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Beaver Ecology
Students investigate beaver adaptations, life cycle, and the effects of beaver behavior on ecosystems. They compare and contrast how beavers influence the ecology of both forest and aquatic ecosystems.
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Build An Island
Students explore erosion. In this science lesson, students build an island and observe the effects of erosion on the island. Students discuss freshwater ecosystems in Hawaii.
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De-composers - Terrarium
Students explore the environment by building a mock ecosystem. In this rainforest analysis lesson plan, students define many environmental and rainforest related vocabulary terms and discuss the current status of our planet's...
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Teaching about Aquatic Respiration
Students explore respiration in a lake ecosystem by experiment and research.
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What Critters Tell Us About Water Quality: A Macroinvertebrate Lesson
Students explore our ecosystem by investigating the quality of our water. In this aquatic insect lesson, students examine a group of random insects collected from different streams and ponds in the area. Students record their...
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Biomes -- Part 1
Students use the internet to locate and gather information on the world's biomes. They compare and contrast biomes to ecosystems and describe the human effects on ecosystems. They answer questions to end the lesson.
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"Conducting a Watershed Snapshot of Blockhouse Creek"
Students examine specific skills in assessing water quality from a holistic approach. They assess the health of a local watershed and identify problems in the local watershed and suggest remediation.
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Turning the Tide on Trash: Marine Debris Curriculum
Seven pages of fascinating reading on marine debris preface the activities in this lesson plan. Four different activities are employed to simulate how the debris is distributed in the ocean and along beaches. Early ecology learners...
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Aquatic Communities
Students watch a video about aquatic communities. They conduct an experiment that shows how movement of rivers change the landscape. They compare fresh and salt water communities and its wildlife.
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Burnaby Lake Field Trip
Students identify different organisms found in the lake ecosystem. In this life science lesson plan, students discover the predator-prey relationship through a game. They explain how beavers adapt to the environment over time.
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The Wetlands
Fourth graders learn what a wetland is, where they can be found, and what types of plants, animals and characteristic are associated with the wetlands. They also participate in an activity to explore and enhance their knowledge of...
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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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Beaver Ecology
Students explore the lives of bgeahvers. They identify the physical and behavioral adaptations that help beavers survive in their environment. Students compare and contrast how beavers influence the ecology of both forest and aquatic...
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pH
Learners use a Colorimetric test to measure pH and gain the importance to life in an aquatic ecosystem pH is. They explore the dramatic effect pH level can have on a water body. Students test the pH level of many water samples.
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Hypoxia and the Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico
Students investigate the causes of hypoxia, the characteristics of a watershed, and how the actions and management practices of people can both negatively and positively affect aquatic ecosystems.
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Fish Fashion 101
Students explore fish anatomy. In this fish anatomy and adaptation lesson, students define and identify the location of fish body parts. Students add these parts of a fish's anatomy to a life-sized fish costume worn by a student. ...
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That Is Predictable
Students investigate the changes that can take place in an aquatic environment. They conduct research using a variety of resources. The research is used to report different possibilities of change because of abiotic or biotic factors.
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Water Quality and Temperature
Students are led through three activities to explore the effect of temperature fluctuations on the growth and survival of aquatic plants, clams, and shrimp eggs.
Global Change
Impact of a Changing Climate on the Pacific Walrus
How many of us can say they've seen a Pacific walrus? Not many and one of the reasons is the impact of climate change on their aquatic environment. Children get to think about the food web of the Bering Sea by creating an actual web with...
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Biodiversity Debate
Ninth graders debate the positive aspects of dam construction. They discuss how a dam changes the ecosystem. In groups, 9th graders research and gather information for a debate. They state their position and write a report supporting it....
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Working for Water
Learners examine the ways that government works to help improve aquatic habitats. In this water habitats activity students view a video and plan a school restoration project.
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Exploring Limu Diversity
Young scholars explore limu diversity. In this ocean ecosystem lesson, students classify limu according to its physical properties. Young scholars work in small groups to generate scientific observations and sort limu by characteristics.
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Weave an Aquatic Food Web
Students explore organisms that are part of interconnected food webs. In this food web lesson, students choose an animal and research what the animal eats. Students begin with the food chain and branch out into the interconnected web...
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Invasives and Macroinvertebrates
High schoolers view macroinvertebrates, or discuss previous collection activity. They graph data on macroinvertebrates in the Hudson River. Students discuss the relationship between habitat, environmental changes, and invertebrate...