Teaching Resources
Teaching environmental issues in your classroom is a critical component of providing your students a Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience. Discover a wealth Chesapeake Bay related books, multimedia, curriculum guides, individual lesson plans and online data sources.
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Subject
All Subjects- Art
- Language Arts
- Mathematics
- Science
- Social Studies
- Technology
Level
- All Levels
- Early Learning
- Elementary School
- Middle School
- High School
Type
Alignment
Keywords
- All Keywords
- acid rain
- adaptation
- African American
- agriculture
- air pollution and fossil fuels
- aquatic grass SAV
- beaver
- biodiversity
- blue crab
- boats, canoes and kayaks
- climate change
- culture and watermen
- development
- dissolved oxygen
- Drinking Water
- economics
- ecosystem and biomes
- erosion
- experiments and investigations
- fish
- food web
- forest
- geocaching (GIS/GPS)
- Geography
- green development
- habitat and niche
- identification
- invasive species
- John Smith and colonial times
- land use
- litter, trash and recycling
- Native American
- nitrogen and carbon cycle
- non-point source
- orienteering
- Outdoor Activity
- oyster
- photosynthesis
- point source
- pollution
- population growth
- predator prey relationships
- renewable resource
- restoration
- salinity
- schoolyard habitat
- sediment, soil and rocks
- smart growth
- stormwater
- stream study
- student action
- Temperature
- transportation
- Underground Railroad
- water and energy conservation
- water cycle and movement
- water quality
- water testing
- watershed
- weather
- wetland
- wildlife
Schoolyard Habitat Project Guide, Second Edition
This “how-to” guide provides the basic steps needed to restore or create wildlife habitat on school grounds. It will take you and your students through each step of the process: planning, installing and sustaining a project. This is not a book about why schoolyard projects are important; this is a guide about how to make the best one for your site. It is also designed to engage students the completion of several tasks that will lead to establishing a schoolyard woodland, meadow or wetland.
Subject(s):
Science, Technology
Type(s):
Curriculum Guide
Level(s):
Early Learning, Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Keywords:
biodiversity, habitat and niche, restoration, schoolyard habitat, water quality, wildlife, student action
A Teachers Guide to Delaware State Parks: Field Trips and Outreach Opportunities
Delaware State Parks are great places for students and teachers to explore nature and history. With 16 parks, five historic sites and many natural areas, Delaware State Parks offer you a comprehensive view of our state’s natural and historical heritage. This resource contains an overview of Delaware State Park field trip and outreach programs, as a printable PDF.
Subject(s):
Science, Social Studies
Type(s):
Lessons and Activities
Level(s):
Early Learning, Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Aligned with the following standard(s):
Delaware
Keywords:
land use, watershed, wildlife, Outdoor Activity
Riverworks Discovery: Wildlife Logbook
RiverWorks invites your students to come and explore the intricate web of river life. Through these activities and this information packet, your students will play detective and use their senses to find clues of local wildlife. They will also write their thoughts about your river experience and learn what you can do to make a difference.
Subject(s):
Language Arts, Mathematics, Science
Type(s):
Lessons and Activities
Level(s):
Elementary School, Middle School
Keywords:
water cycle and movement, watershed, wildlife
Striped Bass are Turning Ugly
In this activity, 6-8th grade students will analyze data and maps to understand how increased population growth impacts the water quality of the Chesapeake Bay. Then they will explore how the health of the Bay affects its animals.
Subject(s):
Science
Type(s):
Lessons and Activities
Level(s):
Middle School
Keywords:
pollution, land use, watershed, water quality, wildlife
Earth's Freshwater: A Guide for Teaching Freshwater in Grades 3-8
This guide was developed to support teachers in teaching topics with real-world context, and provide them with the background to feel competent and comfortable when teaching about fresh water. It provides a solid introduction to fresh water in an accessible and reader-friendly manner. In addition to general information about fresh water, the guide includes numerous education features, such as teaching tips and student thinking, that help to connect the content to classroom practice.
Subject(s):
Science
Type(s):
Books and Publications
Level(s):
Elementary School, Middle School
Keywords:
water cycle and movement, watershed, biodiversity, water quality, wildlife
Virginia's Natural Resource Education Guide: Virginia's Wildlife Resources
Virginians are fortunate to share their home with a wide diversity of wildlife. This informational packet provides information on the importance of habitat to wildlife, and Virginia's wildlife management and conservation efforts. By completing the Counting Critters lesson plan that is included in this packet, students will be able to conduct a wildlife inventory of their community; describe cause and effect relationships that help and hinder wildlife in their community; and recommend changes in their community that could benefit wildlife.
