Resource Library

ESA21 offers over 40 activities that engage students in a variety of environmental topics. The activities rely on a mixture of hands-on, field and Web-based experiences that give students a deeper understanding of the issues. Topic areas include: air, environmental science basics, the biosphere, earth, energy, home life and pollution.

The EPA’s High School Environmental Center offers students easy access to age-appropriate information on air, conservation, ecosystems, recycling, waste management, water and other topics. You can refer students to the Web site or use it as a classroom activity.

The EPA’s Teacher Center features a collection of environmental curriculum, reference materials, fact sheets, brochures, teaching aids and Web pages teachers can use to educate themselves and introduce environmental issues into the classroom.

The EPA Web site is extensive, comprising more than 300 homepages and between one and two million pages of HTML text and PDF files. The Browse EPA Topics feature is an efficient tool to navigate through Web site content. Search results include basic information, pertinent laws and educational resources relating to that topic.

Use the EPA’s Regional Offices map to access the homepage for your region. Each regional homepage has an "Education" link under the Quick Finder, connecting you to education resources specific to your region.

This New York Times article explores the emerging alternative energy industry and how it relies on another resource, water, to function. The article can be used to discuss the societal aspects of alternative energy and resource limitations, such as conflicting interests between the public and industry and economic implications.

"Running Dry" educational resources consist of two topic areas, the Colorado River Basin and water-related health issues. Students explore and debate the environmental and political issues of the Colorado River Basin and analyze their personal water usage, the global impacts of water issues and other water-quality topics.

Students can follow a research team as they discover how Weddell seals survive one of the harshest environments on the planet, Antarctica. The scientists post weekly updates of their research including video and sound clips, graphics and text. The program gives students the opportunity to experience science in action.

Earth Gauge has a collection of short (under a minute) videos to augment a variety of environmental lessons. Some of the videos have no audio, allowing a teacher to use them to explain concepts their way, but suggested scripts are also provided.