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Fires and Fire Suppression
Students examine their assumptions about forest fires. They explore the conflicts involved with the forest service's new strategy. in addition, they will study one case where a prescribed natural burn had a significant impact on a later,...
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Visualizing Succession
Ecosystem change is easier to understand when you use hands-on activities.
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Biodiversity
Students investigate the diversity of temperate forests and tropical rainforests. They catch and observe local insects, sort leaves and insects on a chart, listen to the book "A Walk in the Rainforest," and create a class bar graph that...
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A Walk in the Woods
Eighth graders observe and identify the different levels of the forest. In this forest zones lesson students observe, identify and name a variety of forest components and describe how humans impact the forest ecosystem.
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National Forests of Wisconsin and Puerto Rico
Fifth graders study the forests of Wisconsin and Puerto Rico. They view a Power Point presentation and predict slides to represent various forests in Wisconsin and Puerto Rico. They play a game to recognize differences and similarities...
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Terrestrial Ecosystem Response to Climate Change
An extensive investigation of the Earth's climate changes awaits your environmental science classes. This top-notch presentation begins by looking at the history of Earth's climate and then predicts the impact on each major terrestrial...
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Comparing Ecosystems
Learners, in groups, research two biomes. They create a Venn diagram and include the characteristics of each biome, placing similar features in the overlapping area of the circles.
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Investigation 1 - Wetlands, Forests & Deserts
Fourth graders examine surface terrain and how plants and animals are affected by the temperatures and precipitation that elevation and terrain creates. Then students predict what type of environment plants and animals live in.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Modeling Trophic Cascades
In the ecological game of who eats who, one small change can have a big impact! Individuals create food chains in an array of ecosystems, then determine what happens to organisms in the chain when one organism changes its feeding...
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Impervious Surfaces
Students comprehend impervious surfaces. They recognize the problems caused by impervous surfaces. Students observe how land use can influence impervious surfaces. They chose four of the seven basic land surface, students draw a picture...
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Visual Vocabulary
Students interpret and name the vocabulary termed acted out by the mime. For this science/language arts/physical education lesson, students are given a set of vocabulary terms to discuss within their group. Next, students place all...
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Investigative Case - "Rio Grande Wildlife Refuge"
Young scholars study wildlife management as it relates to ecological principles and whole systems. They role play professional ecologists working for the fish and wildlife service to develop a plan to manage a new wildlife refuge along...
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Wildlife Needs
Learners identify the wildlife needs in a specific setting. In this wildlife needs lesson plan, students identify and illustrate the four stages of forest succession. Learners list the natural habitat and food for a given species....
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Biodiversity
Students complete activities to study the importance of biodiversity. In this biodiversity lesson, students find images to categorize into organism groups and illustrate their interconnections. Students use measurement tools to study a...
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Beaver Ecology
Students explore the lives of bgeahvers. They identify the physical and behavioral adaptations that help beavers survive in their environment. Students compare and contrast how beavers influence the ecology of both forest and aquatic...
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Treasure Hunt
Learners actively search a the ground outside and find several types of leaves, lichen, feathers and trash. They place items into journals, write entries, draw pictures and ask questions about the items found on their exploration.
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Seahawk Educational & Environmental Discovery Program
Young scholars identify and describe local poisonous plant/animals. They compare characteristics of three local ecosystems and describe common plants from different ecosystems; comparing shapes, colors, textures, and measuring sizes.
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Which One Matters?
Students study the balance necessary to maintain ecosystems and how changing that balance can impact the ecosystem. They identify and discuss the need for balance in any ecosystem and discuss how greenhouse gases impact ecosystems.
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Science: Microcosms in the Biosphere
In a series of lessons, examine the impact on humans by microcosms in the biosphere. Among the plans structured for students with different abilities and learning styles, are activities describing the symbiotic relationship, drawing the...
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Prairie Plant Investigation
Students carefully observe prairie plants and record their observations in a science journal. They examine the root systems of grasses and flowers and surmise how these plants can grow together on the prairie.
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Ecosystem Damage from Household Cleaners
Third graders assess the damage done to various ecosystems by cleaning products and discover how scientists test water quality. Using stream water and common household cleaning agents, they work in groups to test for pH levels. Once...
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De-composers - Terrarium
Students explore the environment by building a mock ecosystem. In this rainforest analysis lesson, students define many environmental and rainforest related vocabulary terms and discuss the current status of our planet's rainforests....
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Interpreting Data and Building Hypothesis
Students define the term species, and graph species data together with previously collected data at the National Zoo. They interpret graphed data and recognize patterns in the streamside quadrant versus hillside quadrant. Students use...
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Making a Food Web and Learning About Ecosystems
Third graders examine the difference between a food web and food chain. They also examine the importance of the sun in a food web and food chain. Students understand what happens when you remove parts of the chain.