Lesson Plans & Activities
HEART Force Flood Response Game
This lesson is best used after the Colorado Flood lessons in the HEART Force curricular unit, for students to apply their learning and respond to a hypothetical flood in their own community.
This interactive game has students work in three “zone response teams” to solve community challenges that arise during the course of an extreme flooding event by using available individual and community resources.
HEART Force Drought Game
This lesson is best used after the Colorado Drought lessons in the HEART Force curricular unit, for students to apply their learning and respond to a hypothetical drought in their own community.
In this interactive game, students work in three "resilience teams" to solve community challenges that arise during the course of an extreme drought event by using available individual and community resources.
Flood Resilience in Colorado StoryMap
This is a lesson that can be used to get ideas and prepare for the Community Resilience Expo.
Students interact with a flood StoryMap to explore the Colorado Resiliency Framework.
Adapting to Extremes: Exploring the Science of Floods in Colorado
This lesson is best taught at the beginning of a HEART Force unit, but it can also act as a stand-alone lesson to introduce students to floods in Colorado.
The way we choose to design our communities has impacted community risk and vulnerability to flooding; in this lesson, students will explore this concept by analyzing environmental data to classify patterns and practice communicating their findings.
Flood Virtual Expo
This lesson provides a virtual alternative to the HEART Force Expo curriculum.
This is a streamlined lesson for students to prepare for a Community Resilience Expo, focusing on flood.
Drought Virtual Expo
This lesson provides a virtual alternative to the HEART Force Expo curriculum.
This is a streamlined lesson for students to prepare for a Community Resilience Expo, focusing on drought.
Communicate Existing Plans
This is a guide that can be used for a pathway for the Community Resilience Expo.
In this sub-unit, students will learn more about their community’s resilience plans, choose a specific topic to focus on, and develop a product to communicate the plan to their peers and/or their community.
HEART Force Curriculum Overview
This unit consists of several lessons and can take anywhere from 1 to 6 weeks to teach, depending on which lesson teacher choose to incorporate.
The HEART Force curriculum builds understanding of wildfire, flood, or drought in the context of place-based community resilience.
Adapting to Extremes: Exploring the Science of Drought in Colorado
This lesson is best taught at the beginning of a HEART Force unit, but it can also act as a stand-alone lesson to introduce students to drought in Colorado.
Humans have been affected by severe drought throughout history; in this lesson students explore this concept by analyzing environmental data to classify patterns and practice communicating their findings.
Data Puzzle: It's All Connected
This data puzzle is a stand-alone lesson that is part of a larger collection of data puzzles.
What makes the Arctic climate system so unique is the sea ice, which influences the Arctic climate in many ways. In this Data Puzzle, students analyze authentic Arctic data to construct explanatory models for the following question, "What effect, if any, do leads (cracks in the sea ice) have on the transfer of moisture between the Arctic Ocean and atmosphere?"
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Data Puzzle: Megafire - Rare Occurrences or the New Normal?
This data puzzle is a stand-alone lesson that is part of a larger collection of data puzzles.
Megafires have been a hot topic in the news over the past few years, but are they a new phenomenon? In this Data Puzzle, students analyze authentic wildfire data to construct explanatory models for the follow question, "How and why has the number of megafires have changed over time?"
Data Puzzle: Megadrought in the Colorado River Basin
This data puzzle is a stand-alone lesson that is part of a larger collection of data puzzles.
Much of the western United States is experiencing drought conditions. In this Data Puzzle, students analyze authentic climate data to construct explanatory models for the following question, "What is causing the megadrought in the Colorado River Basin?"
Data Puzzle: What's the Limit?
This data puzzle is a stand-alone lesson that is part of a larger collection of data puzzles.
Moss campion is a key species indicator of climate change. In this lesson, students will explain how latitude impacts and affects these hearty tundra plants by analyzing and interpreting moss campion growth and survival data.
PolarPASS Interactive Environments
Using real data, diverse material types, and a range of activities, PolarPASS modules are designed to bring polar science and exploration to the classroom. PolarPASS modules link to Climate Literacy Principles and Polar Literacy Principles and are being tested in teaching models that include semester, quarter, and block teaching models.
Polar Space and Places, or PolarPASS, is connecting polar-focused material with innovative teaching methods to advance STEM undergraduate education and increase polar knowledge.
High School Flood Unit
This HEART Force curricular unit includes all lessons for the High School Flood curriculum.
The HEART Force curriculum builds an understanding of wildfire, flood, or drought in the context of place-based community resilience.
High School Drought Unit
This HEART Force curricular unit includes all lessons for the High School Drought curriculum.
The HEART Force curriculum builds an understanding of fire, flood, or drought in the context of place-based community resilience.
Be a Water Historian Take & Make Kit
This Take & Make Kit will help you become a water historian so you can share recorded stories with people in your community and elsewhere in the Four Corners region through the We are Water project!
Everyone has a story to tell. Recording stories from your family, friends, and people in your community is an important part of understanding history in your town. In this activity, students learn how to be a good interviewer so that they can help preserve amazing stories from their community!