Subject(s):
Science, Social Studies
Type(s):
Lessons and Activities
Level(s):
Elementary School, Middle School
Aligned with the following standard(s):
Virginia
Keywords:
wildlife
White-Tailed Deer: Beauty or Beast Lesson
Students will examine the methods for deer population control and the reasons why it is necessary. Students will learn about the natural history and reproductive patterns of the white-tailed deer.
Subject(s):
Science, Social Studies
Type(s):
Lessons and Activities
Level(s):
High School
Aligned with the following standard(s):
Pennsylvania
Keywords:
wildlife
White-Tailed Deer Issues Lesson
Students explore how deer herds have positive and negative effects on the environment and possible management strategies.
Subject(s):
Science, Social Studies
Type(s):
Lessons and Activities
Level(s):
High School
Aligned with the following standard(s):
Pennsylvania
Keywords:
wildlife
Trout In the Classroom Activity Guide
This activity guide and reference list gives teachers the background necessary to raise trout in their classroom.
Subject(s):
Science, Technology
Type(s):
Curriculum Guide
Level(s):
Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Keywords:
restoration, stream study, wildlife, fish
Squid Dissection Lesson
The students will dissect a squid to study this amazing animals adaptation so they can have a better understanding of living creatures.
Subject(s):
Science
Type(s):
Lessons and Activities
Level(s):
High School
Keywords:
adaptation, experiments and investigations, wildlife
Skates Lesson
Using a rubber skate models, students will learn to identify the parts of a skate, observe the details of a skates body and skate egg case and understand the unique characteristics of a skate.
Subject(s):
Art, Language Arts, Science
Type(s):
Lessons and Activities
Level(s):
Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Keywords:
wildlife
Seashell Mapping Lesson
During this cooperative group activity, students work with seashells to build science skills in classifying, identifying, organizing, observing, interpreting, reaching consensus and drawing conclusions.
Subject(s):
Language Arts, Mathematics, Science
Type(s):
Lessons and Activities
Level(s):
Elementary School, Middle School
Keywords:
wildlife
Seashell Homes Lesson
During this interdisciplinary lesson, students listen to a story about seashells, discuss shelled animals to gain scientific understanding and participate in a visual arts activity that reinforces the lesson's key concept that shells are made by certain marine animals called mollusks for shelter and protection.
Subject(s):
Art, Language Arts, Science
Type(s):
Lessons and Activities
Level(s):
Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Keywords:
habitat and niche, wildlife
Pennsylvania Land Choices - An Educational Guide
Pennsylvania Land Choices is a national recognized award winning educational program developed by the DCNR State Parks to provide professional development for teachers, conservation and community leaders to understand the role of the citizen and local communities in making decisions that benefit conservation and sustainable community character. The program connects social studies and science in the 6 – 12 grades through place-based service learning, conservation and local government. The activities provide inquiry-based opportunities and hand-on activities that encourage service learning for the benefit of students and their community. Lessons are aligned to the Pennsylvania state academic standards and feature SAS protocols.
Subject(s):
Science, Social Studies
Type(s):
Curriculum Guide, Lessons and Activities
Level(s):
Middle School, High School
Aligned with the following standard(s):
Pennsylvania
Keywords:
nitrogen and carbon cycle, pollution, non-point source, water cycle and movement, population growth, wetland, land use, watershed, agriculture, development, stormwater, air pollution and fossil fuels, water and energy conservation, erosion, green development, transportation, water quality, wildlife, economics, student action
Oceans for Life Videos
http://oceanslive.gso.uri.edu/ is a marine science portal that offers live video and special content to educate people of all ages about the ocean, including national marine sanctuaries. Learn more about oceanography, marine life, conservation and preservation, marine research technologies, and the nation's maritime heritage.
Subject(s):
Language Arts, Science, Social Studies
Type(s):
Multimedia
Level(s):
Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Keywords:
ecosystem and biomes, habitat and niche, wildlife
Maryland Project WET Training and Curriculum Guide
After completion of a six hour training, educators are given a free Project WET curriculum and activity guide packed with 91 hands-on activities that cross many disciplines in the study of water and water resources - chemistry and physics, life science, earth systems, natural resource management, history and culture. During the workshop educators learn how to incorporate local issues into the lessons.
Perfect for 4-H Youth Development, Scouts, and other youth organizations as well, the goal of Project WET is to facilitate and promote the awareness, appreciation, knowledge, and stewardship of water resources through the development and dissemination of classroom ready teaching aids.
