Learner Centered Activities and Lessons

Exploring population pyramids, demographic transition model, and human population growth. The goal of this activity is to engage students in an interactive exploration of the topic using Google Document features and external links to resources and videos to support essential concepts. All images are connected to the original source to learn more. The activity is designed to be collaborative, but can be completed in small groups, as a whole class activity, or individually. Students will:Define

This is an interactive Google Document that includes tabs and interactive features. The goal of this activity is to engage students in the exploration of the original Lorax TV Special (1972 - YouTube) It could also be adapted to the book. (A pdf link is included) or 2012 movie.Topics connected in this activity.  Reflection on the story and charactersTragedy of the CommonsIPATEcological FootprintsLand EthicEnvironmental WorldviewsForestryUrbanizationSustainabilityPublic Lands

Objective: Explore Survivorship Curves and Carrying Capacity Graphs This population studies document first focuses exploring the 3 different survivorship curves. Students will explain the curves based on a survivorship curve graphic. Students will then brainstorm species connected to each type of species loss. The second part of the assignment starts with definitions connected to population growth and then engages students in creating a graph to demonstrate that they can connect the terms Stud

This document contains educational materials for a lesson plan on sustainable cities. It begins with teacher notes, which include the goal of the activity (to teach students about the impacts of urbanization and sustainable solutions), and information on how the activity can be implemented. The student activity explores ways cities can lessen their environmental impact with regard to the water cycle, carbon cycle, and resource consumption. The section on the water cycle discusses how cities disr

Google Slide Deck with 56 graphics connected to quotes about teaching and learning. This can be used as a weekly presentation or the individual slide can be download as graphics

This is a slide deck that has students exploring Sustainability and the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals. This deck explains the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in 2015.The goals are a "blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet" with a target date of 2030.Sustainability is defined as "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."The presentation includes an

This document explores the concepts of r-selected and K-selected species, which represent two contrasting reproductive strategies in the natural world. R-selected species prioritize high reproductive rates and rapid population growth, while K-selected species focus on producing fewer offspring with greater parental care. The document provides key characteristics of each strategy, highlights examples, and emphasizes that many organisms fall somewhere along a spectrum between these two extremes. T

The goal of this activity is to engage students in exploring factors that lead to a decline in biodiversity. In addition to the interactive features the activity includes text,  images, and videos connected to these concepts.  The Endangered Species ActCharacteristics of Species That Make Them More Susceptible to ExtinctionMajor Agreements and Laws Protecting SpeciesThe Sixth Mass ExtinctionIUCN Red List and Listed Species on the Endangered Species ActThe template includes dropdowns and checkbox

Collection of interactive student activities connected to ecological population concepts for environmental studies. Concepts in the eight unique activities are designed to get students exploring the major concepts connected to population demographics and population growth. The activities are editable Google Docs.

The goal of this activity is to engage students in exploring human impacts on biodiversity. In addition to the interactive features the activity includes text,  images, and videos connected to these concepts.  Negative and positive human impacts on biodiversityHIPPCO acronym for biodiversity lossThe Importance of biodiversityEndangered speciesProtecting biodiversityThe template includes dropdown questions and short answer questions. This supports both student engagement and grading of the activi

Students will create an If-Then Adventure Story using Google Slides. Google Slides supports branching links to build a story where different choice lead to different slides. Learning objectives include: Identify and describe the main stages of the water cycle: evaporation, condensation, precipitation, runoff, infiltration, and groundwater storage.Explain how the sun's energy drives the water cycle.Describe the different forms of water found in the water cycle (liquid, solid, gas).Identify the re

A creative way to get students to explore biodiversity and populations while collecting and analyzing data. This could be digital or on paper.Data tables and key concepts are set up for students.Connections are made to population and biodiversity measurement and indexes. Links are included to support calculations and analysis. Activity includes connections to population vocabulary and additional resources. Key Concepts:Community - All of the populations or organisms in a given area.Population -

The goals of this activity: Engage students in using an AI Chatbot to explore threats to Biodiversity. Connections to the HIPPCO Acronym Habitat LossInvasive SpeciesPollutionPopulation (Human)Climate ChangeOverexploitationExplore effective prompt writing for artificial intelligence Chatbots.  The activity recommends ChatGPT, but the AI Chatbot can easily be modified for school approved AI Chatbots including but not limited to Gemini, CoPilot, or OpenAI.Each day models different prompt writing sk

The goal of this activity is to engage students in exploring the climate change using an interactive Google Document. In addition to the interactive features the activity includes text,  images, and videos connected to these concepts.  Climate Change MythsGreenhouse Gasses and Anthropocentric EmissionsConsequences of Climate ChangePositive and Negative Feedback Loops. A formative assessment could be used to introduce this activity. Here is a sample Quizizz connected to Climate Change Myths.  Th

This is a Google Slide Deck with videos, links, graphics, and sections for student responses. This is designed to be a mix of student paced and teacher led discussion but it can be modified in either direction. The questions are opened ended and designed to focus on student exploration. Guiding Questions: How will climate change impact our ability to live and thrive on planet earth? Why should we be worried? What are possible ways that we can reduce our carbon footprints? What global solutions

This document contains educational materials about watersheds and ocean gyres. It consists of two parts. Part 1 focuses on terrestrial freshwater ecosystems and watersheds. It defines watersheds as areas of land that drain water into specific water bodies and provides resources for further learning. The document also explores rivers, providing vocabulary and activities related to river systems. Additionally, it covers erosion and deposition processes in rivers.Part 2 shifts the focus to ocean gy

Objective: Explore the future of sustainable agriculture, food, and farming through videos. Topics include: Regenerative AgricultureWaste to EnergyUrban FarmingPlant Based MeatsVertical FarmingFisheriesAquaculture This is an interactive slide deck with space for students to take notes and create reflections on each video. This can be a whole class activity, done in small groups, or independently. Right now the slide deck is set up for small collaborative groups, but the directions can easily b

This activity is designed to get students interacting with visuals and diagrams connected to plate tectonics. Convergent boundaries can result in the creation of mountains, island arcs, earthquakes, and volcanoes.Divergent boundaries can result in seafloor spreading, rift valleys, volcanoes, and earthquakes.Transform boundaries can result in earthquakes.Maps that show the global distribution of plate boundaries can be used to determine the location of volcanoes, island arcs, earthquakes, hot sp

The goal of this activity is to engage students in the exploration of Energy Use in Residential Homes. Topics Include: Forms of Energy and SourcesLocal Energy Providers (modify for students location)Efficiency & ConservationEco-HomesOff-Grid HomesSmart HomesThe Google Doc template includes dropdowns and checkboxes. This supports both student engagement and grading of the activity by teachers. Students will need to own or edit a copy to use the dropdowns and checkboxes. The activity is designed

In this Interactive Google Document, students will: Define and explain feedback loopsIdentify and differentiate between positive and negative feedback loopsAnalyze real-world examples of feedback loops in natureUnderstand the role of feedback loops in maintaining stability and balance in ecosystemsDefine predator-prey relationships and identify examples of predator-prey pairs.Explain the concept of population dynamics and how predator-prey interactions influence population growth rates.The activ