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Coral Reefs
Students research coral reefs and identify their benefits to humans, threats to the reef, how to reduce and eliminate threats, and more. In this coral reef lesson plan, students research the reefs, and take a field trip to an aquarium.
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Cherishing the Water of Life
Students work in small groups to brainstorm a list of all creatures, plants, natural, and artificial processes that use or depend on fresh water. The class views an aquarium filled with water representing all the water in the world. The...
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A Symphony of Decomposers
Students discover decomposition. In this environmental lesson, students explore different types of decomposers and their role within the ecosystem. Students also discover how waste interferes with the decomposition process.
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Does a change in pH affect the growth and survival rate of aquatic plants?
Students determine if changes in pH affect the growth and survival rates of aquatic plants. They evaluate the optimal pH levels for the growth of aquatic plants.
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Water Properties of the Great Salt Lake
Fourth graders examine the ecosystem of the Great Salt Lake in this two-part lesson, completing a KWL chart before and after the field trip to the site. While there, they draw and write about their observations. To test for buoyancy,...
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The Environments of Big Sur:Which Do We Protect?
Students examine the California environments. In this environmental lesson, students examine the various ecosystems of California, creating a presentation on how these environments impact Big Sur. They write a paper defending their point...
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Introduction to Dissolved Oxygen and Demonstration of a Simple Test Procedure
Students explain the importance of dissolved oxygen in water ecosystems. They describe the aquatic oxygen cycle and the effect of water pollution on oxygen. They make observations, collect data and draw a conclusion.
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Understanding Estuaries
Middle schoolers work together to develop their own estuarine ecosystem in an aquarium. They observe the aquarium daily and record them in a notebook. They discuss the different interactions they see with the class.
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Zoobilation
Students research and use their findings to design a PowerPoint presentation and zoo-type habitat with the correct ecosystem for their animal group using a variety of materials such as cardboard boxes, aquariums etc.
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Lotic Environment
Students assemble a classroom river model as an example of a lotic system. They control and measure biotic and abiotic information for the in-class system and compare data with a lotic system in a natural environment.
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Water Quality
Learners conduct experiments to study the quality of water. They examine how pollutants get into and affect the water supply in this unit.
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Water, Water Everywhere
Students recognize that all of the water on earth cannot be used for drinking and that the percentage of ground and surface water is a small percentage. In this water lesson students identify ways to conserve water.
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"Pennsylvania Watersheds, Many Ways to the Sea"
Students trace a molecule of water through the water cycle including each of its three loops. They describe why evapotranspiration demands the largest portion of total precipitation falling on a forested watershed.
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A Tale of a Whale: And Why It Can Be Told
Middle schoolers examine the characteristics of particular whales. In this whale characteristics lesson, students discover the methods scientists use to track whales and attempt to match the unique pattern of callosities themselves. A...
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A Frog's Life Story
Students investigate the lives of frogs by completing several worksheets. In this biology lesson, students discover the life cycle of a frog from tadpole to death. Students complete frog life cycle puzzle as well as create a life cycle...
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Creating a Pond Habitat
Young scholars create a pond habitat inside and outside their classroom. In this pond lesson plan, students create a habitat with animals, water, and plants in order to create a proper pond habitat.
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Ecological Succession in Pond Water Cultures
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.
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Brine Shrimp Hatching Experiment
Students hatch brine shrimp in a classroom experiment. For this hatching brine shrimp lesson, students participate in two-week lab in which they study how brine shrimp hatch under different conditions. They record data about the control...
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Marine Protection Areas
Students explain the importance of having Marine Protected Areas. In this ecology lesson, students research MPA's in any of the Great Lakes. They play a MPA simulation game and identify MPA's on the map.
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Pond Life Identification Kit
Students explore ecology and biodiversty. They use the wet-mount procedure to make several slides to view using the microscope and draw what they see.
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Dinnertime On The Reef
Students identify the main parts of a coral reef. They describe a coral reef food chain.
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Hide and Seek Science
Students examine macro-invertebrates in order to better understand their link to the food web. Working in groups, they record observations of several areas of a stream or river, collect samples from the river bottom, and identify the...
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Ocean Drifters
Students define terms, and identify three ways in which plankton are adapted for life in the open ocean. For this ocean drift lesson students design a planktonic organism.
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A Reef of Your Own
Students research and study the life and reproductive strategies of reef building corals. They examine how coral reefs can produce high levels of biological material when they are surviving in areas of low nutrition.