Environmental Lessons

This day and age, it seems as though more and more children are disconnected from nature. However, our future leaders need to be equipped for tomorrow's challenges. As teachers, it is important that we prepare our children for the future that they will inherit. This section includes lessons on Environmental studies from learning about recycling to the state of our ozone layer. The Environmental lesson plan section will continue to grow as more teachers like you share their work with the Teacher.org community. The lessons you see here have been created by real teachers working in schools across the United States. We encourage you to contact us in order to share your inspiring lessons.

Environmental Arts Lesson Plans

Camouflage and Environment

Length of Time: 30 Minutes

Students will make butterflies of various colors and then they will experience the advantage that butterflies that are the same color as their environment have against predators.

Environmental English/Language Arts Lesson Plans

Controversial Environmental Issues

Length of Time: 2 Class Periods

Students will research and debate multiple topics in the topic of environmental health. The class will take sides on whether they are for or against the controversial issue.

Debate an Environmental Issue

Length of Time: 30-40 Minutes

Students will read an article about the sale of tropical fish. Students will analyze the information given and discuss their opinion based on facts from the article.

Environmental Environmental Lesson Plans

Angles in Nature

Length of Time: 50 - 60 Minutes

Students will take a walk outside with their protractor and measure the angles in nature. They will record the angles that they find in branches, trees, bushes, flowers, etc… and then determine the supplementary angle.

Beach Day

Length of Time: 45 - 75 Minutes

This lesson will allow students to learn about the beach environment and experience working with sand.

Better Alternatives

Length of Time: 2-3 Class Periods

The students, with a partner, will research the negative environmental impact of every day products and identify safer alternatives.

Biosphere

Length of Time: 30 - 45 Minutes

This lesson will allow students to create a self sustaining biosphere.

Bird Feeder Fun

Length of Time: 10-15 Minutes

Students will create an all natural bird feeder to hang near the school to feed birds during the various seasons.

Camouflage and Environment

Length of Time: 30 Minutes

Students will make butterflies of various colors and then they will experience the advantage that butterflies that are the same color as their environment have against predators.

Classroom Garden From Trash

Length of Time: 10-15 per day for several weeks

Students will create several plants (a garden) from parts of a plant that are normally thrown away.

Controversial Environmental Issues

Length of Time: 2 Class Periods

Students will research and debate multiple topics in the topic of environmental health. The class will take sides on whether they are for or against the controversial issue.

Cost of Recycling

Length of Time: 3-4 Class Periods

Each pair of students will trace 1 single recyclable product, from manufacturer to recycling center, examining costs of making the product and recycling it, answering the question:  Is recycling worth it?

Debate an Environmental Issue

Length of Time: 30-40 Minutes

Students will read an article about the sale of tropical fish. Students will analyze the information given and discuss their opinion based on facts from the article.

Eco-Friendly Homes

Length of Time: 3-4 Class Periods

The student will work in groups of three or four to design an eco-friendly home.

Environmental Impact Studies

Length of Time: 3-4 Class Periods

Pairs of students will do an environmental impact study for local development near the school or another area.

Food Chain Tag

Length of Time: 20-40 Minutes

Students will learn a brief background about energy transfer between the sun, producers, primary consumers, and secondary consumers. ½ of the students are primary consumers (plants) and ¼ of the students are primary consumers (rabbits) and ¼ of the students are secondary consumers (hawks).

Food Web Art Project

Length of Time: About 60 Minutes

Students will discuss food webs and how animals interact together in an ocean biosphere and make a model of how animals get their energy from other animals and the sun.

Keeping Warm in Winter

Length of Time: About 30 Minutes

Students will understand why animals store fat for the winter or colder months and how this affects how temperature is felt. How does the environment and our protection of it help this?

Ocean Pollution

Length of Time: 2 Class Periods

Students will research ocean pollution and compare/contrast current data, hypotheses and other information and check for accuracy.

Ozone Layer

Length of Time: 1-2 Class Periods

Students will think about how people affect the environment and what they can do to help it and prevent further damage.

Rainfall Gauge

Length of Time: 20 - 30 Minutes

This lesson will allow students to learn about the rain amounts in their area as well as offer a hands-on science experiment that could lead to discussions about the water cycle.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (In That Order)

Length of Time: 30-40 Minutes

Students will watch a video about reduce, reuse, and recycle and then complete a gallery walk to discuss ideas of other ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Save the World

Length of Time: Two 45 Minute Lessons

This lesson is intended to motivate students to become environmental superheroes.

