Earth+Day+&+Environmental+Science

=**Earth Day & Environmental Science Lesson Plans** = Each introduction includes the title, suggested subject areas, grade level, a link to the resource, and a short description.

**Sustainable Dining: Home Economics, Economics, Agriculture, 7-12:** [] This exercise will encourage students to evaluate their choices when they and their families purchase groceries. In the future, students will make knowledgeable decisions about the effects of their everyday purchases.

**Walden, the Ballad of Thoreau: Drama, Language Arts, 7- 12:** [] This two act, one set, four character play is designed for use by high schools, colleges, community theaters and home schools. The play script and all the production materials are provided free. Walden can be performed at any time, but we encourage you to consider it as an Earth Day 2009 event. Here is a link to lesson plan []

**Green Schools & Green Building: Industrial Arts, 9 - 12:** [] These lessons serve as an intellectual starting point for educators on the local level to both learn about green building methods and implement them on the local level.
 * Lesson Titles:**
 * Interview with a Green Builder
 * What Makes A Building Green
 * Tour in Sustainability
 * Naturescape
 * Landscape for Wildlife

**The Trash We Pass: Social Studies, Math: 6-9:** [] To reveal the sources of pollution/waste, develop an understanding of how the waste we produce adds up, and to encourage students to reduce their waste production and increase the amount the recycle.

**Biodiversity: Video & Wequest: 9-12:** [] Protecting the Web of Life. Global Warming, Invasive Species, Amazon Rainforest, Mangrove Forest, & Coral Reefs. Each topic has a video and an archive of information. Click your way through! Would be excellent for a classproject!!! Biodiversity hand-out: []

**The Water-Energy Connection**: [] **Upcoming Webinars**
 * [|Teaching Ocean Connections: Watersheds to Reefs], coming March 30, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. EST


 * Webinar Archive:**
 * **Teaching About the Gulf Oil Spill:**
 * media type="youtube" key="dXDnzyKUPdg" height="390" width="480"
 * **Teaching the Water-Energy Connection:** media type="youtube" key="_MO7tgGKaEs" height="390" width="480"

**Water: An Amazing and Precious Resource: Science & Social Studies: 9-12:** [] In this lesson, students will begin with a water audit pre-lesson to determine their own personal water usage. They will then participate in a class activity to learn how water’s physical properties and chemical composition are essential to life on Earth. Once they understand water’s importance, they will debate water distribution issues, have an understanding of the consequences of water scarcity, and come up with ways to conserve water in their own lives.

**Clean Water, Water Testing:Chemisty, Biology, Environmental Science, History, Geography: 5 - 9:** [] In this collaborative activity, students learn about clean water, and standards used to measure water quakity. Using historical information, scientific background, and investigation, students learn about the water cycle and how human impacts can both positively and negatively affect water quality in local and regional watersheds. THERE IS A LOT OF INFORMATION IN THIS ONE!!!

**Hydroelectric Dam Debate, Social Studies, 9-12**: [] In this lesson, students will take on the role of a U.S. senator who has to decide whether or not to support a proposal to build hydroelectric dams across the nation. S/he will have to weigh the pros and cons of both sides and write a letter of response explaining why s/he has chosen to vote one way over the other.

=Climate Change= Perhaps the most pressing environmental issue of our time, climate change is a complex and challenging topic to teach. Furthermore, students and adults alike often feel powerless in the face of imminent global change. Environmental Education Week provides the following resources and tools to help educators engage students in learning about our changing climate and what they can do to make a difference.
 * [|Carbon Footprint Calculator] Online carbon footprint calculators are an excellent way to estimate the carbon dioxide emssions resulting from ones daily activities, such as household electricity use, food choices and transportation. EE Week partnered with Zerofootprint to develop this online calculator specifically for youth.
 * [|Climate Change Curricula] Teaching about climate change can often be challenging and even intimidating for many educators. EE Week provides access to science-based, grade-appropriate lesson plans on climate change, tied to national, state and local learning standards and easily implemented in the classroom.
 * [|Climate Change Resources] EE Week's list of climate change resources provides links to online tools, information and organizations with objective, scientific information on the Earth's climate.