Order education materials from EPA
Below is a list of free EPA educational documents you may wish to order. This is not a complete list; these are publications that have proven popular with teachers. You can order most of them from the National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP), an environmental publications service run by US EPA. How to contact NSCEP
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General | Air | Health | Pesticides | Solid waste & recycling | Water | Wetlands | Coloring books
General
ABC's of Environmental Education - EPA 905K06001
download it: ABC's of Environmental Education (PDF) (20pp, 5.9MB) June 2006
This booklet is designed to serve as a resource for both formal and nonformal environmental educators, as well as others interested in environmental education. It contains lists of programs, resources, contacts, and information related to the EPA's environmental education program. Also contains information specific to EPA Region 5 and a list of programs with contact information.
The Power of Change: Protecting the Environment for the Next Generation - EPA530-E-04-001
The "Power of Change" campaign teaches older Americans what they can do to help reduce waste and protect the environment for the next generation. This free kit of resources explains how to reduce waste, conserve our natural resources, and save energy.
Air
Indoor Air Quality Tools For Schools Kit - EPA 402F00011
The kit shows schools how to carry out a practical plan of action to improve indoor air problems at little or no cost using straightforward activities and in-house staff. It includes checklists for all school employees, a flexible step-by-step guide for coordinating the checklists, an Indoor Air Quality Problem Solving Wheel, a fact-sheet on indoor air pollution issues, and sample policies and memos.
Project AIRE
The units in this package encourage students to think more critically
and creatively about air pollution problems and the alternatives
for resolving them. Topics covered include: air quality, rainforests,
radon, the creation of environmental laws, the greenhouse effect
and ozone. Grades K-12
Learning About Acid Rain (C) (EPA 60099007a) 1994
Introduction, experiments and activities about acid rain. NOTE: EPA has now combined the Student Sourcebook with other materials, updated and expanded the information, and reformatted it to cover a broader range of topics; see Learning About Acid Rain (PDF) (56pp, 4.8MB) EPA's Acid Rain site
Global Warming
Climate Change, Wildlife, and Wildlands - A Toolkit for Teachers and Interpreters
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in partnership with the National Park Service and with input from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, developed a kit for use when talking with the public about how climate change is affecting our nation's wildlife and public lands.
Related information: Actions You Can Take at School
Health
Asthma
- Here's the Pitch...Help Strike Out Asthma {President Bush
Baseball poster} - EPA 402H02001 - - preview
it
related topic: secondhand smoke - What Can Trigger An Asthma Attack May Surprise You {Asthma Kitten Poster} - EPA 402H03001 - - preview it
Related information: Asthma-related publications and resources
Sun safety
- Mission: Sunwise activity book - EPA 430K00002 - download it - en español (PDF, 16pp, 421K, About PDF )
- Mission: Sunwise storybook - EPA 430K00001 - download it - en español (PDF, 16 pp, 925K, About PDF ) (Grades K-3) This book contains activities that teach SunWise behavior
- Sunwise: Hello Family! Did you know... {grade 5-8} {poster} - EPA 430H02001- - en español
Related topic: other SunWise publications , the SunWise Program
Protect Children From Poisonings: Lock It Up! {poster} - EPA 735H03002
Radon {Lung poster} - EPA 402H92001
Do You Eat Fish? {poster} - EPA 823H01001
¿Come usted pescado? {poster} - EPA 823H02001
Pesticides
Help! It’s a Roach! Roach Prevention Activity Book for Kids - EPA 735F98016
Save Our Species poster: Protecting Endangered Species From Pesticides - EPA 735F94014
related information: Publications
from the Office of Pesticide Programs: General Consumer
Publications
Solid waste & recycling
See all the solid waste curriculum and activities - for grades K-5 - grades 6-8 - grades 9-12
Planet Protectors Club {complete kit} - EPA 530E98004
As a Planet Protector, your mission is to improve the world around you by making less trash. Planet Protectors also help other people learn to reduce, reuse, and recycle. The more you learn about reducing wastes and saving resources, the better you become at carrying out the Planet Protector goals. (grades K-5)
Trash and Climate Change: Planet Protectors Discover the Hidden Reasons to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle - EPA 530K00001 - - download it - en español (PDF, 11pp, 410K About PDF )
Planet Protectors Create Less Waste in the First Place! - EPA 530K99006 - - download it - en español (PDF, 12pp, 396K About PDF )
Make a Difference campaign for students
EPA's "Make a Difference" campaign is aimed at educating and engaging young people in resource conservation and environmental protection. It encourages teens to make informed decisions in their day-to-day lives to help protect the environment. As part of the campaign, EPA is offering free copies of a resource kit, Your Life, Your World, Your Choices , which can inspire teens to reduce, reuse, and recycle to "make a difference" at home, at school, and in their communities. (Grades 6-8)
- Your Life, Your World, Your Choices {kit} - EPA 530E03001 - - download it
- Su vida, su mundo, sus opciones - EPA 530F03013S -
- Be Waste Aware - Waste Reduction Resources and Tools For Students - EPA 530F03056 -
- Life Cycle of a CD {poster} - EPA 530H03002 - - download it
The Quest for Less: Activities & Resources for teaching K-6
A teacher's guide to reducing, reusing and recycling
Recycle: You Can Make A Ton Of Difference {leaflet}
EPA 530F92003 - - download it (PDF, 3 pp, 357K, About PDF )
Information about recycling in a trifold leaflet. (1992, 3pp)
Don't Trash It! Super Fun Children's Activity Book -
This fun activity book covers all factors related to the collection and handling of garbage and trash. Various games and puzzles are used to stress the importance of recycling and pollution prevention. (1995, 8 pp.)
