Students are introduced to the concepts of air pollution and air quality. The three lesson parts focus on the prerequisites for understanding air pollution. First, students use M&Ms to create a pie graph that expresses their understanding of the composition of air. Next, students watch and conduct several simple experiments to develop an understanding of the properties of air (it has mass, it takes up space, it can move, it exerts pressure, it can do work). Finally, students develop awareness and understanding of the daily air quality using the Air Quality Index (AQI) listed in the newspaper. In an associated literacy activity, students explore the environmental history timeline.

Students develop an understanding of the effects of invisible air pollutants with a rubber band and hanger air test and a bean plant experiment. They also learn about methods of reducing invisible air pollutants.

Students write letters as part of an environmental action campaign. They become more aware of global environmental problems and play a part in their solution.

Through an adult-led field trip, students organized into investigation teams catalogue the incidence of plastic debris in different environments. They investigate these plastics according to their type, age, location and other characteristics that might indicate what potential they have for becoming part of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP). Students collect qualitative and quantitative data that may be used to create a Google Earth layer as part of a separate activity that can be completed at a computer lab at school or as homework. The activity is designed as a step on the way to student's creation of their own GIS Google Earth layer. It is, however, possible for the field trip to be a useful learning experience unto itself that does not require this last GIS step.

In a student-led and fairly independent fashion, data collected in the associated field trip activity are organized by student groups to create useful and informative Google Earth maps. Each team creates a map, uses that map to analyze the results, adjusts the map to include the analysis results, and then writes a brief summary of findings. Primarily, questions of fate-and-transport of plastics are are explored. If data was gathered in the field trip but the teacher does not desire to do the mapping activity, then alternative data presentation and analysis methods are suggested.

The aim of this lesson is to introduce the concept of Neutralization and its application in our daily lives. Students are encouraged to construct their knowledge of Neutralization through brainstorming sessions, experiments, and mind mapping. This video lesson presents a series of stories relating to Neutralization—beginning with a story of a girl being cured from a stomach ache with the help of Neutralization. Prerequisites for this lesson are knowledge of the basic concept of Neutralization, chemical equations and the pH indicator scale. The lesson will take about 50 minutes to complete, but you may want to divide into two classes if the activities require more time.

A workbook with student practice problems and concepts that accompanies OA textbook Chemistry and the Environment.

Students experience civil and environmental engineering by planning a housing development in an existing biome, while also protecting the native species that live there. They conduct research, draw plans, make brochures and give presentations, with each team having a member serving as a project manager, civil engineer, environmental engineer and graphic designer. The best designs creatively balance the needs and resources necessary to support both the native species and human infrastructure.

In this activity, students create a book, newspaper or other published work to communicate what they have learned about engineering and the environment.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"The microbial colonization of a newborn’s intestine is a critical step in their development. and environmental factors during and after birth dramatically shape that colonization. Little is known about microbial colonization of infants born at home, outside the highly sanitized hospital environment. and the rate of home births is rapidly increasing in the United States but is still rare in Europe. New research examined the microbiomes of healthy infants born at home or in a hospital. Infants born in a hospital (CS and VAG) had greater microbial richness, or number of species, than infants born at home (HB). Infants born in the hospital via c-section (CS) had decreased Bacteroidetes and Bifidobacterium, along with a higher BMI and W/L during the first 18 months of life than the other groups. Different microbial profiles also had distinct effects on in vitro intestinal and immunological models..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Above ground, plants can seem fairly simple, but below, there is a rich world full of hidden activity. To promote their growth, plants secrete chemicals from their roots that can affect the soil and air around them. This helps them adapt to environmental conditions, stressors, and pathogens. But how these chemicals affect the plants’ microbiota is poorly understood. A recent study evaluated chemical interactions between peanut plants and cassava, which are often co-cultivated. The researchers found that cassava plants produced cyanide, which induced stress in peanut plants. This caused the peanut plants to emit ethylene, a volatile hormone that diffuses through gas and water in the soil. Ehtylene, in turn, attracted specific microbial species that helped to remineralize the soil, ensuring that the peanut plants could increase their yield alongside cassava..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

Dr. TK Joshi from India explains health consequences of working in dusty occupations.