Sustainable House

Sustainable House is an integrated, project based, eight unit lesson plan where students create art-inspired, energy efficient miniature homes and neighborhoods for the future. Students are encouraged to utilize infrastructure design with sound consideration for environmental stewardship, as well as efficient human life styles, utilizing landforms, while honoring the Mother Earth.


This curriculum was adapted from curriculum developed by Jeff Hartman from City High School in Tucson, Arizona. It was originally designed for a 9th grade Integrated Science and Math. Hoopa High School teachers have adapted the curriculum for 10th grade biology and 11th grade natural resources classes. We have also tried to make it to be more relevant to our local area in northern California. We encourage teachers to adapt and use any of the materials. This is a 4-6 six-week unit that is taught in the spring of 11th/12th grade Natural Resources class at Hoopa Valley High School. With a culminating project of student designed models of their own sustainability house. In addition portions of the unit are taught in 10th grade Biology and 11th grade Chemistry and some units are also reinforced in our Math courses. Chemistry is also using the Biodiesel curriculum located in the appendix to supplement the module.

In addition this unit has been adapted to be used in a 3rd grade class with students making a “Tiny Town” that incorporates may ideas from this module. We have hopes to extend this lesson into an actual house that students will someday have access to and be able to work and learn at.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD CURRICULUM: Sustainable house iBook

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