HAZ-ED - Classroom Activities for Understanding Hazardous Waste -
Teach students in grades 7-12 about hazardous waste issues
Water
What's Up With Our Nation's Waters?
A status report on the quality of our waters and what you can do to make a difference - download it
Drinking water for Kids: the Water Sourcebook Series
This environmental education program explains the water management cycle using a balanced approach showing how it affects all aspects of the environment. Includes 324 activities. Grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12. - download it
Using water wisely in the home
related information: Water Efficiency documents and information in English and Spanish download it (PDF, 2pp, 235K, About PDF )
Keeping Our Oceans Clean and Safe: 30 Years Of the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act {poster} - EPA 842H02001
related information: Oceans and Coasts for Children, Students and Teachers -
How do we Treat our Wastewater? {middle school poster}
Water Drop Patch Program
The requirements for earning the patch include 7 community projects and hands-on activities. download it (PDF, 43 pp, 1.6MB About PDF )
Magnificent Ground Water Connection
Lessons and activities for grades K-6 and 7-12 on water cycle, water use, ground water contamination and protection. download it
Always a River (EPA 600K92004) 1991
curriculum about the Ohio River and water pollution in general
Order
online from the EPA Office of Water;
Also available
for download
Drinking Water Activities for Students, Teachers, and Parents (EPA 810B99002) 1999
book of activities sorted by grade, with complete lesson plans, instruction
sheets, activity sheets
Also available for download
Great Minds? Great Lakes! (EPA 905M90004) 1990
activity booklet educates students about the importance of the Great
Lakes
Also available for download
Science Demonstration Projects in Drinking Water (C) (EPA 570990007) 1990
activities for teaching the importance of safe, clean drinking water
Also available for download
Safe Drinking Water Act (S) (EPA 816H02001) 2002
Large poster depicting drinking water sources, threats, and protective
barriers
Also available from NSCEP
Wetlands & water ecosystems
Estuary Environmental Education Activity Kit - EPA 842F93007 - - download it
Information sheets with activities that present important issues relating to estuaries. (1993, 22 pp.)
- household hazardous waste (elementary through adult)
- hypoxia (elementary through adult)
- clean water--a precious resource (grades 6-8)
- fish need nurseries too (grades 1-6)
- muddy rivers--murky sound (grades 6-8)
- ducks and geese (grades 6-8)
- nutrients--too much of a good thing (grades 6-8)
- floatable debris (elementary through adult)
- more than just a swamp (grades 4-5)
Related topic: Publications available from the Wetlands Helpline
Unlocking the Secrets of America's Wetlands - EPA 843F99001 - out of print - download it
A 42-page booklet describing wetland types, mitigation, how to become involved, and agency contacts. Poster Wetlands: America's Treasures is included. (1999)
Estuaries: Where Rivers Meet the Sea {poster} - EPA 842H02002 -
World in Our Backyard - download it
Developed in cooperation with EPA by the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission, this guide is a resource of information and activities about wetlands in New England for educators and their middle school students. It suggests ways to study wetland characteristics, why wetlands are important, and how students and teachers can help protect a local wetland. This guide aims to help students get to know the complexities of wetlands, discover wildlife, enjoy the experience of being outdoors, and learn how necessary wetlands are to the health of our environment.
Coloring Books
- A Beautiful World Starts With You (PDF, 6pp, 850K) April 2005. Five pages of coloring and energy conservation activities from Energy Star. Download and print or order by calling 888-STAR-YES.
- Sammy
Soil: A Coloring Book Story
related information: EPA Gulf of Mexico Program - The Happy Earth Day Coloring Book
- "Save Our Species" - Endangered Species Activity Book -