Curated OER
Wetland Transects
Students lay out transect lines beside a local stream or river. There they record species of plants and insects living around the stream. By doing so, students explore how to use transect sampling techniques, use a variety of methods to...
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Adaptation and Diversity on Sheffield Island
Written for an exploration of shoreline ecosystems on Sheffield Island, this gives ecology or marine biology buffs a hands-on experience. Using GPS or visual triangulation techniques, they lay transect lines on a high and a low energy...
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Where Are the Bugs?
Students trap, collect and identify arthropods in a newly created desert tortoise preserve area over a period of one school year. They determine the rate at which various arthropods take up residence in the newly landscaped area. Data is...
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Diversity and Adaptation
Tenth graders explore structure, function and variation among species. Through field observations, lab activities and homework, 10th graders observe and record examples of adaptation and variation.
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"Fish: Anatomy and Diversity in the Chesapeake Bay"
Students explore a variety of basic fish body form and their functions. They differentiate between different species of fish found in the Chesapeake Bay and St. Mary's River. In addition, they match pictures with descriptions using...
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Diverse Environments
Students explore life forms in different environments. After exploring different biomes within their state, students research different plant and animal species within each biome. They prepare a group report on one feature of the region...
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Connect the Species
Fourth graders, in pairs, explore energy transfer and species interrelationships by viewing slides on a microscope. hey explore phytoplankton (producers) and zooplankton (consumers)
University of Florida
Unhealthy Forests and the News
Everyone knows a tree makes a sound when it falls, but what do we know about dying trees? Class members learn background information about Laurel wilt disease from a teacher-led presentation. Team members work with partners to read and...
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Measuring Biodiversity
Students explore a few key concepts associated with measuring biodiversity. They are told that biodiversity can be measured in a number of ways. Genetic diversity is a measure of the genes represented in the sample. Ecosystem...
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Historical Harbor Habitats
Tenth graders create food web displays in the classroom. In this ecology instructional activity, 10th graders identify the different pollutants in the environment and their effect on organisms. They collect samples of sediments from the...
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Diversity and Adaptations of Organisms
Eighth graders discover the difference between extinct and endangered animals and discuss the reasons why this has occured. They identify threatened and endangered animals living in their local area as well.
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Animal Diversity
Students explore the outdoors. In this animal diversity lesson, students observe nature and identify various species of animals, both small and large. Students discuss animal habitats and how humans influence their living conditions.
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Evolution worksheet
Looking at evolution in detail, this thorough worksheet has complex questions requiring details and explanations of natural selection and diversity. Various examples of biological characteristics are available, and students choose the...
Ocean Explorer
Easy as Pi
Seamounts are large, extinct volcanoes that rise up from the bottom of the ocean floor. They are a relatively new landform in the scientific community, and this instructional activity invites students to learn about the amazing diversity...
Field Museum
The Case of Darwin's Finches
One of the most striking pieces of evidence for Darwin's Evolution of Species was his observations of finches and how their beaks differed from island to island, depending on their primary food sources. So what would happen to the theory...
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Playing Hot and Cold
Students read about homeothermy. Through research and poster projects, they gain insight into the diversity among mammals and the ways specific mammals survive in their native climates.
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Big Fleas Have Little Fleas
A benthic habitat hosts a vast collection of organisms and its structure influences the biodiversity. Middle-school marine biology explorers will discuss how corals impact structure, and therefore diversity, on the ocean floor. They draw...
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Keep it Complex
Students consider the importance of biodiversity in the ocean layers. For this oceanography lesson, students use the Shannon-Weaver diversity index to analyze data. Students analyze the information collected and write a report offering...
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Bird airport control
Students identify the various species of birds found in the wetlands. Students observe and record the key skills involved in scientific inquiry. Students handle and interpret data gathered on a field trip which reveals patterns and...
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What's the Difference?
Students analyze the similarities in different species. This activity is part of a multi-segmented unit on the diversity of life. In this segment, students classify shoes to mimic the scientific categories of the classification system.
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The Race
Young scholars play game simulating route turtle hatchlings take from clutch to ocean, and describe threats hatchlings face and how this affects the marine turtle population.
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Genetic Analysis
Students formulate a hypothesis regarding the validity of the current status of the Arizona Hedgehog cactus as a distinct variety of cactus. They design a procedure to isolate DNA from the tissue of plants, given a list of chemicals and...
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Biodiversity Study -- A Unit Study
Students sample a site with low human impact, one with moderate human impact, and a third with high human impact. Students chart the data for each site and then compare the sites and discuss.
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Goals of the Diversity of Life Unit
Students are introduced to the unit on the importance of diversity of life and the role that interdependence plays in our worlds. this is part of a multi-lesson unit on the diversity of life.