Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Section Three: What's the Status of Biodiversity?
Biodiversity is essential for every habitat, but many species are at risk due to pollution and other factors. Explore several different species native to Illinois in a gallery walk with posters that learners have created after research...
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Introducing Biodiversity
Students are introduced to the life around them. As a class, they discuss their prior knowledge about the habitats in their local area. Using the internet, they identify the basic components needed for biodiversity and the major...
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Exploring the Temperate Forest: Biodiversity and Interdependence
Middle schoolers examine the consequences of cutting down large amounts of forests throughout the world. In groups, they use the internet to complete a module taking them on a tour through different temperate forests. To end the...
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Biodiversity
Students explore the biodiversity of the national marine sanctuaries. In this science lesson, students view a video about Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary and Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Students work...
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Coral Reefs
Students research coral reefs and identify their benefits to humans, threats to the reef, how to reduce and eliminate threats, and more. In this coral reef lesson plan, students research the reefs, and take a field trip to an aquarium.
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Rainforest Rescue
Students explore threats to diversity in the Central African rainforest. They use a guided website to research animals that are threatened with extinction, examine human uses of the rainforest and think about what they can do to help...
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The Gulf of Maine
Students examine their own environments and make connections to larger ecosystems. They watch a video about the gulf of Maine and record the changes that have occurred. They research the gulf and create a food web.
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Alien Invasions!
Students use video and Internet components, to gain an understanding of non-native invasive plants and animals and the ecological and monetary problems they cause.
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Animal Characteristics
Students investigate the characteristics of animals by creating a chart. In this animal life lesson, students create a KWL chart listing all the different animals a class can name. Students take a field trip to a science facility to get...
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Panther Scavenger Hunt
Middle schoolers examine the Florida Panthers through a Web-quest. In this web-based activity, students find clues that will help them to identify the habitat of the Florida Panther and the history of human activity which threatens these...
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The Siberian Arctic
Students, in groups, research the topics: habitats of northwestern Siberia, reindeer, oil and natural gas, and other threatened regions of the Arctic. They answer specific research questions based on their topic. They use online...
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Most Troublesome Exotic Invasive Plant Species Web Quest
Students participate in a Web Quest activity in which they identify common exotic invasive plant species of the Southern Appalachian Region. After identifying the top 10 exotic invasive species, they choose one to research in depth.