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Making A Terrarium
Students make a terrarium from common household items that are brought to class. They can be creative with materials but the method is set for how the mini-lab is set up. Students read a book about an ecosystem to stimulate the topic for...
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What Is In The Water?
Students investigate the biotic and abiotic factors that are found in an aquatic ecosystem. The emphasis is upon the investigation of present an projections of future water quality. Then students visit a local body of water to gather...
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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. In 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
Young scholars 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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The Magic School Bus Spins a Web
Students learn along with Ms. Frizzle's class. In this Magic School Bus lesson plan, students explore the world of spiders as they travel into a science fiction film to learn the truth about spiders.
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Water Pollution
Fifth graders study the impact of human activity on water quality and on the ecosystems of Earth. After a discussion on the various ways that water can be polluted, groups of youngsters get together to figure out the best way to clean a...
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Wetland Water Testing
Students examine the different properties that affect water quality. In this pollution lesson plan students play a game, complete a hands on activity and computer lab.
US Environmental Protection Agency
Non-Point Source Pollution
Investigate the different types of pollution that storm drain runoff carries into oceans, lakes, rivers, and streams with this class demonstration. Using an aquarium and an assortment of everyday items that contaminants like motor oil,...
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The Portable Niche
Third graders, in groups, research animals, plants, and conditions found in ecosystems.
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Mini-Ecosystems
Students use plastic bottles to create terrariums and plant Venus Flytraps. They observe the plants and the terrariums for illustrations of the water cycle and species' adaptations to a specific environment.
Wild BC
The Greenhouse Effect: Warming the Earth Experiment
First in a two-part lesson on the greenhouse effect, this lesson involves a classroom demonstration of the phenomenon, and a lab group experiment with color and absorption. Although there are easier ways to demonstrate the greenhouse...
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Limiting Factors for Populations
The "Bottled Bacteria" activity instructions are a bit unclear, but the remaining activities investigating limiting factors in ecosystems are well-written. Learners model the exosystem of a bear and a herd of deer. They set up a...
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Classroom Composting
Pupils observe and describe the cyclic nature of life. They identify and appreciate the importance of a balanced ecosystem. Finally, students compare and contrast biodegradable and non-biodegradable resources in nature and describe the...
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Erosion
Fifth graders study the effects of running water on erosion. They examine how the soil on the playground is affected by erosion and determine how the placement of trees and shrubs changes the path of erosion. In their science journals,...
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Freshwater Ecosystems Closing Lesson
High schoolers 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...
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Watersheds and Wetlands
Students simulate a chemical spill. In this watersheds and wetlands lesson plan, students build a watershed and observe what happens when it rains. Students add wetlands to their watershed models and examine the effects of water pollution.
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To Protect Your Streams, Protect Your Mountains
Young scholars build and experiment with a watershed to understand the effects of pollution. In this movement of water lesson, students work in groups creating rock formations and change the viscosity of the liquids falling down the...
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Measurement of Biotic and Abiotic Objects
Students identify biotic and abiotic factors. In this environmental study lesson plan, students conduct a series of experiments to collect and record data and draw conclusions based on the results.
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Composting
Using 2-liter bottles, junior ecologists create composting tubes in which they place nitrogen-rich and carbon-rich materials. They observe what changes occur over two weeks' time. Provide more specific direction to your class as to what...
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Marine Debris
Students perform experiments to examine if debris float, or blow in the wind. The effects of these characteristics on the marine debris are then discussed. They determine how a material can influence what becomes marine debris.
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Food Chains And Webs
Students investigate the concept of soil and all its components. They collect samples from a local site and transplant it into a terrarium. Students identify the organic elements, clay ,silt, and other forms of debris. They also identify...
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Biome Bazaar
Students construct 3-D biomes. The ultimate goal of this activity is to allow students to be official tour guides and to teach one another about biomes, environmental responsibilities, habitats, and human roles in the various ecosystems.
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A Symphony of Decomposers
Learners discover decomposition. In this environmental instructional activity, students explore different types of decomposers and their role within the ecosystem. Learners also discover how waste interferes with the decomposition process.