Earth Day Teaching Resources

This collection of Science NetLinks lessons and resources will help teachers and students prepare for the 39th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22. These resources will also help teachers who want to incorporate the holiday's messages of ecology and environmentalism in the classroom year-round.

 

 

 

 

 

Science NetLinks Resources

Lessons    Tools    Science Updates
Non-Science NetLinks Resources

Lessons

Animal Diversity

Resource Type: Lesson
Grade Band: K-2
Description: This lesson exposes children to a wide range of animals and guides them through observation of animal similarities, differences, and environmental adaptations.


Investigating Local Ecosystems
Resource Type: Lesson
Grade Band: K-2
Description: This lesson lets students investigate the habitats of local plants and animals and explore some of the ways animals depend on plants and each other.


Where in the Wild? NEW!
Resource Type: Lesson
Grade Band: K-2
Description: This lesson helps students build an understanding of the idea that camouflage is a form of protection.


Just Turn It Off

Resource Type: Lesson
Grade Band: K-2
Description: In this lesson, students investigate the importance of turning off lights, toys, machines, and appliances.


Cycles of Life 1: Food Chain NEW!

Resource Type: Lesson
Grade Band: 3-5
Description: This lesson focuses on the food chain by helping students understand that almost all kinds of animals’ food can be traced back to plants and that the sun is the ultimate source of energy needed for all organisms to stay alive and grow.


Cycles of Life 2: Food Webs NEW!

Resource Type: Lesson
Grade Band: 3-5
Description: This lesson focuses on how some insects depend on dead plant matter for food and incorporates ideas previously learned about food chains and food webs.

Energy Sources and Use
Resource Type: Lesson
Grade Band: 3-5
Description: Using this lesson, students distinguish between renewable and nonrenewable sources of energy. They investigate a variety of renewable energy resources and compare the benefits and drawbacks of each.


Introducing Biodiversity

Resource Type: Lesson
Grade Band: 3-5
Description: Biodiversity is introduced in this lesson by having students identify and talk about what they know about the various habitats around them, including the amazing variety of life. 


Pond 1: Pond Life
Resource Type: Lesson
Grade Band: 3-5
Description: In this lesson, students explore how various organisms satisfy their needs within their environments and the kinds of relationships that exist between organisms within an environment.


Power Up!

Resource Type: Lesson
Grade Band: 3-5
Description: In this lesson, students examine the trade-offs involved in our use of energy, a topic they will likely revisit throughout their lives.


Endangered Species 1: Why Are Species Endangered?

Resource Type: Lesson
Grade Band: 6-8
Description: The purpose of this lesson is for students to examine the plight of endangered species and to help them understand and gain perspective on human issues that continue to endanger species and threaten our global environment.


Endangered Species 2: Working to Save Endangered Species

Resource Type: Lesson
Grade Band: 6-8
Description: In this lesson, students explore the Endangered Species Act and the work of scientists who strive to protect species.


Food Webs in the Bay

Resource Type: Lesson
Grade Band: 6-8
Description: In this lesson, students will research plants and animals that live in the submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) of a bay area.


Marine Sanctuaries

Resource Type: Lesson
Grade Band: 6-8
Description: Through this lesson, students develop an understanding of diverse marine ecosystems and the problems they face.


Renewable Energy Sources

Resource Type: Lesson
Grade Band: 6-8
Description: During this lesson, students investigate a variety of renewable energy resources, as well as the benefits and drawbacks of each.


Green Roof Design NEW!

Resource Type: Lesson
Grade Band: 9-12
Description: In this student-centered learning model, students work collaboratively in small teams to design a heat- and water-conserving “green roof” of plant material for an urban apartment building.

Preserving Health Through Biological Diversity

Resource Type: Lesson
Grade Band: 9-12
Description: In this lesson, students look at why diversity within and among species is important.


Tigerland and Other Unintended Destinations

Resource Type: Lesson
Grade Band: 9-12
Description: Through this lesson, students gain an introduction to conservation biology via the memoirs of a scientist who has traveled throughout the world to study and defend endangered species.

