This is an activity about the way distance, albedo, and atmosphere affect the temperature of a planet. Learners will create a planet using a computer game and change features of the planet to increase or decrease the planet's temperature. They will then discuss their results in terms of greenhouse strength and the presence of liquid water. This lesson is part of Project Spectra, a science and engineering education program focusing on how light is used to explore the Solar System.

This is an activity about the atmospheric conditions (greenhouse strength, atmospheric thickness) Mars needs to maintain surface water. Learners will use a computer interactive to learn about Mars past and present before exploring the pressure and greenhouse strength needed for Mars to have a watery surface as it had in the past. This lesson is part of Project Spectra, a science and engineering education program focusing on how light is used to explore the Solar System.

This is an activity about how much atmospheric pressure is needed on Mars to maintain surface water and why it does not have surface water today. Learners will use a computer interactive to learn about Mars past and present before exploring the pressure and greenhouse strength needed for Mars to have a watery surface as it had in the past. This lesson is part of Project Spectra, a science and engineering education program focusing on how light is used to explore the Solar System.

This is an activity about the way distance, reflectivity, and atmosphere affect the temperature of a planet. Learners will create a planet using a computer game and change features of the planet to increase or decrease the planet's temperature. This lesson is part of Project Spectra, a science and engineering education program focusing on how light is used to explore the Solar System.

In this problem-based learning activity, students are presented with the scenario that they are representatives of an organization that is tasked with evaluating the potential effects of a warming climate on New England forests. Student worksheets, teacher guide, and assessment rubric are included. The resource is part of Forests: A Sticky Situation, from the lesson series The Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"In 2009, 28 world-renowned scientists gathered on a mission: to figure out how to save the planet—or, at least, how far we can push the planet before threatening our survival. The result was a list of nine critical environmental limits below which the Earth’s future would remain safe—by keeping atmospheric carbon low, for example. Exceeding those limits would risk irreversible global damage. But despite providing good science-based measures for monitoring the Earth’s health, these so-called Planetary Boundaries fail to address one very important question: What can you— as a citizen, CEO, city council, or national committee—do to help? That’s where a new approach called Planetary Accounting comes in. The problem with the Planetary Boundaries is that they can’t be directly translated to figures that make sense at smaller scales..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This Rx Planetary Health Brick Collection focuses on the interplay between human health and the environment, equipping current and future healthcare professionals to address the impact of a shifting climate effectively.
It is a comprehensive resource for building a Planetary Health curriculum that will prepare medical students for the challenges of a changing climate and environmental pollution. Developed by ScholarRx and the Medical Student Alliance for Global Education, this collection of high-yield, interactive Bricks was edited by Dr. Michelle McLean, one of the foremost experts in the field and offers active learning modules tackling an increasingly crucial topic.

A complete guide to teaching a one-semester course on planetary health at the high school or middle school level. Includes all lectures, activities, and additional resources for educators.

This course explores policy and planning for sustainable development. It critically examines concept of sustainability as a process of social, organizational, and political development drawing on cases from the U.S. and Europe. It also explores pathways to sustainability through debates on ecological modernization; sustainable technology development, international and intergenerational fairness, and democratic governance.

This course explores policy and planning for sustainable development. It critically examines concept of sustainability as a process of social, organizational, and political development drawing on cases from the U.S. and Europe. It also explores pathways to sustainability through debates on ecological modernization; sustainable technology development, international and intergenerational fairness, and democratic governance.

SYNOPSIS: In this lesson, students learn about science experiments, design and execute an experiment to learn about what plants need to survive, and communicate their findings to others.

SCIENTIST NOTES: The lesson allows students to use scientific method to inquire about how different plants can survive across fresh water, salt water, and brackish water. It allows students to investigate the changes and predict the water conditions required for plants to survive. All images, videos, and accompanying materials featured in the lesson have been reviewed. This lesson has passed our science review process.

POSITIVES:
-Students engage in many of the Next Generation Science Standards Science and Engineering Practices.
-Students have the opportunity to develop and execute an experiment.
-Students use both sketching and writing as observational tools.

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-This is lesson 3 of 4 in our K-2nd grade Water and Plant Survival unit.
-You will need the following materials for activity in the Inquire section:
-1-liter pitcher of plain water
-1-liter pitcher of water with about 2 teaspoons of salt dissolved
-1-liter pitcher of water with about 6 teaspoons of salt dissolved
-A small cup for each student
-You will need the following materials for the pre-filled experiment in the Investigate section:
-3-6 plants (choose one type of plant, 1-2 plants will receive freshwater, 1-2 plants will receive brackish water, and 1-2 plants will receive saltwater)
-A measuring cup
-A sunny location
-The Inspire section of this lesson builds on Lesson 2 of the Water and Plant Survival unit. The mural will be completed in Lesson 4. If you are choosing to only complete this lesson, you may wish to show students this video from Lesson 2 and discuss how they can create a class mural without creating it on a large scale.

