A case study of "A Civil Action"
This is a short, culminating activity that can be used to assess your students' understanding of the steps needed to determine if a water source is contaminated and how it got that way, and to suggest possible methods of cleanup or remediation. Students review a portion of the film "A Civil Action" and identify the problem and the people involved. Students then take the role of environmental scientist and apply their knowledge of water and hazardous waste contamination to create a plan to help l
Congressional Briefing: WASH in Schools in Developing Countries
Experts discuss the assessment of environmental standards at water sanitation facilities.
Tree Identification
In this video from the WPSU’s series Outside, a staff member at Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center at Penn State University explains how being able to identify trees can make a winter walk through the woods more enjoyable. First, you can classify a tree into one of two groups: a conifer that holds its leaves or needles year round, or a deciduous tree that drops leaves annually. Next, observe each tree's characteristics: the type of bark, the branching pattern of a twig, the shape of a bud,
Recycling : How and Where Is Glass Recycled?
After being taken to a storage location, recycled glass is taken to a glass re-manufacturing facility, where it is crushed and sorted by color. Discover how recycled glass is melted and remade with help from a solid waste planning engineer and recycling program coordinator in this video on glass recycling.
Lynn Bestul is the solid waste planning engineer and recycling program coordinator for the New Hanover Department of Environmental Management in Wilmington, N.C.
Filmmaker:
Turtle Defenses
In this video from the WPSU’s series Outside, a staff member from Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center at Penn State University explains how some species of turtle protect themselves in their environment. Turtles, like many other species, are facing obstacles that threaten their survival. Some of these obstacles have threatened turtle survival for centuries, while others have emerged more recently and are caused by human activities. Closed captioning included. Run time 02:32.
Biomes Interactive Site
The distribution of plants and animals around the world is anything but random. Instead, it is a result of the interplay of individual environmental tolerances of species and the environmental conditions, especially variations in temperature and precipitation. These interactions result in biomes, the categories into which ecologists organize similar communities of plants, animals, and the environmental conditions in which they live. This interactive resource adapted from NASA features some of th
Chemicals, the Environment, and You
provides lessons for learning about the relationship between chemicals in the environment and human health. Topics include the science of toxicology, dose-response relationships, individual susceptibility, risk assessment, and environmental hazards. Students are introduced to the ever-changing nature of our understanding of how chemicals influence the health of living organisms.
Jack Johnson: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - 3 R Song
"Three is a magic number." The students of Sunset Beach Elementary School sing along with Jack Johnson in a group rendition of 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.' Environmental education is crucial to the preservation of Hawaii - and the planet.
Environmental Attorney Career
Explains the importance of environmental attorneys in protecting the environment by making the government enforce environmental law. Tells what is required of environmental attorneys in their daily jobs. Color video with sound. 3:12 min.
Climb the Green Ladder: how sustainability can make you and your company more successful
What strategies can individuals within organisations use to make their organisation more successful and sustainable? Ed Gillespie is the co-founder and creative director of Futerra Sustainability Communications. Futerra arose from the frustration of its co-founders, in the late 1990’s, with the unsophisticated communications around sustainable development, and the dull and worthy messaging of corporate social responsibility. Supported by a grant from the National Endowment for Science, Technol
M.C. Mehta Part 1 of 2
M.C. Mehta is one of India's foremost environmental lawyers. Mehta is a crusader for India's environment, leading the legal fight to clean up
the Ganges, save the Taj Mahal from acid rain, and prevent industrial
companies from polluting ground water. Join Charles Annenberg Weingarten in this fascinating talk with Mehta.
The Life of a Tree
In this interactive activity adapted from the National Arbor Day Foundation, explore the intricate life of a tree. The trunk of a tree functions as both a supporting structure and a pathway, transporting food down from the photosynthesizing leaves and conducting water and minerals up from the roots. Look inside a tree to learn about the xylem, cambium, and phloem, and to see how the tree's rings provide a record of the environmental factors that affected its growth and life cycle.
Backyard Birdfeeders
In this video from WPSU’s Outside, a staff member at Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center at Penn State University provides tips on backyard bird feeding during the winter. Topics include the selection, placement, and cleaning of feeders. To attract birds for viewing, and to contribute to their welfare, it is important to understand their needs and behaviors. Placing a bird feeder close to a window will prevent collisions with glass. Offering seeds and suet can provide birds with the energy t
Pelicans
Ecologists snatch and band pelican chicks so they can monitor the pelican colony's health in this movie. The short video clip discusses how the pelican population is struggling because their natural habitat is disappearing and other environmental issues. The video could also be used with a lesson about endangered species and/or how humans are affecting animal habitats and populations. Run time 02:37.
Population: State of the Earth
In 2006 the human population pushed past 6.5 billion. Every minute, 153 people are born, leading to possibly deadly consequences. This movie discuses the environmental impact the growing population has. Also, learn what we can do like cutting down on our carbon footprint, using bio gas, walking instead of driving, and consuming less. Run time 04:11.
Antarctica: A Challenging Work Day
For many scientists, having the opportunity to work in Antarctica is a dream come true. Its remoteness and extreme environment make it, arguably, the most untouched region on the planet. Today, more than 20 nations maintain research facilities there under a treaty that dedicates the entire continent to peaceful scientific investigation. In this video segment adapted from NOVA, see how the members of one research team cope with the inhospitable climate and other environmental hazards during their
4.645 Selected Topics in Architecture: Architecture from 1750 to the Present (MIT)
This class is a general study of modern architecture as a response to important technological, cultural, environmental, aesthetic, and theoretical challenges after the European Enlightenment. It focuses on the theoretical, historiographic, and design approaches to architectural problems encountered in the age of industrial and post-industrial expansion across the globe, with specific attention to the dominance of European modernism in setting the agenda for the discourse of a global modernity at
Volcano Eruptions : How Often Do Volcanoes Erupt?
Volcanoes can erupt only once, but other volcanoes, such as Kilauea, can erupt continuously for almost 30 years. Discover how those who study volcanoes define active volcanoes with help from the chair of a department of environmental studies in this video on volcano eruptions.
Expert: Jack Hall
Bio: Dr. Jack Hall is the department chair in the department of environmental studies at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
Filmmaker: Rendered Communications
Organic Chemistry 16
In this video, the instructor, 'Chemguy', discusses polymers and some environmental issues with organic compounds. This video is suitable for high school chemistry students.
Exploring Wisconsin Our Home-Interacting With Our Environment
Interacting with Our Environment - The interaction between people and the environment is the focus of this program. It will show the fragility of both humans and the environment, how people use the environment to sustain life, and the mutually dependent relationship between people and the land. Over time, the Wisconsin environment has undergone many changes. Once, most environmental changes were caused by natural phenomena. Today, most are caused by people. This program will help students