Tools

Biomes of the World
Resource Type: Tool
Grade Band: K-8
Description: Biomes of the World provides information on rainforest, tundra, taiga, desert, temperate, and grassland biomes.

Nowhere to Hide
Resource Type: Tool
Grade Band: K-12
Description: In this activity, students can manipulate the level of pollution emitted by the factory (i.e., the background color of the screen) and observe the effects on the different colored bugs, moving them toward a better understanding of evolution by natural selection.

The Prairie Builders: Reconstructing America's Lost Grasslands
Resource Type: Tool
Grade Band: 3-8
Description: Prairie Builders, written and photographed by Sneed B. Collard, III, tells the remarkable story of an effort to bring back part of the native tallgrass prairie in Iowa. Readers learn where the vision for a new prairie came from and how scientists and volunteers are working together to make the vision a reality. The text includes striking photographs, taken by the author, which help bring the project to life.


The Amateur Naturalist
Resource Type: Tool
Grade Band: 3-12
Description: The Amateur Naturalist, by Nick Baker, is full of information to enhance any outdoor learning experience. Each chapter is dedicated to a group of animals (mammals, birds, fish, etc.) or plants. Within each chapter, there is information on finding, tracking, and identifying each species, plus a few hands-on projects to enhance the outdoor learning experience.


Coral Reef Connections
Resource Type: Tool
Grade Band: 3-12
Description: This resource explores Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, the largest structure on Earth built by living organisms.


Create a Rainforest Refuge
Resource Type: Tool
Grade Band: 6-12
Description: In this resource, students create development strategies for sustainable growth with both economic and environmental interests in mind.


Estuaries: Finding the Balance
Resource Type: Tool
Grade Band: 9-12
Description: Students can use this resource from the National Geographic to examine the conflict between development and the environment by focusing on estuaries across the United States. Its objectives are for students to learn about the environmental and economic importance of estuaries, consider the conflicts that arise because of the many uses of estuaries, research a specific estuary and the problems and solutions that have developed around it, and suggest compromises that might be made in order to protect both estuaries and economic development.

USA Today's Weather Basics
Resource Type: Tool
Grade Band: 9-12
Description: These resources will help your students understand weather, climate, and some other earth science topics.

Science Updates

Ascending Plants NEW!

Resource Type: Science Update Audio
Grade Band: 6-12
Description: In this podcast, students learn that plants are gradually moving to higher altitudes to escape global warming.

Carbon Emissions

Resource Type: Science Update Audio
Grade Band: 6-12
Description: This podcast discusses why carbon emission rates may be higher than scientists thought.

Fossil Fuel Switch

Resource Type: Science Update Audio
Grade Band: 6-12
Description: This podcast asks, "How much would it cost to quit fossil fuels cold turkey?"


Mountain Rain

Resource Type: Science Update Audio
Grade Band: 6-12
Description: This podcast focuses on why pollution from cities could dry out nearby mountains.


Nitrogen Pollution

Resource Type: Science Update Audio
Grade Band: 6-12
Description: In this Science Update podcast, students learn why human sources of nitrogen may be just as environmentally costly as carbon emissions.


Thoreau's Plants NEW!

Resource Type: Science Update Audio
Grade Band: 6-12
Description: In this Science Update podcast, students learn how global warming has altered the composition of plants on the shores of Walden since the time of Henry David Thoreau.

 

Other Resources

EarthDay.gov for Kids
Resource Type: Website
Grade Band: K-12
Description: This page provides links to federal government Web sites for kids related to Earth Day and the environment.


Earth Day Network
Resource Type: Website
Grade Band: K-12
Description: Earth Day Network is the leading organization advancing Earth Day activities worldwide. It includes an Educator's Network and information about making schools greener.


Earth Day: Teacher's Lounge
Resource Type: Website
Grade Band: K-12
Description: The Wilderness Society offers curriculum resources and activities for Earth Day celebrations.