Two Sides of an Issue

Length of Time: About 2 - 3 Class Periods

A controversial issue, such as global warming, will be researched using the vast resources of the Internet.  The students will research both sides, either supporting or disputing the facts, opinions, and other information.

Water, Water, Everywhere

Length of Time: 1-2 Class Periods

The students will identify products that need water to be manufactured, and the amount needed for each product.

We Must Recycle

Length of Time: About 20 Minutes

Students will use creativity to use something considered trash to create something new.

Window Garden

Length of Time: About 20 Minutes. Several more days to watch growth process.

Students will plan, experiment, and observe as seeds grow in a window garden. Students will explore why this is important to the sustainability of our environment.

Words of the Environment

Length of Time: 2-3 Class Periods

On day one, the students will list as many words as possible related to environmental science and on day two connect the meanings of each to real life situations based on research.

Environmental Math Lesson Plans

Angles in Nature

Length of Time: 50 - 60 Minutes

Students will take a walk outside with their protractor and measure the angles in nature. They will record the angles that they find in branches, trees, bushes, flowers, etc… and then determine the supplementary angle.

Environmental P.E. Lesson Plans

Food Chain Tag

Length of Time: 20-40 Minutes

Students will learn a brief background about energy transfer between the sun, producers, primary consumers, and secondary consumers. ½ of the students are primary consumers (plants) and ¼ of the students are primary consumers (rabbits) and ¼ of the students are secondary consumers (hawks).

Environmental Science Lesson Plans

Better Alternatives

Length of Time: 2-3 Class Periods

The students, with a partner, will research the negative environmental impact of every day products and identify safer alternatives.

Bird Feeder Fun

Length of Time: 10-15 Minutes

Students will create an all natural bird feeder to hang near the school to feed birds during the various seasons.

Camouflage and Environment

Length of Time: 30 Minutes

Students will make butterflies of various colors and then they will experience the advantage that butterflies that are the same color as their environment have against predators.

Classroom Garden From Trash

Length of Time: 10-15 per day for several weeks

Students will create several plants (a garden) from parts of a plant that are normally thrown away.

Controversial Environmental Issues

Length of Time: 2 Class Periods

Students will research and debate multiple topics in the topic of environmental health. The class will take sides on whether they are for or against the controversial issue.

Cost of Recycling

Length of Time: 3-4 Class Periods

Each pair of students will trace 1 single recyclable product, from manufacturer to recycling center, examining costs of making the product and recycling it, answering the question:  Is recycling worth it?

Debate an Environmental Issue

Length of Time: 30-40 Minutes

Students will read an article about the sale of tropical fish. Students will analyze the information given and discuss their opinion based on facts from the article.

Eco-Friendly Homes

Length of Time: 3-4 Class Periods

The student will work in groups of three or four to design an eco-friendly home.

Environmental Impact Studies

Length of Time: 3-4 Class Periods

Pairs of students will do an environmental impact study for local development near the school or another area.

Food Chain Tag

Length of Time: 20-40 Minutes

Students will learn a brief background about energy transfer between the sun, producers, primary consumers, and secondary consumers. ½ of the students are primary consumers (plants) and ¼ of the students are primary consumers (rabbits) and ¼ of the students are secondary consumers (hawks).

Food Web Art Project

Length of Time: About 60 Minutes

Students will discuss food webs and how animals interact together in an ocean biosphere and make a model of how animals get their energy from other animals and the sun.

Keeping Warm in Winter

Length of Time: About 30 Minutes

Students will understand why animals store fat for the winter or colder months and how this affects how temperature is felt. How does the environment and our protection of it help this?

Ocean Pollution

Length of Time: 2 Class Periods

Students will research ocean pollution and compare/contrast current data, hypotheses and other information and check for accuracy.

Two Sides of an Issue

Length of Time: About 2 - 3 Class Periods

A controversial issue, such as global warming, will be researched using the vast resources of the Internet.  The students will research both sides, either supporting or disputing the facts, opinions, and other information.

Water, Water, Everywhere

Length of Time: 1-2 Class Periods

The students will identify products that need water to be manufactured, and the amount needed for each product.

Window Garden

Length of Time: About 20 Minutes. Several more days to watch growth process.

Students will plan, experiment, and observe as seeds grow in a window garden. Students will explore why this is important to the sustainability of our environment.

Words of the Environment

Length of Time: 2-3 Class Periods

On day one, the students will list as many words as possible related to environmental science and on day two connect the meanings of each to real life situations based on research.

Environmental Social Studies Lesson Plans

We Must Recycle

Length of Time: About 20 Minutes

Students will use creativity to use something considered trash to create something new.

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