Science

This lesson examines temperature data over ten years.  Students use a statistical analysis technique, the moving average, to search for meaningful trends in the raw temperature data.

In this lesson, students analyze the chemical concentrations in ice core field data from the U.S. International Trans-Antarctic Scientific Expedition (ITASE).  The chemical concentrations are graphed and then examined to determine what the data indicates about past climatic activity and events.  The connection between the chemical composition of ice and the environment is also explored.

This lesson is correlated to National Science and Mathematics content standards.

In this lesson plan students become dendrochronologists - tree ring scientists. The lesson introduces Methuselah, an ancient bristlecone pine that has lived more than 4,600 years. Students learn how scientists determine the age of living and non-living trees through a hands-on activity comparing paper versions of tree rings with each other.  Tree rings vary in thickness due to water availability in a growing season.  This lesson can easily link up with both climate and water lessons.

This lesson is correlated to National Science content standards.

Students personify ecology vocabulary and write a one-act play using their knowledge of ecology as the basis for characters, conflict, setting and plot.

This activity is correlated to National Language Arts content standards.

In this interactive and multi-disciplinary lesson, students learn about all aspects of forest fires: what they are, what causes them, how they affect the environment, and how it is used by man. Students will learn the answers to these questions by looking at a variety of data sources from real-time data to case studies. Along the way, they will record their findings in a project journal. Once students have completed their research, they will formulate their own opinions about the use of controlled burning, and also identify areas at-risk for forest fires.

The cougar has returned from the brink of extinction, and its increasing presence is a source of both wonder and concern. The combination of spreading urbanization and successful cougar conservation efforts has resulted in an increase in human-cougar encounters, sometimes with negative consequences to both. In this lesson, students use a problem-based approach to determine whether it is possible for humans and cougars to live side-by-side in a mutually beneficial relationship.

This lesson is correlated to National Language Arts and Science content standards.

In this lesson, students use a problem-based approach to study the question of whether there is one ecosystem in Big Sur that is more important than all the others. Students watch Living Edens: Big Sur, and explore the hypothetical question: If, because of a budget crisis, the California state government must drastically cut aid to environmental protection of Big Sur, which ecosystem -- ocean, seashore, forest, or mountain -- should be considered the most important and get the greatest share of the limited funds?

This 250-page activity guide is designed to raise the awareness and understanding of water quality topics and issues. Materials are provided by Project Wet.

The materials are designed to address national science standards through interactive activities.

These materials are only available through a training workshop. Workshops can be scheduled by contacting healthywater@projectwet.org.