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Monitoring Life In The Rocky Intertidal Ecosystem
Students investigate marine life by researching aquatic organisms on the Internet. In this oceanography lesson, students monitor algae and animals of the ocean by identifying their population and habitat on data sheet ID cards. Students...
Aquarium of the Pacific
Ecosystem Comparison
Fifth graders examine plants and animals in two ecosystems and compare them. In this ecosystem survival lesson, 5th graders compare and contrast a coral reef and kelp forest ecosystem. Students investigate the abiotic and biotic factors...
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Activity 1: Please Pass the Energy, Food Webs in the Upper Ocean and Hydrothermal Vent Communities
Learners create food webs for two different ocean communities. They are given cards showing organisms from the surface of the ocean. They arrange them in order of who eats whom. After this class activity, students create a food web for...
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Aquatic Ecosystems
Ninth graders record information on aquatic ecosystems and create a labeled diagram of an ecosystem of their choice. They can choose from an ocean zone, estuary, river, lakes, or beaches. The student has to explain their biome of choice.
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Energy Flow in Ecosystems
Students, in groups, create a slide show about the ecosystem and answer critical thinking questions based on their research.
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Rocky Shore Food Web Drama
Students explore food chains. In this ecosystem lesson plan, students discover how plants and animals rely on each other for survival. Students research the rocky shore ecosystem and create a skit representing the ecosystem.
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Ocean's 4
Students create a video about their oceanography unit where they role-play various animals from the ocean. For this oceanography lesson, students create a paper mural and then costumes for the animals. Students role-play the animals and...
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Ecosystems Online
Students work together to gather information on ecosystems from websites. They identify plants and animals and create their own website. They are graded on their willingness to work together and the content on the website.
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Oceans in Motion
This simple activity introduces children to basic marine life as well as to show them the necessity of protecting aquatic environments. Some famous marine life animals are introduced via vocabulary words, then children cut out pictures...
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Plankton / Phytoplankton
Students discuss the importance of plankton in the ocean ecosystem. In this biology lesson, students identify the different types plankton by observing them under the microscope. They explain how plankton population affect global climate.
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Fish Are Animals Too
Students create posters that show how a shark is a major predator in kelp forests and coral reefs after studying the food webs for these ecosystems. They determine that fish are important animals in the ocean's web of life.
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Dive and Discover the Ocean
Third graders investigate the three zones of the ocean and the plants and animals that live in each zone. Projects produced are shared with classmates in a share circle where the unique features of the animal and zone selected are...
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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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Oceanography Multimedia Projects
Students examine marine life. In this oceanography lesson, students design a multimedia project using PowerPoint or HyperStudio that encompasses research that they do on ocean ecosystems.
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Coral Reefs
Students research an inhabitant of a Caribbean coral reef using a list of common organisms that live on or near it. Students then write a description of their organism and draw a picture or a 3-D model of it. Eventually they all work...
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Sea Scape
Young scholars learn about and make models of coral reefs. In this reef ecosystem lesson plan, the class locates a number of coral reefs on a map. They learn how a coral reef is a balanced ecosystem that depends upon all of it's plant...
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Antarctica
Students explore why Antarctica is so important to the planet. They investigate the physical characteristics. Students create their own unique treaty of governance for Antarctica and discuss how laws are enforced in Antarctica.
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Myth-try Cards Activity
Students read creation myths to learn various cultural explanations for natural phenomena. They select sharks and write myths to explain physical structures, behaviors or roles in ecosystems. They research the animals to provide...
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Food Web Mobile
Students explain the main concepts of food webs and food chains. They
describe the role of animals, plants, and other organisms in cycling energy and matter through a food web by creating mobiles. Lesson contains adaptations for all levels.
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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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Human Impacts to the Sandy Shore
Students investigate human impact on coastal environments. In this coastal environment instructional activity, students observe human impact on coastal environments. Students sort, classify, and chart marine debris collected on a local...
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Music of the Estuary
Students explore the sounds of the estuary. In this wetlands lesson, students discuss how to simulate the sounds of nature. Students write and record a musical score featuring the sounds of the wetlands.
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The Web of Life
Middle schoolers participate in a game in which they discover the balance of life in the ocean. They identify different organisms that rely on different types of food. They answer questions to complete the activity.
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Lizard Lab
In this detailed and comprehensive multi-day activity, budding evolutionary biologists use real data from lizard populations in the Canary Islands to examine evolution and natural selection.