Learning Activities

In this interactive lesson, students will use kinesthetic techniques to model Earth's orbit around the Sun for a year. In this activity students will understand the astronomical meaning of an earth year, and learn the difference between a rotation and an orbit.

In this lesson set, students begin unpacking the complex aspects of climate change by analyzing the global impacts of extreme weather events. After that, they narrow their focus through various national, regional, and community lenses. By examining these different levels of climate impact, students more accurately assess the relationship between severe weather events and current climate trends, as well as design potential mitigation solutions for the future of their community.

This lesson plan is the second in a series of 6 modules on climate change. This lesson plan defines common vocabulary such as model, trend, projection, prediction, weather, and climate. Students will practice scientific skills like graphing, interpreting graphs, and evaluating models to understand how climate data and models are created, interpreted, and refined. The lessons guide students through the analysis of real-world climate data to understand how scientists generate models and make projections. Students will understand how climate modeling has evolved over time and that different models have varying degrees of accuracy.

This activity is the last part in a series called 'Our Hungry Planet.' Students will use their understanding of food systems to choose a topic related to food system issues at different scales (classroom, school, city, extracurricular groups) and then design a solution.

Carbon cycle activity to demonstrate how carbon moves throughout the atmosphere. The activity ends with a discussion of how humans impact the carbon cycle.

In this resource, students will investigate impacts of a warming climate on sugar maple and paper birch, two trees of special importance to the Lake Superior Ojibwe. Making maple sugar and harvesting birch bark are cultural practices that occur in the spring. As students work through this unit, they will consider how climate change is affecting the sustainability of these tree species and the activities and traditions they may enjoy.

In this activity, students will investigate impacts of a warming climate on cold and cool water fish species in Wisconsin. They will also explore how fishing is an important source of food and cultural practice for the Lake Superior Ojibwe. Students are encouraged to consider how climate change can affect culture and design a project to take action.

This video provides entertaining animations about the similarities and differences between weather and climate. It is very simple and fast. References are provided at the end of the video.

This kinesthetic activity demonstrates to students that the earth's tilt is what is responsible for shifting light patterns and the change in seasons. In this activity students will learn that the Earth is tilted on a consistent axis and know the reason why the length of days differs throughout the year.

This lesson will help students understand water use in food production and ways to use less water.