Use the Sea Level Rise and Coastal Flooding Impacts data viewer to look at what happens when sea level rises and how it could impact coastal flooding not only in Florida but on any U.S. coast. The viewer is a cool screening-level tool that uses nationally consistent data sets and analyses. Data and maps provided can be used at several scales to help gauge trends and prioritize actions for different scenarios.
Today is Earth Day! Celebrate with the special edition of Brain Jam in Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Here you will find a wide range of articles and activities that provide fresh insights into environmental issues. Not only is this edition of Brain Jam an exciting way to observe Earth Day, but it is also a timely Common Core resource with 27 informational articles, 10 web links, and 13 different Teaching Resources including activities, discussion questions, essay topics, and a quiz.
Students will participate in a debate on saving endangered species, explore the pros and cons of the Keystone Pipeline and analyze news articles dealing with environmental issues.
View the video Thousands Gather for DC Climate Rally from NBC News
Lesson Plan 1- Endangered Species
Objective: Students will participate in a debate on the cost of efforts to save endangered species
Lesson Plan 2- The Keystone Pipeline
Objective: Students will explore the pros and cons of the controversial Keystone Pipeline
Lesson Plan 3- Environmental News
Objective: Students will work in groups to create a collection of news articles dealing with environmental issues
21st Century Core Content
Government and Civics
Geography
21st Century Themes
Global Awareness21st Century Skills
Think Creatively
Work Creatively With Others
Reason Effectively
Make Judgments and Decisions
Solve Problems
Communicate Clearly
Collaborate with Others
Access and Evaluate Information
Analyze Media
Be Flexible
Work Independently
Be Self-directed Learners
Interact Effectively with Others
Work Effectively in Diverse Teams
Produce Results
Guide and Lead Others
Be Responsible to Others
Additional Resources:
Climate Change by the US EPA
Endangered Species Program; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Natural Resources Defense Council
Earth Times.org
Peace Corps.gov
Additional Library Resources :
Climate Change – Science in Context
Endangered Species and Wildlife Conservation – Science in Context
Environmental Issues Protests – Opposing Viewpoints
Sea Level Rise – Science in Context
Weather and Climate – Always Available eBook
Grzimek’s Student Animal Life Resource – Always Available eBook
Climate Change – Always Available ebook
Encyclopedia of Environmental Ethics and Philosophy – Always Available eBook
Environmental Issues: Essential Primary Sources – Always Available eBook
Lesson Plans From the National Medicine of Health
Toxie the Cat helps students find the hazards hidden in each room and offers hints when needed. This resource uses a child-friendly, interactive game interface to get younger students to think and learn about household hazards. The sound effects are fun; turn on your speakers and move your mouse to the front door on the home page for an example! The “For Teachers” section includes lesson plans and activity pages. ToxMystery is available in English and Spanish.
http://toxmystery.nlm.nih.gov/about.html
Environmental Health Student Portal (Grades 6-8)
The Environmental Health Student Portal provides a safe and useful resource for students and teachers in grades 6 – 8 to learn how the environment can impact health. The site explores topics such as water pollution, climate change, air pollution, and chemicals. It includes a Teacher’s Page with resources to engage students in active learning, a Homework Help page, and a section about careers in the environmental sciences.
This site was developed based on teachers’ input. It addresses the “what’s in it for me” of why students should care about the environment, and keeps students engaged with hands-on activities, games, videos, experiments and projects. SIS has plans for future web site improvements and enhancements.
http://kidsenvirohealth.nlm.nih.gov/
Tox Town (Grades 6-12+)
Tox Town is a guide to commonly encountered toxic substances in a colorful, graphic interface. Teachers can integrate science with literacy skills, by enabling students to engage in teacher-developed expository reading and writing activities. The site can be used for Earth Day activities, and can also test Spanish language/reading skills. It ties an environmental science curriculum with the effects on human health. Tox Town is designed to provide information on:
Tox Town is also available in Spanish. Here is the interactive Southwest page in Spanish:
http://www.toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/flash/southwest/flash_sp.php
Tox Town-Based Curriculum Units/Science Club (Grades 6-8)
Discovering the Connection: Your Environment, Your Health is an after-school science club curriculum for middle school students. It can also be used in a science classroom or in an interdisciplinary program that connects science and society. The curriculum sequence consists of six units. Each unit introduces one environmental health topic and includes three to four 50-60 minute lessons. It is an excellent resource for multidisciplinary education, as it combines science, social studies, and language arts, an important component of the Common Core State Standards for education.
Lessons and activities of the curriculum combine research on the Tox Town website with hands-on experiments, communication, and social action activities. The objective is to introduce middle school students to environmental health issues in their everyday lives, emphasizing the relevance of science to informed citizenship. The curriculum was developed as a collaboration between the National Library of Medicine, University of Maryland College of Education, and an inter-disciplinary group of middle school teachers. It is based on National Science Education Standards and is grounded in problem-based learning.
Limestone, as used by the minerals industry, is any rock composed mostly of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). Although limestone is common in many parts of the United States, it is critically absent from some. Limestone is used to produce Portland cement, as aggregate in concrete and asphalt, and in an enormous array of other products, making it a truly versatile commodity. Portland cement is essential to the building industry, but despite our Nation’s abundance of limestone, there have been cement shortages in recent years. These have been caused in part by a need to find new areas suitable for quarrying operations. To help manage our Nation’s resources of such essential mineral commodities, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) provides crucial data and scientific information to industry, policymakers, and the public. Read more…
Additional Resources:
