Curated OER
What's in the Water? - Stream Side Science
Here is a complete activity in which young biologists or ecologists test the pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity and temperature of stream water. The class visits an actual stream and makes observations of the site. They use scientific...
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Fish In a Bottle
Students work together to build their own fish ecosystems. As a class, they share their prior knowledge about catfish and use a diagram to label its body parts. They record their observations of the ecosystem and determine what they...
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Greenhouse Effect: Pop Bottle Experiment
Students explore global warming by conducting a weather experiment. In this greenhouse gas lesson, students define the greenhouse effect and the impact on our ozone layer. Students utilize a soda pop bottle, floodlight bulb, thermometers...
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Nutrients Nutrients We Need
Second graders examine the six nutrients humans need to maintain good heath. In this ecosystem lesson, 2nd graders learn about how plants grow and compare how humans need nutrients from plants to how plants need nutrients from the soil....
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Exploring the Water Cycle
Students investigate the water cycle. In this water cycle lesson, students create an ecosystem within a 2-liter bottle. Students record scientific observations as they observe the water cycle within their ecosystem.
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Water Filtration
As an example of nature's water filtering system, young ecologists conduct an experiment in the lab. They construct a funnel out of a plastic bottle, fill it with specified layers of materials that simulate layers of soil, then run muddy...
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Wetland Metaphors
Learners describe the characteristics of wetlands and identify their ecological functions. They inspect items and use them to create metaphors about wetlands.
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De-composers - Terrarium
Learners 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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Wild Thing!
Sixth graders view several segments of the video, "How Animals Survive." They discuss elements of survival. Students list living and nonliving things found in their backyards and schoolyards. Students work in groups to complete the...
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Personal Ecosystem
Students build an aquatic ecosystem using large glass pickle jars. For this ecology lesson, students build and ecosystem then observe and collect data on the habitats. In this long term project students observe a...
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Soda Bottle Compost: Nutrient Cycling in Action
Students investigate, through their own experimentation, the important role wildlife play in nutrient cycling. Earthworms and compost are used in this experiment and different experimental setups be evaluated.
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Freshwater Ecosystems Closing Lesson
Pupils create a commercial on how to care for fresh water. In this environmental science instructional activity, students write a script and use materials as props in the commercial. They present it in class and share comments and feedback.
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Measurement of Biotic and Abiotic Objects
Students identify biotic and abiotic factors. In this environmental study lesson, students conduct a series of experiments to collect and record data and draw conclusions based on the results.
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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.
Curated OER
Terrariums for Project Pals
Students identify the components needed by plants to survive in the terrarium. In this biology lesson, students build their own terrariums using materials available. They present their project in class.