Lessons
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 organizational level is the most appropriate for implementing their proposed solutions to plastic waste in the community. Students campaign for a policy cha...
- Best for: Grades 6 - 8 (ages 11 - 14)
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 of human impacts on the environment.
- Concepts: human impacts on the environment
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 a demonstration and interactive. Next, students research and diagram carbon sources and sinks. Finally, they organize and analyze data to draw evidenc...
- Best for: Grades 6 - 8 (ages 11 - 14)
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 extreme weather event using knowledge of weather variables. Finally, students link extreme weather events and climate change. Students use an interact...
- Best for: Grades 6 - 8 (ages 11 - 14)
Shifting Seas
Students make and evaluate predictions related to climate change’s effects on the oceans, using evidence from videos, articles, and demonstrations. Next, they examine, analyze, and graph data on ocean acidification, sea surface temperature, and changes in sea level. Finally, students use these...
- Best for: Grades 6 - 8 (ages 11 - 14)
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 and interview school community members to identify key carbon-emitting behaviors. Finally, students design and present a Climate Change Challenge Pled...
- Best for: Grades 6 - 8 (ages 11 - 14)
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 that illustrate the transfer of cultural traditions and identify ways in which Africatown has changed over time. Finally, students consider how a museum...
- Best for: Grades 6 - 8 (ages 11 - 14)
A Ripple Effect
Students learn about droughts and the link between climate change and water access through videos, readings, and discussions. They then brainstorm how to avoid a “Day Zero” in their watershed and how Mount Everest mountaineers can help protect the mountain's watershed. Students draw ...
- Best for: Grades 6 - 8 (ages 11 - 14)
- Concepts: mount everest
Recording a Dying Language
This 10-minute documentary tells the story of Marie Wilcox, the last fluent speaker of the Wukchumni language and the dictionary she created in an effort to keep her language alive.
- Best for: Grades 9 - 11 (ages 14 - 17)
- Concepts: california, endangered languages, language, native americans, wukchumni
Can We Feed the Growing Population?
In this lesson, students explore the resources that make up our agricultural system. Students examine land uses and soil quality through graphs of land use and crop production and use computational models to compare the effect of different management strategies on the land. At the end of the lesson,...
- Best for: Grades 7 and up (ages 12 and up)
Using Fresh Water
Students explore maps to discover the distribution of fresh water resources on Earth, and they examine graphs to discover how fresh water supplies are used by humans.
- Best for: Grades 7 and up (ages 12 and up)
- Concepts: aquifers, evaporation, freshwater, groundwater, human water use, precipitation
What Is the Future of Earth's Climate?
Through a series of guided questions, students will explore the question, what will Earth's climate be in the future? Students will not be able to answer the question at the end of the lesson, but they will be able to explain how scientists can be certain that Earth is warming while not being en...
- Best for: Grades 7 and up (ages 12 and up)
Ecosystem Imbalance in the World
Students build on their knowledge of individual impacts on the ocean to see how the whole system can react to threats and changes. They examine ways in which human actions throw marine ecosystems out of balance, explore the concept of how impacts can build, and review their understandings of ecosyst...
- Best for: Grades 9 - 12 (ages 14 - 18)
Extreme Weather on Earth and Other Planets
Students investigate extreme weather on Earth and other planets, learn about instruments used to measure weather, and design a space probe that will gather weather information on another planet.
- Best for: Grades 2 - 5 (ages 7 - 11)
Environmental Conditions in Our Solar System
Students explore the difference between weather and climate, analyze environmental conditions on Earth and other planets, and design a space probe that can withstand extreme weather on other planets.
- Best for: Grades 6 - 8 (ages 11 - 14)
European Borders Through History
Students compare maps of European borders at three points in history: after World War I, after World War II, and the 2011 European Union (EU) countries. Students look for political borders that have changed and others that have remained the same, and compare those to what they know about cultural an...
- Best for: Grades 6 - 8 (ages 11 - 14)
- Concepts: beyond borders, borders, europe, european union, history, world war i, world war ii