.pdf

Students use the Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) developed by the USGS to evaluate multiple factors that affect shoreline stability in two sites, Maine and Virginia. Students complete a table with the data they collect and answer several summary questions about that data.

In this lesson, students will learn to measure land use change over time. After downloading and comparing Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite images of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil for 1994, 1995, and 1996, students will use ImageJ, a public domain image analysis program, to identify forested and deforested land. Next, they will measure and compare the amounts of each. As a final product, they will create and interpret a color-coded image showing the oldest to most recently deforested areas for the three-year period.

Students will make a model to demonstrate how a sinkhole forms and its impact on the land.

This role play activity simulates a common environmental dilemma as community members trying to decide where to locate a new school are faced with the costs of “the alternative uses that must be given up at of any particular school location.

Students explore the conditions that make high-quality soils. Using data from field research and interactive computational models, they determine which farming practices best preserve and increase soil quality.

Students will compare the rates and amounts of erosion that result from various land uses.

This video includes an interview with Tim Heafner, an amateur geologist and historian from Gaston County. I also demonstrate a fun activity modeling the formation of Spencer mountain.

In this lesson, students conduct research using various websites in order to develop a cohesive argument about the benefits or disadvantages of the Three Gorges dam.

In this lesson, students will participate in a mock trial designed to help them process the story about toxic waste in the United States. Students will then be asked to develop a plan of action that could include becoming involved in a community project to improve the environment.

In this lesson, students will apply understanding of best management practices to create a plan for a forest area.

Students explore data showing how humans have changed Earth's land. They examine maps showing the distribution of sustainable agricultural land and investigate the effect of human development on agricultural lands.

Healthy soil gives us many benefits, including nutritious food. During this video, I interview a local farmer to find out how he takes care of his soil. I also demonstrate an activity where students can try their hand at designing their own soil-friendly yard or green space, either at home or at school.

Students use satellite imagery to learn about flood risks and natural disasters around the world, taking as an example the floods caused by the Rhone and the Elbe rivers.

Students investigate Costa Rican volcanic hazards using data of the amount of silica in volcanic rocks, a geologic map, and satellite images.