Environmental Studies Lessons: For Grades 5-12

These Environmental Studies Lessons remind us that we live in a beautiful and precious world to inspire learning about the environment. The lessons connect directly with key instruction areas. These resources work well for Earth Day and Earth Month or any time of year. For Grades 5-12.

Additional resources for teaching with these films are available from the Journeys in Film Library.

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Environmental Studies Lessons for STEM Learning, Earth Science, Environmental Science Classes, Climate Studies and more.

Social Studies Educators: If you’re looking for creative ways to bring environmental lessons into your social studies classroom, we recommend: Teaching Climate Change in Social Studies.

Elementary & Middle School Educators: If you’re looking for environmental studies lessons for Grades 3-7, check out our Celebration of Nature Lessons.

Environmental Studies Lessons

Film poser for "Climate Emergency: Feedback Loops", illustrated wit a photo of a solitary blue iceberg in a dark blue sea, in front of a beautiful sunrise.Climate Emergency: Feedback Loops

Five Environmental Science Lessons about feedback loops, forests, permafrost, atmosphere, the albedo effect, and regreening the earth. The regreening lesson includes handouts focused on youth environmental activists and creating a regreening project in your community. For Grades 5-12.

Lessons 1-4: High level science, Grades 11-12 or AP Environmental Studies.

Lesson 5: Grades 7-12.

Rating: Unrated. Learn more about teaching with Climate Emergency: Feedback Loops and where to watch it.

Preview Curriculum Guide

 

Landfill Harmonic

The Environmental Crisis About waste, recycling, water, and community action. Includes 5 handouts. Students will gain an understanding of interdependency of ecosystems and the challenge of waste reduction in a growing world. For Grades 6-10.

Film Rating: PG. Learn more about teaching with Landfill Harmonic and where to watch it.

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Poster for One Strange Rock, showing planet Earth at the center of an helix made of different colorful natural elements the unfurls outward into space.One Strange Rock

The Air We Breathe About anthropogenic climate change and possible solutions. Topics include photosynthesis, the Keeling curve, ice core data, sediment cores, evidence to support climate change, human behavior and lifestyle, and how to raise awareness to promote change. For Grades 11-12 or AP Environmental Studies.

Series Rating: TV-PG. Common Sense Media Rating: 8+. Learn more about teaching with One Strange Rock and where to watch it.

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Film poster for River of Gold. It shows a goldmining operating creating large-scale damage in the Amazon.River of Gold

Our comprehensive curriculum guide emphasizes Environmental Science Lessons. Includes lessons the Hydrological Cycle, the Amazon Region, Rainforest Ecology, Biodiversity of the Amazon Region, Industry and the Environment, and much more. Available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. For Grades 10-12.

Rating: Unrated. Learn more about teaching with River of Gold and where to watch it.

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River of Gold is a project of Amazon Aid Foundation. To find out how to host a screening of the film or how to get more involved with efforts to protect the Amazon, visit their website: https://amazonaid.org/riverofgold/.

 

Film poster for The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind, illustrated with a close-up of the face of a Black boy standing in a field of wheat, his face upturned. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

The Environmental Crisis About climate, desertification, geography, health, equity, and sustainability. Includes 5 handouts. For Grades 11-12 or AP Environmental Studies.

Wind Power: History and Engineering About wind energy. Aligns with Next Gen Science Standards. Includes handouts, standards, and hands-on engineering activities. For Grades 9-12.

Film Rating: TV-PG. CommonSense Media Rating: Ages 12+. Learn more about teacing with The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind and where to watch it.

Preview Lesson 1 Preview Lesson 2

 

Film poster for Youth v Gov, showing a large climate protest. a boy of color rides on another protester's shoulders, raising his fist in the air. Around him are protest signs, including one that says: "See You in Court".Youth v Gov

This film offers valuable opportunities for cross-disciplinary learning. For Grades 7-12.

Lesson 1: Court Procedures (U.S. Government)
Lesson 2: Fossil Fuels and the Environment (English Language Arts, Environmental Science)
Lesson 3: The U.S. Government and the Fossil Fuel Industry (U.S. Government, Economics)
Lesson 4: Climate Close to Home (Environmental Science, English Language Arts, Government)

Film Rating: TV-14. Learn more about teaching with Youth v Gov and where to watch it.

Preview Curriculum Guide 

 

Discussion Guides

Detail from the poster for National Geographic's From The Ashes. It shows the title in bold white letters over plumes of smoke rising from two smokestacks.From the Ashes Discussion Guide – About the history of coal and its impact the environment and community health. It also explores clean energy and features service learning components. For Grades 5-12.

Film Rating: PG. Learn more about teaching with From The Ashes and where to watch it.

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Square film poster for Greener Pastures, showing a brown cow standing in a green field under a cloudy grey sky. The cow looks directly at the viewer.

Greener Pastures Discussion Guide – This guide explores the impact of climate change on food production, family farming, and the lives of individual farmers. For Grades 9-12 and higher education.

Film Rating: unrated. Learn more about teaching with Greener Pastures and where to watch it.

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The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind Discussion Guide – This guide introduces desertification and includes a service learning component. For Grades 5-12.

Film Rating: TV-PG. CommonSense Media Rating: Ages 12+. Learn more about teacing with The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind and where to watch it.

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Detail from the film poster for Youth v Gov, showing a boy of color at a climate protest, his fist upraised. A protest sign over his shoulder says: "See You in Court."Youth v Gov Discussion Guide – Explores Climate Anxiety and Climate Justice, as well as Community Action and Engagement. For Grades 7-12

Film Rating: TV-14. Learn more about teaching with Youth v Gov and where to watch it.

Preview Discussion Guide

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Professional Development Webinars

These webinars support teaching with some of the above resources. They are available free and on-demand via Share My Lesson. Participants receive a certificate of completion for one-hour of Professional Development credit.

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Sustainable Development Goals

Journeys in Film supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more about teaching with UN SDGs. This curriculum guide connects to the following SDGs.

Bright yellow background. 7 in white in upper left hand corner. Affordable and clean energy beside the number. A white sun with a power button on it is the key art in the image.Golden yellow background color. 11 in white in the upper left hand corner. Sustainable Cities and Communities next to the number. White icons of various buildings is the center art on the yellow background.Dark green background color. 13 in the upper left hand corner. Climate Action beside that. Central image on the green background is a white eyeball with what looks like the earth inside of it.

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