Eastern Michigan University
Energy Flow in a Wetland Ecosystem
How is energy transferred within an ecosystem? What would happen to a food web if one of the organisms was removed? Elementary or middle school ecologists examine these questions and more in a comprehensive 5E learning cycle...
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Interdependence: Discovering What Makes a Balanced Ecosystem
Students demonstrate that plants and animals are interdependent in a balanced ecosystem.
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Case of the Missing Pumpkin
Scientists define and discuss decomposition, and watch pumpkins decompose and return to soil in classroom experiment. They record the date the experiment began, chart changes in pumpkins on a calendar, count how many days it takes...
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Exploring Ecosystems
Fourth graders create an ecosystem as a class. They have already produced smaller ones. They use a pond or something similar on school grounds to meet the needs of certain plants and animals of their ecosystem. Specifically created will...
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Ocean Zones
Students create a mural showing ocean zones and the diversity of ocean life. They use reference books to create a list of plants and animals that would live in each zone.
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Monterey Bay
Students read background information about Monterey Bay, California, and conduct related experiments. In this ocean in motion lesson, students read information about the location, wildlife, and characteristics of Monterey Bay. They...
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Life in the Kelp Forest
Students research and create a marine food web to learn about plants and animals in a kelp forest. In this marine food web lesson, students draw lines between kelp forest predators and prey and show the flow of energy in the food web....
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Wonderful Wetlands
Fourth graders create a model of Utah wetlands using clay, sponges and soil. They identify the value the wetlands have to plants and animals. They simulate rainfall to observe how wetlands help filter silt and pollutants from the water.
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Food Chains Are Not A Necklace!
Second graders examine how food chains interact with different plants and animals. They practice using new vocabulary. They also discover the role of pesticides in the environment.
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Investigating Local Ecosystems
Students investigate the habitats of local plants and animals. They explore some of the ways animals depend on plants and each other. Students observe living organisms in a local ecosystem and create detailed drawings and descriptions...
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Living in a Watershed
Fourth graders examine watersheds. In this ecosystem lesson, 4th graders discover what a watershed is and identify the local watershed they live in. Students investigate the attributes of a watershed as well.
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Owls: Top of a Food Chain
Although written for middle schoolers, there is no reason that a 3rd, 4th, or 5th grader could not also learn about food chains through the dissection of owl pellets. After you introduce the topic, learners complete an owl research...
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Ocean Life
Students explore the types of plants and animals that can be found in the ocean. They browse books and/or magazines to identify and gain a knowledge base of plant and animal life found in the ocean, then create a collage.
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Bird Brilliance!
First graders explore natural resources and search outdoors to find materials to create a bird's nest. In this bird's natural resources lesson, 1st graders listen to a book about birds and reflect on the various things birds use to...
University of South Carolina
Home Sweet Home
Fifth graders will research a biome (land or aquatic) and create a project (diorama, model or another idea of the student's choosing) which includes the geographic features of that biome as well as plants and animals found there and...
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Biome Trip
Tenth graders comprehed how individual organism adapt and relate to an environment. They investigate where biomes are located and what specific biomes are like. Pupils give examples of biomes (land and water), and how temperature and...
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Long Island Beach Life
Have your class learn about marine life through this resource. This comprehensive lesson has learners discuss marine life, learn key vocabulary, discuss environmental concerns, and play games related to migration and predator/prey...
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Ocean Life Mural
How many oceans can you name? First, have learners try to name as many oceans as they can, and then have them locate and identify the oceans on a world map. They create a recognizable ocean animal using poster board and tissue paper....
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Weathering Landforms
Fifth graders brainstorm a list of ways the Earth's surface can change. As a class, they are introduced to the concepts of erosion and weathering and discover how wind and water cause changes to the surface of the Earth. To end the...
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Acid Rain: Where Have All the Rainbows Gone?
Students study the pH scale and sources of acid precipitation. In this acid rain lesson plan students complete a lab on acid rain then complete a handout.
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Dancing Flamingos
Students perform a number of activities that mimic flamingo actions and displays. The class discusses why animals behave in certain ways, and how behavioral adaptations help animals to survive.
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Pond Ecology
A lab activity is a great way to incite thoughtful questioning and scientific processes. Pupils will collect organisms with a Petri dish, make observations, sketch the organism, ask questions, then attempt to identify the specimen...
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White-tailed Deer Issues
Ninth graders examine the white tail deer population in Pennsylvania and explore the impacts that the deer have on the flora and fauna. In this white-tail deer lesson students complete an activity and graph their results.
Indian Land Tenure Foundation
Relationships to Places
Young historians take a look at how the Indian tribes of California promoted a mindful relationship between people and the land. They begin to understand how the Indians were champions of conservation, and at preserving the natural...