Subject(s):
Art, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Technology
Type(s):
Curriculum Guide
Level(s):
Early Learning, Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Aligned with the following standard(s):
Maryland
Keywords:
pollution, watershed, biodiversity, culture and watermen, ecosystem and biomes, water quality, wildlife
Leaf Pack Network Database
Student collected data from leaf pack experiments that assess stream health by using aquatic insects as their indicator species. Data is available for the Susquehanna, James and Patapsco Rivers.
Subject(s):
Science, Technology
Type(s):
Lessons and Activities, Data
Level(s):
Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Keywords:
stream study, water testing, wildlife
Impact of Climate Change on Diamondback Terrapin Activities
Through these four lessons, students will develop an understanding of the habitat and life cycle of the diamondback terrapin and human influence on this habitat and life cycle.
Subject(s):
Science
Type(s):
Lessons and Activities
Level(s):
Middle School
Keywords:
climate change, wetland, habitat and niche, wildlife
Gateways to Conservation II Curriculum Guide (Grades 6-8)
Pickering Creek published this guide with the help of the National Park Service's Chesapeake Bay Gateways. Explore 134 pages full of hands-on learning activities and background information to help students and teachers explore the outdoors in conjunction with a nearby nature center, while gaining an understanding of their relationship with the Chesapeake Bay.
Subject(s):
Science, Social Studies
Type(s):
Curriculum Guide
Level(s):
Middle School
Aligned with the following standard(s):
Maryland
Keywords:
pollution, wetland, adaptation, watershed, biodiversity, ecosystem and biomes, erosion, experiments and investigations, habitat and niche, restoration, sediment, soil and rocks, water quality, water testing, wildlife
Gateways to Conservation Curriculum Guide (Grades 1-5)
Pickering Creek published this guide with the help of the National Park Service's Chesapeake Bay Gateways. Explore 183 pages full of hands-on learning activities and background information to help students and teachers explore the outdoors in conjunction with a nearby nature center, while gaining an understanding of their relationship with the Chesapeake Bay.
Subject(s):
Science
Type(s):
Curriculum Guide
Level(s):
Elementary School
Aligned with the following standard(s):
Maryland
Keywords:
pollution, water cycle and movement, wetland, land use, food web, watershed, agriculture, water and energy conservation, ecosystem and biomes, erosion, experiments and investigations, forest, habitat and niche, litter, trash and recycling, renewable resource, schoolyard habitat, stream study, water quality, water testing, wildlife, student action
Feathered Feeders Lesson
This "bird brained" lesson requires students to think like hungry birds, who must find food at the park. Students will investigate variation in bird beaks and the interrelationships of form and function.
Subject(s):
Science
Type(s):
Lessons and Activities
Level(s):
Early Learning, High School
Aligned with the following standard(s):
Virginia
Keywords:
adaptation, wildlife
Endangered Species of Pennsylvania Lesson
Students will learn about endangered species. Students will research a specific Pennsylvania extinct, endangered or threatened species and then learn about the conservation of these species.
Subject(s):
Science
Type(s):
Lessons and Activities
Level(s):
High School
Aligned with the following standard(s):
Pennsylvania
Keywords:
wildlife
CSI Clamshell Investigation Lesson
Students will learn about the predator/prey relationship that exists between moon snails and clams. Following completion of this lesson, the students will be able to: 1) Explain how moon snails eat and where the holes in clamshells come from 2) Draw conclusions from data collected 3)Use math and graphing to determine if there is a relationship to a clam's size and its likelihood tobe eaten by a moon snail.
Subject(s):
Mathematics, Science
Type(s):
Lessons and Activities
Level(s):
Middle School, High School
Aligned with the following standard(s):
New York
Keywords:
food web, identification, predator prey relationships, wildlife
Counting Critters Lesson
Students inventory wildlife and investigate their neighborhoods for cause and effect relationships affecting wildlife; develop and use Wildlife Observation Record sheets and recommend actions to improve and/or maintain the quality of wildlife habitat in their community. Keywords: critters, habitat, wildlife
Subject(s):
Science
Type(s):
Lessons and Activities
Level(s):
Elementary School, Middle School
Aligned with the following standard(s):
Virginia
Keywords:
food web, habitat and niche, predator prey relationships, wildlife
Classification and Identification Lesson
During this set of activities, students explore diagrammatic and taxonomic keys and their application in the marine sciences. Following completion students will be able to: 1)Sort and classify objects and organisms based on visual attributes 2)Create their own diagrammatic key 3)Use a taxonomic key to identify objects and organisms.
Subject(s):
Art, Mathematics, Science
Type(s):
Lessons and Activities
Level(s):
Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Aligned with the following standard(s):
New York
Keywords:
habitat and niche, identification, wildlife
