In this activity, students explore the differences between upwelling and downwelling. Students will study graphics and photographs illustrating the two processes and then answer questions about each. Students will also analyze maps to understand where and how upwelling and downwelling occur.
Material Type: Interactive
In this lesson, students gain a visual perspective on global water distribution and average U.S. water consumption. Students will understand the limited supply of fresh water that exists on the earth and explore the need for not polluting and conserving our fresh water supply.
Material Type: Lesson Plan
This blog is designed for North Carolina's K-12 teachers and students who are interested in the topic of energy and alternative energy (nuclear and renewables). This blog is maintained by Dana Haine, K-12 Science Education Manager for UNC-Chapel Hill's Institute for the Environment, with funding provided by Progress Energy.
Material Type: Teaching/Learning Strategy
David Gallo take us on a voyage into the ocean, specifically how and why we explore deep ocean environments. Discussion/assessment questions and suggested supplemental resources are included.
Material Type: Lecture, Presentation
In this lesson, students will learn about the scientific method and the characteristics of life by assuming the role of epidemiologists. The scenario that they will investigate is that many individuals in the school have recently become ill with gastrointestinal symptoms (vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, and headache). Students will discover the source of the illness, the microbe causing the illness, and the biology behind the organism spreading the disease. By examining stool samples made from molasses and water, students will examine differences between affected and unaffected individuals. The students will eventually determine the source of the outbreak is contaminated water in the school cafeteria and conclude that the microbe involved is a bacterium called cholera. Students will then conclude the lesson by investigating an outbreak of birth defects.
Material Type: Lesson Plan
This interactive shows the change in ice levels on the planet.
Material Type: Interactive
In this lesson, students will identify and name different aquatic insects. Students will create a graphic representation of the number of different species found, then use the data to determine the quality of the water in which the insects were found.
Material Type: Lesson Plan
In this series of activities, students will design and build models of nine life support systems which are crucial to a successful settlement of the Moon. They will make plans based on their knowledge of how these systems work on Earth.
Material Type: Lesson Plan
Students explore ethical issues related to farming and environmental pollution. They learn about the science involved and the range of perspectives among stakeholders.
Material Type: Lesson Plan
Students use maps to learn about ocean currents, research case studies about oil spills, and discuss the role of oceanographers.
Material Type: Lesson Plan
Students explore interactives to learn about hydrothermal vent chemistry and the animals that have adapted to living in the harsh environment near vents.
Material Type: Lesson Plan
This document provides activities to support the study of everyday phenomena and encourage students to take the first steps towards constructing a scientific model. The activities help students understand the apparent movement of the Sun, the length of daylight and its changes in the course of the seasons, the rotation of the Earth on its axis, the solar system and the universe.
Material Type: Unit of Study
In this activity, students will build a model in order to demonstrate how and why eclipses happen.
Material Type: Activity/Lab
This resource is a collection of vocabulary words and definitions regarding the earth, moon and sun system.
Material Type: Reading
Students build an aquifer model to look at point source and non-point source pollution.
Material Type: Lesson Plan
Students learn about drinking water - where it comes from, why and how it is treated before municpal use, and how ocean water distillation may be used to alleviate water shortage problems in some communities. In an associated activity, students will build a device to distill seawater to create drinking water and discover some of the costs associated with producing freshwater from the sea.
Material Type: Lesson Plan
This is an image of Pangaea.
Material Type: Diagram/Illustration
This resource is an article, complete with images, explaining radiometric and relative dating methods used by geologists.
Material Type: Reading
Students read the online booklet "Fossils, Rocks, and Time" which provides an introduction to the study of earth's history and the role fossils play in helping us understand this history.
Material Type: Lesson Plan
This brief video lesson discusses how large sea animals collect enough food to sustain them. Discussion/assessment questions and suggested supplemental resources are also included.
Material Type: Activity/Lab
