Ecology Lesson Plans

Eighth graders discover their own ecological footprint and create a plan for reducing this figure. They extend this to the school and community to see how they are doing on this scale. They discuss the concept of the ecological footprint and why it is an important benchmark.

Seventh graders are introduced to the topic of ecology with hands-on opportunities. They are provided with visual reference points from a professional park ranger. They relate the ecology unit to their own experiences through the use of a neighborhood park.

Who doesn't love a scavenger hunt? Have your class complete a scavenger hunt to become familiar with ecology in this engaging lesson plan that has them organize their items on a paper bag to illustrate information. Furthermore, learners will create a presentation about their "found" items.

This lesson is designed after research done on the ecology of soil lichen in the Tucson Basin area during the summers of 1997 and 1998. Its purpose is to guide students into adopting the problem solving thinking of ecologists. The lesson encompasses all t

Ninth graders determine the best types of vegetation to create a successful ecological school ground. They consider water, food, shelter, and space in determining their ideal landscape for the school.

Seventh graders review the steps of ecological succession in a hardwood forest, and they review the concept of climax community. There job is to discover how succession works in other communities of living things. Students are reminded about biotic and abiotic factors and interdependence of species. They work in groups of four to create a mini-history lesson about the life in a community of living things spanning 100 years.

Students identify how do geography and ecology influence a region's folklife. Then they investigate this question and consider how an outsider might view their own region in this instructional activity. Students also identify how the natural world, even in urban settings, influences how we view life, what materials are available for crafts, what occupations we choose, how our homes look.

Students investigate beaver adaptations, life cycle, and the effects of beaver behavior on ecosystems. They compare and contrast how beavers influence the ecology of both forest and aquatic ecosystems.

Students collect samples of pond water, dried grass, and soil in a jar. They predict the order of ecological succession in their pond water cultures. They compare their expected results with their observed results.

Students investigate the physical, chemical and biological parameters necessary to establish an ecological baseline. Establishing an ecological baseline not only shows the ecological characteristics of a creek but makes the possible future environmental monitoring of the creek as human activities increase the stress on the system.