You'll Love These Human Impact Lessons: Scavenger Hunts + CER Writing

Ever wonder how to grab your students' attention right at the start of a new science unit?

When teaching about human impact on the environment, do you start with a lecture, a slideshow, or a reading passage? While those approaches can work, they don’t always leave students excited about the topic.

What you need is something memorable and hands-on that gets students moving and curious—even if they have no prior knowledge.

Why a Scavenger Hunt Works

If you’re teaching about human impact, a scavenger hunt activity is the perfect solution!

No prep beyond printing and hanging the cards.
Students work together to solve puzzles and read high-interest passages.
Laughter, collaboration, and curiosity fill the room.
Students are actively learning before you’ve even introduced a single lesson.

Once students are hooked, you can extend the learning with Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) writing activities, helping them analyze data and think like scientists.

Free Four Corners Game: A Fun Way to Start

Human Impact Four Corners Activity Cover Page

Want to try an interactive activity before jumping into a full scavenger hunt?
The Four Corners Game is a perfect, no-prep way to introduce human impact concepts.

How It Works:

Label the Corners
Place signs around the room:
- Positive Impact
- Negative Impact
- Both Positive & Negative
- Not Sure
Read a Scenario
Example: “A dam provides clean energy but blocks fish migration.”
Students Move
Students walk to the corner that best matches their opinion.
Discuss
Ask students to explain their choices.
Encourage respectful debate and changing corners as they hear new ideas.

💡 Download your FREE Four Corners activity with ready-to-use scenarios here .

This game builds background knowledge and gets students thinking critically about how humans affect ecosystems.

Two Scavenger Hunts for Grades 5–8

For 5th Grade: Human Impact on Ecosystems + Food Web CER

Click here for the 5th Grade Resource →

Topics Covered:

National parks and conservation successes
Endangered species recovery stories
Pollution and invasive species
Special food web CER activity

Standards Alignment:

NGSS 5-ESS3-1: Protecting Earth’s resources and environments
Supports ELA and math through reading and graph interpretation

For Middle School: Human Impact on the Environment + CERs

Click here for the Middle School Resource →

Topics Covered:

Yellowstone wolf reintroduction
Coral bleaching at the Great Barrier Reef
California condor recovery
Aral Sea disaster
Zebra mussel invasion
Plastic pollution and seabirds

Standards Alignment:

NGSS MS-LS2-4: Effects of ecosystem changes on populations
Common Core ELA: Writing arguments and citing evidence
TEKS and Virginia SOL equivalents

Why Teachers Love These Activities

High engagement: Movement + puzzles = excitement
Built-in differentiation: Scaffolded and open-ended CER options
Versatile use: Whole-class, stations, sub plans, or review
Critical thinking: Students practice real-world science skills
Print-and-go: No prep needed!

Bring Real-World Science to Life

Whether you teach 5th grade or middle school, these scavenger hunts help students think like scientists while having fun.

Get started today: