This resource has students construct a model watershed in order to understand its operation. Students will observe how water flows from higher elevations to lower elevations, and the interconnectivity of watersheds. They will understand how the placement of buildings, roads, and parking lots can be important to watershed runoff, and how careless use and disposal of harmful contaminants can have a ... Full description.

In this activity, air with increased concentrations of carbon dioxide is produced and the rate of heat loss of that air is compared to today's normal air. This is used to help demonstrate the environmental and economic effects of increased carbon dioxide (CO2) content in the atmosphere. It tests the claim that the Earth's climate is warming due to changes in the relative concentration of gases in ... Full description.

This activity demonstrates how particle size and soil texture control water flow, and therefore percolation rate, through a soil. Students will construct a percolation column from a plastic tube and use it to test the percolation rates of three separated soil fractions (sand, silt, and clay). They will add water to samples in the percolation column and record the time it takes to drain out. They then ... Full description.

This experiment uses inexpensive and easy-to-find items to demonstrate how hot water behaves in a body of cold water. Working in groups of four, students can complete the experiment in a single class period. The printable six-page handout includes a series of inquiry-based questions to get students thinking about how cold and hot air and water interact, detailed experiment directions, and a worksheet ... Full description.

In this activity students will design an apparatus and carry out tests of fossil fuels to determine their impact on acid deposition by placing a small amount of a fossil fuel on a cotton puff and burning it to measure if acidic compounds are given off. Students will provide a diagram of their collection device and describe how it should function. Students will then draw a map showing the location ... Full description.

This activity is part of a series of lessons in a continuing study of change. It is designed to give students hands-on experience manipulating and controlling the variables involved in the process of soil erosion. They will be able to identify variables that influence rates of change and use group consensus to design and build what they believe to be the strongest mountain possible. Full description.

In this activity students will use water of different temperatures and salinities to examine how they interact. From this process, students will understand some of the factors that drive the ocean currents and how currents interact. They may also reach conclusions on ocean floor shape and how this contributes to current flow around the earth. By completing this activity, students will gain a better ... Full description.

In this activity, students observe nutrient depletion as they germinate and grow nutrient-demanding seedlings. They will discover that all plants require nutrients to grow and thrive and that these nutrients are found in the soil and absorbed through the plants' root systems. They will also learn that nutrients are dissolved in water and are distributed throughout the plant via its circulatory system; ... Full description.

This activity has students follow an outline that serves to introduce them to fossils and paleontology. Students follow a link to detailed information about fossils and fill out the worksheets having to do with molds and casts, petrifaction, permineralization tar and wax, compaction, freezing, drying (mummification), amber, and molecular fossils. In addition they consider trace fossils such as tracks, ... Full description.

In this lesson, students set up working models demonstrating lake turnover (vertical movement of water and nutrients within a lake, caused by changes in water density) and the formation of deep water masses in the oceans. The students will use two water samples at different temperatures, with different colors of food coloring added. These water samples are poured into a tank to produce stratification. ... Full description.