Lesson Plans

Alternative Energies -- Show your students that energy can be found in the sun, the wind, the heat of the Earth and even the atoms of our bodies. In this lesson, students research alternative energy sources, reflect on the validity of Internet resources, and create a PowerPoint.
Subject(s): Science, Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 9, 10, 11, 12

And Justice for All? -- Environmental justice seeks to remedy environmental racism.
Subject(s): Health, Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 9, 10, 11, 12

The Breathtaking Nature of the Urban Explosion, Part 1 - The focus of this lesson is the environmental health consequences of urban explosion. Students engage in a WebQuest produced for this lesson, to examine different cities and their conditions, eventually focusing on the Baltimore-Washington area.
Subject(s): Educational Technology, Health, Mathematics, Science
Grade Level(s): 9, 10, 11, 12

The Breathtaking Nature of the Urban Explosion, Part 4 -- The laboratory investigations in this lesson will foster student understanding of asthma by explaining the anatomy and physiology of the respiratory system.
Subject(s): Educational Technology, Health, Mathematics, Science
Grade Level(s): 9, 10, 11, 12

Cancer City USA -- There is a neighborhood with a high incidence of cancer; is it due to simple statistical averages or to an environmental carcinogen?
Subject(s): Mathematics, Science, Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 9, 10, 11, 12

Cancer in My Classroom I -- What is cancer and how is it caused? Introduce students to the world of cell biology, and how cancer evolved from a malfunction of the cell cycle using this lesson plan.
Subject(s): Language Arts, Mathematics, Science
Grade Level(s): 6, 7, 8

Chemical Controversy -- The endocrine system is a collection of glands that secrete chemical messages we call hormones. These hormones send messages to different parts of the body, including the reproductive system.
Subject(s): Health, Language Arts, Science
Grade Level(s): 10, 11, 12

Could There Be Cancer in My Classroom? Part II -- Tanya has been very tired recently and is suffering from nosebleeds. Have your class play doctor and study her symptoms to determine what kind of cancer Tanya has and how it can be treated.
Subject(s): Science
Grade Level(s): 6, 7, 8

Don't Sit So Close to the TV -- Can cell phones give you cancer? Explore the controversy surrounding electromagnetic fields using this lesson plan, involving both student research and experimentation measuring EMF fields.
Subject(s): Mathematics, Science
Grade Level(s): 6, 7, 8

Every Breath You Take -- What is in the air we breathe? In this lesson, students examine particulate matter collected from the air using petri dishes and learn about the respiratory system.
Subject(s): Mathematics, Science
Grade Level(s): 6, 7, 8

Evolution and Cancer -- How do doctors use evolutionary medicine to treat cancers? Have your students investigate the origins and causes of breast cancer via a WebQuest in this lesson plan.
Subject(s): Language Arts, Science, Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 9, 10, 11, 12

Evolution and Ovarian & Breast Cancers -- How does estrogen affect a woman’s chances of contracting breast or ovarian cancer? In this lesson plan, students are introduced to evolutionary medicine and undertake a WebQuest in search of information on breast and ovarian cancer.

Getting to Know the Chesapeake Bay Watershed -- This Xpeditions lesson, which uses the Chesapeake Bay as a model, focuses on how the sciences can identify clues about the health of the environment.
Subject(s): Science, Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 1, 2

Health Indicators in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed -- This Xpeditions lesson focuses on how the sciences can identify clues about the health of the environment and the ways in which geography can help make connections between human actions and environmental conditions.
Subject(s): Science, Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 6, 7, 8

I'm a Survivor - Part 2 -- What does it mean to be a survivor? In this second part of a two-part lesson, students discuss the novel Death Be Not Proud by John Gunther.
Subject(s): Health, Language Arts, Science
Grade Level(s): 9, 10, 11, 12

It's a bright and beautiful day...Protect Yourself! -- Students will explore a series of events that have occurred over several decades and hypothesize about their effect on the increase in the number of skin cancer cases.
Subject(s): Health, Science
Grade Level(s): 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

It's Getting Hot out Here! Should I be concerned? (Climate Change) -- Global warming refers to an average increase in the Earth's temperature, which in turn causes changes in climate. A warmer Earth may lead to changes in rainfall patterns, a rise in sea level, and a wide range of impacts on plants, wildlife, and humans.
Subject(s): Health, Science
6, 7, 8

Mitosis Run Amuck -- Why do patients undergoing chemotherapy lose their hair and feel nauseous? Discover the answer as you explore cancer treatments and their relation to the cell cycle with your class using this lesson plan
Subject(s): Science
Grade Level(s): 6, 7, 8

