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Discovering the Oasis
Fourth graders explore the ecosystem of Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge Complex. In groups, classmates take pictures and research the species of birds and plants in the area. Over a period of time, 4th graders collect temperature...
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Teeter Totter
Students explore the two types of spotted sandpipers. They create a puppet show using the spotted sandpiper from Puerto Rico and the spotted sandpiper from Alaska. Students research the habitats of the two sandpipers.
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Listening to the Prairie
Students, in groups, visit an exhibit and for a prairie scavenger hunt to locate sunflowers and name products made from them. After sketching a prairie dog, they find nature cues farmers use when growing plants and raising animals. The...
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Our Schoolsyard is Full of Biology
Students study the habitats found in their schoolyard. They apply firsthand, what they have learned in the classroom to something familiar to them. Students look at biotic, abiotic habitats. Small groups will present their findings to...
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Critical Habitat
Students watch the video clip and create a web map showing the cycle between producers, consumers and decomposers. They also tell why it is important to conserve the old-growth forests.
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Mental Map Postcard
Students visit an outdoor setting and make a mental map of what they observe. They return to the classroom and create a postcard with specified elements such as a description of the land and the ecosystem. Students illustrate the...
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Food Webs in the Bay
Young scholars get acquainted with a type of ecosystem and how different organisms of that ecosystem compete with one another for resources. They analyze the submerged aquatic vegetation of a bay ecosystem. Students study plants.
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Biodiversity Bird Hunt
Students examine the influence of biodiversity on human culture through the use of birds. They brainstorm words that come to mind when they think of human cultures. They describe ways that human culture and biodiversity are linked.
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Animal Habitats
Students study the word habitat and its meaning. They also identify that in order for something to be classified as a habitat there needs to be the proper shelter, food, water, and space.
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Are You Being Poisoned by Your Dishes?
Students explore lead poisoning and how it relates to ceramic dishes. They perform an experiment to discover if any of your ceramic ware is leaching lead which might cause lead poisoning.
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Leaves
Students explore, observe, and collect leaves from outside. They make journal entries, discuss the differences and common features of leaves and what function leaves serve. They will discuss the plant and tree leaves. Students draw...
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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.
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Gwynns Falls
Students investigate the question: What is the impact of urban development and expansion on the health of a decidious forest ecosystem and humans? They examine the issue of land development by responding to a specific scenario and...
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ECOLOGICAL BIOASSAY OF COPPER SULFATE IN DAPHNIA MAGNA
Young scholars use this lab as a follow up to the introduction of the ecosystems and productivity levels, bioassays and what and how they measure, and Daphnia magna as an index organism, i.e., a species whose health within an ecosystem...
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The Consequences of Extinction
Students participate in a class discussion on site of an older style bridge to help connect the significance of each organism in an ecosystem by using an analogy of bolts slowly being removed from a working bridge.
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Invasive Species
Students use the Internet to research non-native plants that exist in their local community. Using this information, they analyze the invasive species effect on their environment. In groups, they plan and execute their own project to...
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Deserts KWL Chart
Students will define what a desert is through the creation of a KWL Chart. This will help students to tap prior knowledge and make new connections with the new curriculum being delivered in the lesson.
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Topical Ecosystems
Fourth graders read about two tropical ecosystems: the rainforest and the coral reef using Palm Reader. They then complete a study guide as part of their reading experience and create a Sketchy and PiCoMap as directed. Students take test...
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A Watershed Monitoring Module
Students explore the relevance of water quality monitoring in relation to a local wetland ecosystem. They conduct standard water quality tests using wet tests and CBL calculators and probes. Student record and interpret the results.
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Where in the World is..?: An ecological study
High schoolers analyze different ecosystems from the perspective of someone from another planet. They compare different ecosystems to determine which would be suitable to inhabit. This is an interdisciplinary activity.
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Rain Gardens for Controlling Excess Runoff
Students address the idea that human beings live within the world' ecosystems. They discuss how humans modify ecosystems as a result of population growth, technology, and consumption. Students discuss how the human destruction of...
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The Effect of Medications on Daphnia
Students explore how human beings affect the world's ecosystem by examining the affects of medication on daphnia, a small freshwater organism very sensitive to pollution. Students use a computer model to repeat the experiment and analyze...
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Daphnia and Algae: A Study of Pond Dynamics
Students observe interrelationships and interdependencies of organisms which may generate stable ecosystems. They also study that living organisms have the capacity to produce infinite sized populations, but environments and resources...
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Fish In The Web of Life
Learners will develop skills of fish identification, correlate habitat characteristics with species present, develop a working vocabulary of Oneida fish terminology and fish names and discuss the relationship between a healthy ecosystem...