Ask an important environmental science question — and students answer using hands-on inquiry and web-based research. Each Environmental Science unit poses a central question that involves National Science Education Standards (NSES) concepts, developing the “big ideas” of science and connecting them to students’ experience of their environment.
Explore the Environment - Hands-on and Online
Environmental Science increases understanding of complex environmental issues, integrates direct observation with internet resources, and motivates student achievement with easy-to-use lesson plans and engaging investigations. Students investigate current real-world issues through classroom observation and online research, sharing and comparing their conclusions online with students across the country.
• Examine the water cycle
• Observe cloud cover and precipitation
• Measure humidity and air temperature
• Investigate air pressure
• Use the Beaufort scale to estimate
wind strength
• Build and use rain collectors and gauges
• Measure the pH of rain
• Investigate the causes and effects
of acid rain
• Explore ways to solve the acid rain problem
• Examine contamination of groundwater and surface water
• Identify sources of tap water
• Explore water treatment
• Measure chlorine and nitrate levels
in tap water
• Examine surface water for signs of pollutants
• Screen water for coliforms
• Measure dissolved-oxygen levels of water
• Decide whether local surface water is in danger
• Investigate the respiratory and circulatory systems
• Measure aerobic-activity levels and pulse-recovery times
• Research the effects of smoking
• Vote on whether cigarettes should be harder to buy
• Examine soil layers
• Classify soil according to textural class and color category
• Measure water-holding capacity, organic-matter content, and pH of soil
• Determine best use for local soil
• Investigate seasonal differences in hours of daylight
• Examine how the angle of sunlight affects warming
• Compare polar and local conditions
• Research global warming
• Vote on whether production of greenhouse gases should be limited