Nicotine, A Whistle-Blower, and the FDA -- Why do tobacco companies continue to sell cigarettes if they know they are bad for our health? Explore this controversy with your students by viewing excerpts from “The Insider” movie, examining the health issues with smoking and the role of lobbyist.
Subject(s): Health, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 9, 10, 11, 12

Organic Mechanic: Part I -- How many pesticides have you ingested today? Introduce your students to the concept that an apple isn’t always just an apple using this first part of a two-part lesson plan that covers the effects of pesticides on people
Subject(s): Mathematics, Science
Grade Level(s): 6, 7, 8

Organic Mechanic II -- How can farmers control pests without using pesticide? Explore the modern idea of organic farming with your class using this second part of a two-part lesson plan, which has students plan their own gardens.
Subject(s): Language Arts, Mathematics, Science
Grade Level(s): 6, 7, 8

Ovarian Cancer Simulation: Computer Generated Simulation of an Ovarian Tumor -- Let your students play doctor and examine the effectiveness of various chemotherapy treatments on an ovarian tumor! Using a computer simulation, students will learn the biological principles of evolution and cancer.
Subject(s): Language Arts, Science
Grade Level(s): 9, 10, 11, 12

Piecing Together Our Community: Breast Cancer Survival -- Has your life been touched by a breast cancer survivor? In this lesson plan, students learn the basics about breast cancer, learn to create a PowerPoint presentation, and a make a quilt in honor of those in their lives who have survived breast cancer.
Subject(s): Health, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 6, 7, 8

The Price of Beauty: What you don't know might hurt you -- In this lesson, students will learn about cosmetic safety issues and concerns raised mostly by advocacy groups. Through guided Internet research, they will learn that the products they use regularly may actually contain potentially harmful ingredients.
Subject(s): Health, Science
Grade Level(s): 9, 10, 11, 12

A Primer of Evolutionary Medicine -- How did modern day diseases, such as cancer, evolve? Explore this question and its ramifications on disease treatments with this lesson plan in which students conduct Internet research on evolutionary medicine.
Subject(s): Language Arts, Science, Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 9, 10, 11, 12

Sadako: A Tribute to a Girl With Cancer -- There is an old Japanese fable that if you fold a thousand paper cranes, the gods will heal you. Read the story of Sadako, a Japanese girl who contracted leukemia due to radiation poisoning from the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
Subject(s): Arts, Language Arts, Science
Grade Level(s): 5, 6, 7, 8

Seeking Justice -- Who bears the burden of pollution? Does this vary from community to community? Find out in this high school environmental justice and geography lesson.
Subject(s): Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 9, 10, 11, 12

The Size of Knowledge -- Almost everyone knows at least one person who has been treated for breast cancer. Statistics compiled by the National Cancer Institute state that breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among American women, which makes it hard to ignore.
Subject(s): Health, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 9, 10, 11, 12

Survival of the Unfittest - Detecting a Cancer Risk Factor, Part I -- Are certain families predisposed to breast cancer? In this first part of a two-part lesson, students investigate the causes of various forms of cancer and build webpages to convey their research.
Subject(s): Health, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 6, 7, 8

Survival of the Unfittest - Detecting a Cancer Risk Factor, Part II -- Can a criminal be convicted by DNA fingerprinting? In this second part of a two-part lesson, students are introduced to DNA profiling, both in the criminal and medical settings, and discuss the ethics of disease screening.
Subject(s): Health, Language Arts, Science
Grade Level(s): 6, 7, 8

Sweet or Unsweet? -- Are sugar substitutes safe for your health? Have your class investigate the controversy surrounding the possible carcinogen properties of saccharin and aspartame while learning how to evaluate Internet resources.
Subject(s): Science
Grade Level(s): 6, 7, 8

To Ban or Not to Ban -- Should smoking be banned in restaurants? Have your students role-play different groups of people involved in the controversy and develop an opinion of their own using this lesson plan.
Subject(s): Health, Language Arts, Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 9, 10

To Test or Not to Test - an Ethical Question -- Would you want to know if you had a genetic disease? Students explore the basics of ethics in this lesson plan that examines the controversies surrounding genetics testing.
Subject(s): Language Arts, Science
Grade Level(s): 6, 7, 8

We Auto Save Energy -- Our country has become more and more dependent upon non-renewable fossil fuels, most notably through the consumption of gasoline. We are a society of drivers and those waiting or wanting to be drivers.
Subject(s): Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 4, 5, 6

