Lessons
Knowledge + Action = Power
Publishing teams finalize their magazine’s cover and a Call to Action aimed at their target audience. They provide constructive feedback to othe...
Pollution Solutions
Students research and compare several proposed solutions to the ocean plastics crisis. Then, publishing teams create their own rubrics to evaluate com...
Plastics in the Plankton, Plastics on Your Plate
Students investigate the impacts of plastics on marine organisms in different marine ecosystems. They construct a food web for an assigned ecosystem, ...
Plastics, Plastics, Everywhere
Students learn basic background information about the plastics crisis, including what defines plastics, where plastic pollution comes from, and how it...
Making Change Happen
Students learn about solutions to plastic waste that have been implemented in other places. They conduct a policymaker analysis to decide which organi...
Solutions to Plastic Waste
Students use the work of the “Sea to Source: Ganges” river expedition team to learn about different methods for plastic waste data collect...
The Plastic Problem
Students draw from rich resources to learn about the history of plastic use, why they are so widespread, and why their use has become a social, econom...
Teaching Idea: Human Impacts on the Environment
This lesson outline provides guidance on how to use National Geographic resources to develop dynamic lessons for middle school students on the topic o...
Teaching Idea: Marine Ecosystems
Explore the lives and habitats of species that live under or near oceans, lakes, rivers, estuaries, and other marine regions around the world.
Teaching Idea: Plastic Pollution
Use this idea and suggested resources to build the perfect lesson or activity on plastic pollution and ocean circulation for your classroom....
Carbon Concerns
Students explore climate change and global warming with multimedia. They create a model of the greenhouse effect and then refine their findings using ...
Extreme Weather
Students examine the causes and effects of extreme weather events and read to contrast weather and climate. Next, they create and revise models of an ...
Shifting Seas
Students make and evaluate predictions related to climate change’s effects on the oceans, using evidence from videos, articles, and demonstratio...
Our Change to Make!
Students explore the human effects of climate change and global strategies for mitigation and adaptation. Next, they track their own carbon footprint ...
The Sixth Mass Extinction?
Students collaboratively investigate our planet’s five mass extinctions and the possibility of a sixth mass extinction. Then, students explore t...
Drivers of Extinction
Students explore drivers of extinction across Earth’s major biomes, including human-to environment interactions that threaten biodiversity, and ...
Slowing Extinction
Students explore the varying roles people can play to save endangered species. Students create an eco-artist social media profile sharing information ...
Preserving the Past
Students analyze the differences between permanent and traveling exhibits and decide which type of exhibit would be appropriate for the Clotilda artif...
Connecting with the Community
Students learn about Alabama’s connection to Benin and the varied perspectives of those involved in the slave trade. Students explore sources th...
Uncovering the Past
Students are introduced to Cudjo Lewis, one of the last survivors of the illegal slave ship, the Clotilda, and consider why his story is importan...
It’s All About the Resources
Students brainstorm what they know and need to learn about endangered species, in order to best answer the driving question for the unit. Students the...
Eliminating Extinction—It’s Complicated!
Students receive their target species and perform background research. Students learn about working with local populations to protect endangered speci...
Sharing Solutions
Students create a grant proposal for their chosen solution to submit to potential funders. In addition to a written proposal, students discuss best pr...
Interrupted Migrations: Impacts and Solutions
Students investigate different solutions to human impacts on animal migration and identify different stakeholders; this information will be represente...
Animal Migrations and their Ecosystems
Students engage with a variety of resources to learn about ecosystems and the interactions among organisms in ecosystems, with a focus on elk migratio...