Search results

After the burn

In Forests and fires: The longleaf pine savanna, page 11

Figure 10 shows the forest after the controlled burn illustrated in Figures 8 and 9. There are now signs of wire grasses here because the stems have been burned, but the roots and rhizomes are alive and well under the soil surface. Look back at

By Dirk Frankenberg.

Biomagnification and bald eagles

In this activity, students will study biomagnification by using paper cutouts to represent food containing chemicals eaten by fish. The students will then repeat this activity but as an eagle collecting fish. The amount of chemicals taken in by each eagle will then be compared to amounts taken in by each fish.

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 Science)

By Elizabeth Caveny, Janet Carson, Heather Subleski, and Jeannie Galluzzo.

Why does the Piedmont have so much clay and how is it used?

In Clays of the Piedmont: Origins, recovery, and use, page 2

North Carolina's Piedmont has so much clay because clay is, quite literally, “common as dirt.” Seventy-five percent of the earth's surface is composed of silica (SiO2) and aluminia (Al2O3), the primary ingredients...

By Dirk Frankenberg.

Spraying plants

A 4-H club member is seen spraying chemicals on the crops of the Tew family farm. He has a chemical tank in his left hand and in his right is the sprayer. He looks down as he sprays. The t-shirt he is wearing has the 4-H logo on it.

Format: image/article

Superfund in science class

In Bringing current science into the classroom, page 2

Four Web-based activities let students identify Superfund sites, define hazardous waste, see how aquifers work, and explore cleanup solutions.

By Michele Kloda.

A case study of "A Civil Action"

In Bringing current science into the classroom, page 3

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 lawyer, Jan Schlichtmann, try the case.

Format: (grade 9–12 Science)

By Michele Kloda.

An old mine structure in Death Valley, CA

This is an old mine structure in Death Valley National Park, California. It is surrounded by grass and some wooden debris. The park has temporarily closed off access to many of the historic mine sites due to the instability of the ground surrounding them,...

Format: image/photograph

National Institute of Environmental Health

Tour the National institute of Environmental Health campus in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina and learn about environmental health as well as career options for those who are interested in going into the field of biomedical research.

Format: article/field trip opportunity

Alcohol and other drugs

This lesson addresses the harmful effects of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs on a young person's body. It also covers the primary reasons why students try illicit drugs.

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 Guidance)

By Tina Hartig.

Maintaining safe water: Whose job is it?

In CareerStart lessons: Grade eight, page 5.3

In this lesson plan, students learn about careers that are involved in maintaining water quality.

Format: lesson plan (grade 8 Science)

By Tammy Johnson and Martha Tedrow.

Types of chemical reactions

This lesson is intended for use in a first year Chemistry class and has modifications aligned with the North Carolina Novice High English Language Development objectives. It provides an overview of various types of chemical reactions by allowing students to visually observe examples of synthesis, decomposition, single displacement, and double displacement reactions and to identify certain products by the use of litmus and splint tests.

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 English Language Development and Science)

By Harriett Tillett.

Forensic scientists: Identifying unknown substances

In CareerStart lessons: Grade eight, page 5.10

In this lesson, students use the physical properties of three mystery substances to determine their identities. Students discuss how these skills apply to careers in forensic science.

Format: lesson plan (grade 8 Science)

By Tammy Johnson and Martha Tedrow.

Tobacco farming the old way

In North Carolina in the New South, page 1.8

From about 1880 until the 1950s, tobacco farming was extremely labor-intensive and relied on hand work and animal power. This article explains the process of growing tobacco for market "the old way."

Format: article

From the North Carolina Gold-Mine Company

In North Carolina in the New Nation, page 6.3

An 1806 report on North Carolina's gold mining region, including notes on geology and a description of the early work of mining. Includes historical commentary.

Format: book

Commentary and sidebar notes by L. Maren Wood.

We all live downstream

This lesson uses the North American Streamside exhibit of the North Carolina Zoological Park as an inquiry-based starting point for a stream ecology study.

Format: lesson plan (grade 8 Science)

By Eddie Hamblin.

Vietnam: Educator's guide

A guide for K–12 teachers to teaching about Vietnam using LEARN NC's slideshows, with a focus on the question Why should we care about Vietnam?

Format: article/teacher's guide (grade 6–12 Social Studies)

By Steve Goldberg.

Estuaries in North Carolina: A primer

Estuaries are places near the coast where freshwater and saltwater mix. Influenced by ocean forces yet partly sheltered from them, estuaries have unique and fascinating ecologies. This article explains what estuaries are, their geology and role in the larger...

By Waverly Harrell and Jennifer Godwin-Wyer.

Resources on the web

Tox Town

Learn about environmental health concerns in urban and rural settings. (Learn more)

Format: website/activity

Provided by: National Library of Medicine

Learn About Chemicals Around Your House

Learn more about the chemicals in your home including ingredients, what is dangerous, and how to deal with accidents involving household products. (Learn more)

Format: website/activity

Provided by: Envirnmental Protection Agency

Toxicology and living systems

This Science NetLinks lesson is part of a three-part series on toxicology, the scientific study of poisons and their affect on biological systems. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–11 Science)

Provided by: American Association for the Advancement of Science