What Can We Learn from the Chesapeake Bay Watershed? -- This Xpeditions lesson, which uses the Chesapeake Bay as a model, focuses on identifying clues about the health of the environment and how human actions can affect environmental conditions.
Subject(s): Science, Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 3, 4, 5

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Activities

 Air Pollution- Yuck!! -- What air pollutants can be found in our own homes? In this activity, students will learn about indoor and outdoor air pollution, and consider what they can do to reduce pollutants in their home.
Subject(s): Science
Grade Level(s): 3, 4

Breathing and Asthma -- What is asthma and how can it be treated? In this activity, students learn about the respiratory system and the effects and treatment of asthma.
Subject(s): Health, Science
Grade Level(s): 6, 7, 8

Dirty Water -- This activity introduces students to the concept of water quality and the impact they have on it. After learning about water quality in general, students work in teams to research specific sources of pollution and ways to decrease pollution.
Subject(s): Educational Technology, Language Arts, Science
Grade Level(s): 6, 7, 8

Lead & Children: Toxic Exposure! -- This student activity intoduces middle school students to the public health issue of lead poisoning and its effects on children.
Subject(s): Health, Language Arts
Grade Level(s): 6, 7, 8

Toxicology? What's That? -- This learning activity serves as a basic introduction to the science of toxicology and the role of toxicologists.
Subject(s): Health, Science
Grade Level(s): 6, 7, 8

Water Reclamation Plant -- Where does water go after it goes down the drain? In this activity, students examine the water reclamation process and its influence on our daily lives.
Subject(s): Science
Grade Level(s): 3, 4, 5

What You Don’t Know CAN Hurt You! Part 2 -- In this activity students work in collaborative groups using Internet resources to discover the causes, effects and solutions to school indoor air pollution, after which they individually or in their group design a poster advocating for good air quality.
Subject(s): Educational Technology, Health, Language Arts, Science
Grade Level(s): 6, 7, 8

