Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Soil Microbiology- Nitrogen cycle

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students take a virtual trip to a Catfish Aquaculture Pond and analyze soil bacteria to determine how many nitrogen cycle bacteria are present. They graph the number of colonies present and use data to determine ammonium levels in the soil.
Lesson Plan
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NOAA

The Biogeochemical Cycle

For Teachers 9th - 12th
The biogeochemical cycle ... no physics? The fourth installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program introduces the biogeochemical cycle by having pupils simulate movement between Earth's...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Nitrogen Cycle

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students identify the main concepts and ideas of the nitrogen cycle. They review key concepts covered up to this point in ecology including food chains, food webs, energy pyramids, and bio-geochemical cycles.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Living Environment

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore the cycles of an ecosystem.  In this environmental science lesson, students work in groups to research the nitrogen cycle, the water cycle, or the oxygen-carbon dioxide cycle. Students prepare a PowerPoint or other...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Goes Around Comes Around!

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students create an ecosystem in a jar to show a model of the water, carbon, and nitrogen cycle. Working in small groups, they research and present orally the information they find on this cycle.
Lesson Plan
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Chicago Botanic Garden

Greenhouse Gas Emissions — Natural and Human Causes

For Teachers 5th - 6th Standards
What impact do humans have on greenhouse gas emissions? What are the natural causes of these gasses? Thanks to the carbon cycle, carbon dioxide eats away at the earth's atmosphere with the intensified help of humans. Young scientists...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Biochemical Cycles: Recycling Carbon and Nitrogen

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students construct flow diagrams of the carbon and nitrogen cycle processes. They identify sequences in each cycle that are affected by human impact and present their research to the class.
Lesson Plan
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Chicago Botanic Garden

Greenhouse Gas Emissions – Natural and Human Causes

For Students 7th - 9th Standards
Part three in the series of seven has pupils discussing the different greenhouses gases, learning about the carbon cycle, and then watching a short video about the carbon cycle. Based on their knowledge, individuals complete a greenhouse...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Chemistry and Commercial Fertilizers

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students listen as the teacher lectures about the history of commercial fertilizers. The lesson includes extensive information for the teacher. Following the lecture, students complete a worksheet titled "Nitrogen Cycle Problems." The...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rosa Parks Community Garden

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Pupils explore gardening and nutrition in the Rosa Parks Community Garden. They work in stations to discuss food choices, the life cycles of plants, and mini-composting. After starting in one station, they rotate to try each activity.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Nitrogen Fixation, OR What a Gas!

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students gain skill in the design, implementation, and reporting of a scientific research project using the scientific method. They set up an experiment to determine the effect of adding the Rhizobium bacteria to one group of legume...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bats and Hot Dogs

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Pupils identify patterns and relationships from data that is collected and solve variables.  In this investigative instructional activity students study ocean productivity, the nitrogen cycle and phytoplankton then answer questions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Land Use and Nitrogen

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Students consider the effects of development on water quality. They test nitrogen levels in waters before and after development, investigate wastewater treatment options and research best management practices to reduce nitrogen loads.
Lesson Plan
National Wildlife Federation

Why All The Wiggling on the Way Up?

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Some of the CO2 emitted by burning fossil fuels is removed from the atmosphere by natural sinks, such as the ocean. The fifth engaging lesson in the series of 21 examines the CO2 data from three very different locations. It then makes a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bacteria: Friend or Foe?

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students examine a variety of environmental and industrial roles of bacteria. explore where bacteria can be found and distinguish bacteria from other organisms.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What are the Chemical and Microbiological Effects of Run-off from a Catfish Pond on the Surrounding Soil and Water?

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students study data from a USDA catfish pond. They look for microbial populations and chemical concentrations in the runoff to determine the effectiveness of filter strips. They use their knowledge of biogeochemical cycles to explain the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Food Chains

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders investigate food chains. They review cycles and discuss ecosystems. They select an environment and create a food chain in small groups. They write their food chain and label it for the class to evaluate. They create...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ecology 12 Human Effects

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students are able to respond to a reading passage concerning human effects (under development) in Madagascar. They have a quiz on primary and secondary succesion as their bell ringer. Students write an essay on the topic "No man is an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ecology and the St. Lawrence River

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders complete a unit of lessons on ecosystems, organism interactions, and energy flow. They create a key for known species of fish, diagram the movement of energy through an ecosystem, and create and present food chains and food...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fossil Fuels, Who Needs Them

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders explore how electricity is created and distributed through alternative production methods. Students participate in hands-on activities, research, lecture based instruction, and CD ROM resources.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Acid Rain

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students use real-time weather maps to determine the likelihood of acid rainfall in a region. Students apply their understanding of interaction between weather systems, land and air pollution, to address acid rain and the effects on...