Sé un/a Historiador/a del Agua | Be a Water Historian Take & Make Kit
This Take & Make Kit will help you become a water historian so you can share recorded stories with people in your community and elsewhere in the Four Corners region through the We are Water project!
Toda persona tiene una historia que contar. Registrar las historias de tus familiares y amigos y las personas de tu comunidad es fundamental para conocer la historia de tu pueblo. Esta actividad le enseña a ser un/a buen/a entrevistador/a.
Tó daniidlį' nilį' | Be a Water Historian Take & Make Kit
This Take & Make Kit will help you become a water historian so you can share recorded stories with people in your community and elsewhere in the Four Corners region through the We are Water project!
Everyone has a story to tell. Recording stories from your family, friends, and people in your community is an important part of understanding history in your town. In this activity, students learn how to be a good interviewer so that they can help preserve amazing stories from their community!
Waffle Garden Take & Make Kit
This Take & Make Kit will help you understand ancient Indigenous agricultural techniques, including science and math skills that are still effective in modern times!
Indigenous peoples of the American Southwest, including the Diné (Navajo), A:shiwi (Zuni), Zia Pueblo, and Laguna Pueblo, have been using a time-tested agricultural method known as a waffle garden to successfully grow crops in the semi-arid environment for generations. In this activity student's will reflect upon and learn about Indigenous relationships with water and the land to help them understand diverse methods of using water in dry climates.
Un jardín de forma de wafle | Waffle Garden Take & Make Kit
This Take & Make Kit will help you understand ancient Indigenous agricultural techniques, including science and math skills that are still effective in modern times!
La gente indígena del suroeste de los Estados Unidos, incluyendo los Diné (Navajo), A:shiwi (Zuni), Zia Pueblo y Laguna Pueblo, han utilizado durante generaciones un método agrícola de probada eficacia conocido como Un jardín de forma de wafle para cultivar con éxito en el entorno semiárido. En esta actividad, los estudiantes reflexionarán y aprenderán sobre las relaciones indígenas con el agua y la tierra para ayudarlos a comprender diversos métodos de uso del agua en climas secos.
Watershed Stewardship Patch Activity
Earn a We Are Water Patch by becoming familiar with your local watershed!
We can be good watershed stewards by taking positive actions that will help to ensure the watershed’s healthy functions. In this activity, students learn how to be good watershed stewards and become familiar with their local watershed through observation, positive action, and community engagement.
Actividad del parche sé protector de la cuenca | Watershed Stewardship Patch Activity
Earn a We Are Water Patch by becoming familiar with your local watershed!
We can be good watershed stewards by taking positive actions that will help to ensure the watershed’s healthy functions. In this activity, students learn how to be good watershed stewards and become familiar with their local watershed through observation, positive action, and community engagement.
Conversation Guide: Our Relationship with Water
This structured conversation guide is a great way to begin a dialogue about shared experiences with water in your community!
In this conversation, participants will explore their shared watershed and local ecosystems, and connect with neighbors through their common and unique experiences with water in the region. We hope individuals, families, and communities will share their memories and stories about water and come together to imagine a future they want for their communities.
Guía de Conversación: Nuestra Relación con el Agua | Conversation Guide: Our Relationship with Water
This structured conversation guide is a great way to begin a dialogue about shared experiences with water in your community!
En esta conversación, los participantes van a discutir su cuenca compartida y conectar a través de sus experiencias únicas y compartidas sobre el agua en la región. Esperamos que los participantes compartan sus recuerdos e historias sobre el agua y que se junten para imaginar el futuro que quieren para sus comunidades.
Stop Motion Animation Workshop
Learn how to create a short (<1 minute) stop-motion animation of a story!
This workshop is designed to be completed in two days or two sessions. Each portion is about 1.5 – 2 hours long. You may want to leave time between sessions for students to make their pieces. Depending on how intricate their story is, they may need more time for cutting out shapes, making “characters,” etc.
We are Water Kahoot Trivia - Intermediate Level
Answer some fun trivia questions about the science of water and the geography of the Four Corners Region! Pick a level where you want to start and see how far you can go!
Challenge your students with intermediate level trivia from We are Water about the science of water and the geography of the Four Corners Region.
We are Water Kahoot Trivia - Advanced Level
Answer some fun trivia questions about the science of water and the geography of the Four Corners Region! Pick a level where you want to start and see how far you can go!
Challenge your students with advanced level trivia from We are Water about the science of water and the geography of the Four Corners Region.
We are Water Kahoot Trivia - Expert Level
Answer some fun trivia questions about the science of water and the geography of the Four Corners Region! Pick a level where you want to start and see how far you can go!
Challenge your students with expert level trivia from We are Water about the science of water and the geography of the Four Corners Region.
Sea Ice, The Character
Sea Ice, The Character is one of four activities in the The Drifting North Polar Planetarium Experience that invites students to explore what it was like to participate in the MOSAiC expedition to the North Pole.
In this activity, student's will compare and contrast the different structures of freshwater ice and seawater ice with a hands-on lab. Learning about what makes sea ice so unique in the Arctic will be guided by the driving questions: How does saltwater sea ice differ from freshwater ice? What is sea ice like in the Arctic? and Why is sea ice important in the Arctic?