In this lesson students will identify and interpret different types of maps. Following a group introduction, they will work in cooperative groups to compare and contrast information provided by maps. This activity is an introduction for a more in-depth evaluation. Students will also learn the following vocabulary words: commercial, cultivated, deciduous, herbaceous, industrial, and residential. This ... Full description.

In this lesson students learn about the differences in precipitation levels and elevation in the regions of the Nile and its source rivers (the White Nile and the Blue Nile) and will be able to explain the importance of the source rivers to civilization in Egypt. They use the MapMachine, an online atlas, and create elevation zones and precipitation maps of Africa. As they create each map, they compare ... Full description.

In this experiment, students investigate the evaporation of water as part of a solution to a simulated mystery. They will compare rates of evaporation under different conditions, demonstrate knowledge of the concepts of evaporation, and be able to explain evaporation in the context of the water cycle. Full description.

In this activity, students respond to a questionnaire, score points for each question, and use their final score to calculate their ecological footprint (how much land is required to support their lifestyle). From this they can look up how many Earths would be required should every one on Earth share the same lifestyle, thus highlighting the inequality of wealth and quality-of-life distribution across ... Full description.

Younger students can access a wide range of information concerning the environment that is presented in an in entertaining fashion. Otis the otter gives students a quick overall look at the available information in a section called Otis News. Earth cycles are covered in detail in Living Lab, Imaginarium, and The Idea Room. Another section offers previews of videos and another has fundraising information. ... Full description.

This activity demonstrates how different sizes of rock materials that make up an aquifer affect water movement. Students discover that ground water must be able to move through underground materials at rates fast enough to supply useful amounts of water to wells or springs in order for those materials to be classified as an aquifer. They also learn that for water to move in an aquifer, some of the ... Full description.

This is a hands-on activity that fosters decision-making skills and emphasizes scientific principles such as objectivity and replication. It is designed to show that pollutants are not always obvious and not all contaminants pose a health risk. Students will learn that some contaminants can be detected by sight, smell, or taste and that others are not detectable except with sophisticated analytical ... Full description.

This activity will help younger students learn what groundwater is and observe some of the components of a groundwater system. Students will see what groundwater looks like and learn some basic groundwater vocabulary. They will observe aquifers, surface water, water table, saturation zone, infiltration, and recharge. The activity requires common household items and can easily be done as a home project ... Full description.

This text discusses differences in estuaries in different regions of the United States. It contrasts the fjord-like estuaries of the rocky Maine coast with the sandy barrier beaches, islands, and enclosed bays and sounds further south. The site also calls attention to the difference between the East Coast and the Northwest coast of emergence. The point is made that although they differ, all estuaries ... Full description.

In this activity students learn the importance of petroleum products by considering what it would be like to live in a world without them. After the teacher reviews some uses of petroleum as well as some problems caused by the use of petroleum, students study a worksheet that includes pictures of two houses. The houses are identical except everything made with petroleum has been taken out of the second ... Full description.