Especially for students in urban areas, the school grounds offer a microcosm of ecological niches and investigation for students and families to explore.
Environmental Science Education

Built and Natural Environment Lesson Plans
How do people interact with and change the natural environment? A major focus of urban ecology is comparing how ecosystems function in nature and how they are changed by people. Urbanization means changing from native vegetation to man-made materials. Here are some lesson plans from Arizona State University to challenge your students to think about… learn more

Changing Earth
Changing Earth at The Franklin Institute museum is an example of resources that may be available in your area. Like most museums, The Franklin Institute provides an educator guide to go along with their exhibits. Even if you are not able to visit an installation, the corresponding web site and educator guide can be a… learn more

Cyberchase Green It Up: Kids Can Help Checklist
We can all take care of the environment by making helpful choices every day. Check off the boxes for the items on the list that you do to help. learn more

Ecology Explorers: Teacher Toolbox
Ecology Explorers is an example of how universities are teaming up with the K-12 community to give teachers and students opportunities to learn through real scientific research. We have developed a variety of lessons that support conceptual understandings of urban ecology and sustainability, as well as integrate with our scientific protocols and games. While our… learn more

eePRO: Environmental Education
eePRO, part of NAAEE, is an online platform that provides environmental education (EE) professionals and students from around the world with opportunities to network, discuss important issues, and access high-quality professional development resources. They have both free and paid levels. learn more

Environmental News Network
Catch a preview of upcoming weather events at the Environmental News Network. learn more

EPA: EnviroAtlas Interactive Map
This easy to use, interactive mapping application does not require any GIS skills to use and provides ready access to 500+ maps and multiple analysis tools. EnviroAtlas is a collection of interactive tools and resources that provides data, research, and analysis on the relationships between nature, people, health and the economy. learn more

Games, Quizzes, and Videos about the Environment
The EPA has compiled a list of environmental games and find other activities to play online, including crossword puzzles and word searches. Topics include recycling, water, and sunburns. learn more

Great Lakes Now Virtual Field Trip
Great Lakes Now brings along students on a virtual field trip to learn more about the importance of coastal wetlands, the danger of algal blooms and a deep dive into lake sturgeon. This experience is targeted for 6-8th grade, but is certainly not limited to this age group. Preview the videos on the site to… learn more

Natural & Built Environments
This video contrasts natural and built environments in the Philippines. learn more

Nature Lab
Nature is the fantastic factory that makes the building blocks of all our lives—food, drinking water, the stuff we own, and the air we breathe. The Nature Conservancy has created Nature Lab to help students learn the science behind how nature works and how we can help keep it running strong. While focusing more on… learn more

Ten-Minute Field Trips
Helen Ross Russell has written Ten-Minute Field Trips. A Teacher's Guide to Using the Schoolgrounds for Environmental Studies to help teachers learn with their students and discover the advantages of using their own school ground for field trips. This book is available as a free download. Since every school ground is different and since all… learn more

The Difference Between Natural & Built Environments
This short video shows the difference between natural and built and explains why we build. learn more

The Earth Times
The Earth Times is a not-for-profit publication. The contents are edited daily. learn more

United Nations Resources
The United Nations maintains a list of conventions, workshops, seminars and training programmes on environmental education. For each event, an overview and links for more information are provided. See what environmental education looks like outside the U.S. learn more