Human Impact on the Environment Activities MEGA BUNDLE

This set of human impact on the environment activities engages students with CRITICAL THINKING as they learn how humans have impacted ecosystems around the world. The 12 included resources provide engaging, data-based activities for each of the following topics:

1. Habitat Destruction
2. Overharvested Resources
3. Invasive Species
4. Water Pollution
5. Air Pollution
6. Land Pollution
7. Biomagnification (middle school level)
8. Climate Change Facts and Myths
9. Carbon Dioxide and Temperature
10. Carbon Dioxide Emissions
11. Climate Change’s Effect on Animals
12. Human Use of Natural Resources

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Resource Descriptions:

• Habitat Destruction – Students read a background article about the Amazon rainforest and answer text-dependent questions. Then, they follow instructions that guide them through analyzing different maps of the Amazon. After the map analysis, they use what they have learned to make claims based on evidence about habitat destruction.
• Overharvested Resources – Students read real news articles about 8 overharvested species. As they read, they complete a graphic organizer and answer text-dependent questions.
• Invasive Species – Students read a background article about zebra mussels and their spread in the United States. They then graph the population changes of zebra mussels (invasive species) and swan mussels (native species). At the end, students answer analysis questions and complete a claims-evidence-reasoning question.
• Water Pollution – Eight print-and-go stations are included, each with a different focus. Station cards include text passages to read, data and graphs to analyze, or a map to interpret. As they move through the stations, students answer questions on a corresponding student worksheet.
• Air Pollution – Students practice different skills at each station while learning about different aspects of air pollution. Station cards include text to read, diagrams to analyze, data and graphs to analyze, a map to interpret, and a timeline. Students answer questions on a corresponding worksheet as they move through each station.
• Land Pollution – Students will read an introductory article about landfills, waste-to-energy facilities, composting, and recycling. Then, they graph different sets of waste-related data. Line graphs, pie charts, and bar graphs are included. Students then answer analysis questions based on the data.
• Biomagnification (middle school level) – Students read the engaging article “Flying Cats” about how cats had to be parachuted into Borneo to control rats, all because of DDT (Based on a true story!). Then, they answer text-dependent analysis questions and learn a brief lesson on bioaccumulation and biomagnification as it relates to the article.
• Climate Change Facts and Myths – Includes 15 different “2 Truths and a Lie” cards that cover many aspects of climate change. Pairs or groups of students decide which statement on each card is a lie, learning about climate change myths and truths as they go. When finished, students answer analysis questions from information in the cards.
• Carbon Dioxide and Temperature – Students read a background text about how climate data is collected. Then, they graph two sets of data on pre-labeled graphs. Finally, students answer follow-up questions, including a claims-evidence-reasoning section.
• Carbon Dioxide Emissions – Students read a background text about carbon emissions. Then, they color-code a world map based on per capita carbon emissions. Analysis questions follow.
• Climate Change’s Effect on Animals – Students read interesting information about different animals and details about how climate change could affect them. Students classify the types of threats climate change poses (habitat destruction, food source disturbance, reproductive disturbance), answer text-dependent questions, and complete a claims and evidence section.
• Human Use of Natural Resources – Students analyze natural resource MAPS and GRAPHS to learn more about their distribution, use, risk of depletion, and human impact on the environment. Students view the station pages and answer questions on their student sheet.

Teacher Notes:

• All answer keys are provided.
• Please note that the resources in this set of human impact on the environment activities are not editable.
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Related Standards:

• NGSS MS-ESS3-4: Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth’s systems.
• NGSS MS-ESS3-5: Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century.
• NGSS MS-LS2-4: Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.
• NGSS MS-LS2-5: Evaluate competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services.