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Video Clips

Air Pollution and the Lungs (RealVideo) and (Windows Media) -- In this video, learn about different causes of air pollution that can cause breathing problems. Outdoor pollution sources include cars, factories, dry cleaners, and gas pumps. Indoor air pollution can come from carpets, home cleaning products, and glues.
Subject(s): Health, Science
Grade Level(s): Kindergarten, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Breathing and Asthma (RealVideo) and (Windows Media) -- This clip looks at human lungs and the breathing process. Learn how air travels through the mouth and into the lungs. Also find out how asthma, one of the most common lung diseases, affects the lungs.
Subject(s): Health, Science
Grade Level(s): Kindergarten, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Cholera Outbreak Part 1 (RealVideo) and (Windows Media) -- In this dramatic clip, Dr. Bennett learns of a cholera outbreak following an oyster roast at a fund-raiser for Earth Watch, a high school news program focused on the environment.
Subject(s): Health, Science
Grade Level(s): 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Cholera Outbreak Part 2 (RealVideo) and (Windows Media) -- Maya and her friends are in the Earth Watch studio attempting to figure out exactly what caused an unusual cholera outbreak in their town.
Subject(s): Health, Science
Grade Level(s): 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Cholera Outbreak Part 3 (RealVideo) and (Windows Media) -- In this segment, students Elena and Drew feel discouraged when they find posters warning against eating at Logan’s Seafood. They realize that Old Man Chapman, a regular fixture at the town’s docks, has not been seen lately. The team puts together clues.
Subject(s): Health, Science
Grade Level(s): 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Cholera Outbreak Part 4 (RealVideo) and (Windows Media) -- This segment features a town meeting where residents meet to talk about the cholera outbreak. Angry residents voice their concerns as Dr. Bennett tries to call the meeting to order.
Subject(s): Health, Science
Grade Level(s): 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Cholera Outbreak Part 5 (RealVideo) and (Windows Media) -- The Earth Watch team finally gets a lead on what caused cholera in their community after Maya notices something on a video Drew taped at the oyster roast.
Subject(s): Health, Science
Grade Level(s): 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Earth Watch: Water 1 (RealVideo) and (Windows Media) -- This clip explores the nature of water and the ways in which becomes contaminated, explaining why you can’t always trust that water that looks clean really is clean.
Subject(s): Health, Science
Grade Level(s): Kindergarten, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Earth Watch: Water 2 (RealVideo) and (Windows Media) -- In this segment, learn how water is cleaned at a water treatment plant. The process includes aeration, the addition of chlorine and alum, sedimentation, and filtration.
Subject(s): Health, Science
Grade Level(s): Kindergarten, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Earth Watch: Water 3 (RealVideo) and (Windows Media) -- This clip explains the stages in the endless water cycle through which all the water available on Earth passes.
Subject(s): Science
Grade Level(s): Kindergarten, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Mine Run-Off (RealVideo) and (Windows Media) -- Maryland ground water is facing a deadly issue: the acidic run-off from streams that run through old coal mines. In this clip, the problem and possible solutions are identified, including one solution that draws its inspiration from ancient Egypt.
Subject(s): Science
Grade Level(s): Kindergarten, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Preventing Lung Illnesses (RealVideo) and (Windows Media) -- In this clip, learn ways to prevent allergies and other illnesses caused by breathing polluted air.
Subject(s): Science
Grade Level(s): Kindergarten, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Using Media in Your Classroom Case Study Environmental Health Part 1 (RealVideo) and (Windows Media) -- In this MPT production, Maryland middle school teachers demonstrate strategies and techniques for using media effectively in the classroom.
Subject(s): Professional Development
Grade Level(s): Kindergarten, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Using Media in Your Classroom Case Study Environmental Health Part 2 (RealVideo) and (Windows Media)-- In this MPT production, Maryland middle school teachers demonstrate strategies and techniques for using media effectively in the classroom.
Subject(s): Professional Development
Grade Level(s): Kindergarten, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Using Media in Your Classroom Case Study Environmental Health Part 3 (RealVideo) and (Windows Media) -- In this MPT production, Maryland middle school teachers demonstrate strategies and techniques for using media effectively in the classroom.
Subject(s): Professional Development
Grade Level(s): Kindergarten, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Using Media in Your Classroom Case Study Environmental Health Part 4 - (Real Video) and (Windows Media) -- In this MPT production, Maryland middle school teachers demonstrate strategies and techniques for using media effectively in the classroom.
Subject(s): Professional Development
Grade Level(s): Kindergarten, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Water Reclamation Plant (RealVideo) and (Windows Media) -- In this segment, Bob the Vid Tech examines wastewater treatment at the Little Patuxent Water Reclamation Plant. Discover what happens to water as well as pollutants such as cooking oil and grease after they go down the drains of homes.
Subject(s): Science
Grade Level(s): Kindergarten, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Wetland Cleanup (RealVideo) and (Windows Media) -- Bob the Vid Tech is on a quest to find out why wetlands are important and how plants keep water clean. In this segment, meet a group of volunteers who protect wetlands by planting trees, testing water quality, and picking up trash.
Subject(s): Science
Grade Level(s): Kindergarten, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

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Tech Tours

Cancer Culprits -- This set of lesson plans guides the middle school student through an inquiry based set of activities focused on leading environmental causes of cancer.
Subject(s): Language Arts, Science

Preventing Lung Illnesses -- Everyone knows somebody with allergies, but what causes them? In this activity, students explore household allergens, such as dust mites and mold.
Subject(s): Science
Grade Level(s): 8

Waste Not! Want Not! -- This TechTour will guide you through a learning experience in which you will investigate solid waste.
Subject(s): Language Arts, Science
Grade Level(s): 4, 5

We've Used Lead for All these Years? -- This activity is designed to illustrate to middle school students the dangers of lead and the ways humans have been using lead throughout history.
Subject(s): Educational Technology, Health, Language Arts, Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 6, 7, 8

What a Fine Mess -- This TechTour guides middle school students through a learning experience where they examine different Hazardous Materials, how they affect our health and the environment, and what they can do to help.
Subject(s): Language Arts, Science

What is it about water? -- What is in the water you drink? Introduce your class to the molecular biology of water and its importance in our lives.
Subject(s): Science
Grade Level(s): 8

What You Don’t Know CAN Hurt You! Part 1 -- In this activity students work in collaborative groups using Internet resources to discover the causes, effects and solutions to home indoor air pollution, after which they produce graphic organizer using Inspiration software.
Subject(s): Educational Technology, Health, Language Arts, Science
Grade Level(s): 6, 7, 8

What's in Your Water? -- This TechTour guides students through a learning experience in which they investigate the water quality of the Chesapeake Bay with an emphasis on plants and animals.
Subject(s): Language Arts, Science

Online Field Trip

EnviroMysteries -- Asthma, mold, air pollution, indoor air pollution, respiratory system, mystery, science, environmental health, health Asthma. Rising cancer rates. Viruses we have never heard of before. Just a few of the incredibly complex health problems that confront ...

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