DIFFERENTIATION:
-You can choose the scientist video in the Investigate section that is the best fit for your students. Options include Sesame Street: Bouncing Balls or A Study in Stream Ecology. The Teacher Slideshow includes slides with questions specific to each video.
-The Investigate section offers several options for experimentation. Each option will provide students with the understanding needed to complete subsequent lessons in the unit. The three options include:
-Students may create their own experiment, with teacher support.
-Students may participate in an experiment where the procedure is provided.
-Students can look at data collected from an experiment and discuss the findings.

This video describes the foundation Plant for the Planet, a foundation created by a 9-year-old German boy, Felix. This foundation has planted more than 500,000 trees in Germany, which he says help sequester carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The student rallies, first his community and then other children, to plant millions of trees to offset our energy-use emissions.

This original story about plants' dependence on the climate illustrates the theme of the issue of the online, free magazine Beyond Weather and the Water Cycle -- We Depend on Earth's Climate. The story is available at two reading levels, K-2 and 3-5. Four biomes are featured in a walk through a conservatory.

SYNOPSIS: This lesson introduces students to the benefits of an aquaponics system, especially in areas where clean soil and water are scarce.

SCIENTIST NOTES: This lesson demonstrates the importance of sustainable agriculture and how gardening without soil can provide positive results. This is a hands-on activity for students to engage in gardening. Aquaculture and hydroponics are discussed in good detail. All the materials featured in the lesson have been verified, and this lesson is recommended for teaching.

POSITIVES:
-This lesson creates a collaborative learning environment as students engage with a variety of science and engineering practices.
-Connections are made between the school garden in NJ and other locations where gardening may be difficult for a variety of environmental reasons.
-Project-based learning and hands-on activities promote engagement and participation from all learners.
-This lesson features vocabulary development which broadens student understanding of the concept of aquaponics.

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-The lesson takes ~60 minutes, but students will continue 10-15 minutes one day a week for recording observations in their digital or paper journals.
-Students will need a basic understanding of what seeds and plants need to grow and produce food.
-Additionally, students would benefit from an opportunity to plant seeds in soil and observe the life cycle from seed germination to food production prior to this lesson.

DIFFERENTIATION:
-If teaching remotely, students can have access to teacher slides and digital resources, including journals to participate from home.
-This lesson provides opportunities for students to learn about the topic using different modalities including visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile.
-Groups of students with mixed abilities can collaborate on their journal definitions, predictions, and observations.
-Teachers can structure the learning around explaining or solving a social or community-based issue.
-An extension activity can be a salad party. After lettuce grows, students will have the opportunity to pick, wash, and taste their own lettuce.

In this lesson, students view images of plastic pollution around the world, watch a video on plastic pollution, and analyze artwork about plastic pollution.

Step 1 - Inquire: Students complete a KWL on plastic pollution and view six images of plastic pollution around the world.

Step 2 - Investigate: Students watch a video on plastic pollution and discuss.

Step 3 - Inspire: Students analyze artwork with a partner and then choose one artwork to analyze using the art critique star.

SYNOPSIS: In this lesson, students view images of plastic pollution around the world, watch a video on plastic pollution, and analyze artwork about plastic pollution.

SCIENTIST NOTES: The lesson characterizes plastic pollution around the world. It deploys the power of arts to change people's beliefs towards plastic consumption and improve their understanding on the impact of plastic pollution on the environment. The lesson is well-sourced and is suitable and recommended for teaching.

POSITIVES:
-Students are exposed to the impacts of global plastic pollution.
-Students are exposed to a variety of ways activists can use art to create awareness and apply cultural and political pressure to create change.
-Students will understand that big companies are the ones creating major plastic pollution.

ADDITIONAL PREREQUISITES:
-This is lesson 3 of 6 in our 3rd-5th grade Art for the Earth unit.
-Students should have a basic understanding of plastic pollution.
-Partners or small groups will need a set of artwork critiquing question cards between them. To save time, cards can be cut out before the lesson or shared with students digitally.

DIFFERENTIATION:
-Students can be paired or grouped based on ability. Students who do not regularly shine in class may have the most insightful analysis of the artworks. Make sure to provide concrete, specific feedback on how their analysis is insightful.
-Make sure to guide students to "share the air" when discussing the artwork in partners or groups. Step in to make sure all students have their voices heard so that certain students are not always talking or always listening.

In this classroom activity, students measure the energy use of various appliances and electronics and calculate how much carbon dioxide (CO2) is released to produce that energy.

This is an interactive video in which students navigate around a virtual island while learning about the characteristics of land formations and bodies of water.

This short activity provides a way to improve understanding of a frequently-published diagram of global carbon pools and fluxes. Students create a scaled 3-D visual of carbon reservoirs and the movement of carbon between reservoirs.