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Cultural Connections for Species at Risk
In the face of habitat loss and pollution, more species around the world are threatened by extinction. But how should conservation resources be allocated? In this activity, students will debate whether the allocation of conservation resources should consider the cultural significance of a species.
Cascading effects of erosion
Students will discuss a disastrous event that led to erosion and use the event to contextualize the impact of erosion on humans and the ways humans increase and decrease erosion.
Learning Outcomes: Determining examples of erosion and its positive and negative impacts on humans and analyzing an example of a human-induced ecosystem disruption and understanding how it caused erosion in the ecosystem over time.
Why soils in marshes matter
Students will answer questions about the online Science News article “The Deepwater Horizon oil spill ruined long-term shore stability,” which explains how damage to plants and soils is causing coastal marshes to retreat in parts of Louisiana. A version of the article, “Shores still reeling from 2010 oil spill,” appears in the March 25, 2023 issue of Science News.
Curbing Climate Change
The emissions of greenhouse gases through human activities are changing the world and making it warmer. But there are technologies and strategies that can reduce these emissions and slow climate change. In this activity, students will research methods of reducing carbon dioxide production and removing carbon from the atmosphere and present on their findings.

The Road to Net-Zero
Human activities pump a lot of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and those emissions are driving climate change. In this guide, students will review greenhouse gases and their sources and learn about ways to reduce emissions.
Diagram the way to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions
Students will review, discuss and diagram atmospheric greenhouse gases and their impact on Earth. Then students will analyze a graph to begin thinking about what it will take to achieve net-zero emissions. Learning Outcomes: Reviewing greenhouses gases and their impact on Earth, diagramming human impact, understanding the idea of net-zero emissions.

Human Population Hits a Milestone
The world population has reached 8 billion people, according to the United Nations. In this guide, students will learn about how the human population has grown over time and how it is projected to grow in the future, then analyze a graph of world population data. In a quick activity, students will think about how a growing human population might impact various industries and how changes at the national or international level might help those industries support a larger population.
Preparing for population growth
In this quick activity, students will brainstorm the effects of population growth on industries such as agriculture and medicine, then will work collaboratively to come up with changes at the national or international level that will help those industries support the growing population.
Graphing global population trends
Students will explore a graphic representation of trends in the size of the global human population and analyze the importance and implications of projected data.
The human population sets a new record
Students will answer questions about the Science News article “The world population has now reached 8 billion,” which explores trends in human population growth. A version of the article, “Human population hits a milestone,” appears in the December 17, 2022 & December 31, 2022 issue of Science News.

How Much Heat Can We Handle?
Summers are getting hotter. Use this guide to help students explore the science of heat and its effects on the body, and then apply what they learn through diagramming.
Spread the word
In this quick activity, students will create a social media post to raise awareness of a public health issue. They will consider how to craft an engaging message that communicates the issue while also appealing to the public.