Once the function of an outdoor educational facility has been determined, a site inventory should examine the site's physical characteristics, soil types, vegetation, water resources, and wildlife. Provides suggestions on maximizing usage of the site while minimizing detrimental effects of site development and long-term environmental damage. (LP)

The energy policies of four emerging democratic governments in Eastern Europe are individually profiled with respect to the challenge of producing more electrical energy, while creating less pollution and cleaning up the existing environmental disorder. Highlighted is the possible change from the burning of lignite coal to use of nuclear reactors.…

Examines Polish students' (n=101) attitudes toward environmental threats. Finds that males and females, treatment and control groups, and students from different high schools ranked the top three threats based more on personal experience than on whether they had taken environmental-protection classes in school. Contains 26 references. (Author/WRM)

Introduces a germination bag activity in which students investigate the questions: (1) Why is soil brown? and (2) How do roots know when a plant has enough water? Uses scientific journals and posters for student evaluation. (YDS)

Community outreach and education at the Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center (University of Arizona, Tucson) features a Web site on toxicology and environmental health with resources for secondary teachers and students, an integrated high school curriculum with an environmental health sciences theme, teacher workshops, outreach to…

Presents four elementary hands-on science activities that highlight animal adaptation (how birds' beaks are adapted to suit their habitats), the water cycle (how nature cleans rainwater that seeps into the ground), aquatic ecosystems (changes over time in an aquatic habitat), and animal habitats (all living beings' need for food, water, shelter,…

Five years ago when the author worked during the summer at the chemical company W.R. Grace, he, along with his colleague Walt Dutton, developed a plan to make science relevant for his students. Their plan consisted of developing a partnership between W.R. Grace and the high school where he teaches chemistry and biology. In this article, the author…

This article describes how a biology teacher's search for a cross-curricular project in science, math, history, and environmental science, that would help her students connect what they were learning in the classroom to their everyday life, resulted in an ongoing stewardship project. Working together with the Louisiana Sea Grant College Program…

A Learning Support System (LSS) that emphasizes experiential research in natural environments using the cutting-edge technologies of GIS and multimedia has been developed for teaching environmental literacy to undergraduate students at the University of Georgia. Computers are used as cognitive tools to create a context in which students become…

This study explores seventh graders' use of inscriptions in a teacher-designed project-based science unit. To investigate students' learning practices during the 8-month water quality unit, we collected multiple sources of data (e.g., classroom video recordings, student artifacts, and teacher interviews) and employed analytical methods that drew…

Inquiry can be implemented in various ways, ranging from simple classroom discussions to longterm research projects. In this article, the authors developed a project in which high school students were introduced to the nature and process of scientific discovery through a two-week guided inquiry unit on "limnology"--the study of fresh water, which…

International experiential learning projects have increased in popularity over recent years, and many of these projects focus on environmental topics in the developing world. An experimental course in International Groundwater Studies was developed to bridge the gap between extracurricular service type programs and academically-based study abroad…

This curriculum guide is the fourth (Series V) in a six-volume set that comprises the Sea Week Curriculum Series developed in Alaska. Twelve units contain 45 activities with worksheets that cover the following topics: (1) bird lists and field guides; (2) definitions of a bird; (3) parts of a bird; (4) bird watching; (5) bird migration; (6) wetland…

Even though the condition of the planet is a serious subject, becoming ecologically aware and active can be fun. This workbook provides ecologically conscious-raising activities that children can do at home or with others. A series of worksheets guides students through eight activities including: (1) assessing community resources and environmental…

This curriculum consists of a Teacher's Guide and a series of 12 instructional modules, that are centered around concepts important in the study of national resource science. The modules are designed to supplement textbooks with activities for students in primary and middle grades (K-8). The titles of the modules are: (1) Natural History of a…