Curated OER
The Marvels of Mud
Young scientists roll up their sleeves and get a little dirty in this three-day earth science investigation. Following the scientific method, children monitor the growth of algae in pond water samples in order to determine the role that...
Curated OER
Nutrient Enrichment vs. Oxygen Depletion
Pupils investigate how excess nutrients enter a body of water, and the harmful effects they have on aquatic organisms.
Curated OER
The Effects of Agricultural Fertilizer Runoff Upon Aquatic Ecosystems
Students measure the toxic levels of runoff and discuss the effects it would have on the aquatic system. For this runoff lesson plan, students answer questions to how runoff would affect the animals in an aquatic system.
Curated OER
What If There's No Light?
students discuss the importance of light and the consequences of living without it. Using a plant as a demonstration, students predict and observe what happens to a plant when it does not receive enough light. In groups, they experiment...
Curated OER
Aquatic Ecosystems
Students study ponds and wetland ecosystems and examine the food chains and webs in them. In this aquatic ecosystems lesson students answer questions about the diversity of the flora and fauna in a pond.
Curated OER
Eutrophication Lab
Middle schoolers examine the effects of detergents and fertilizers on aquatic life and describe algae. Students define the term eutrophication as the process by which a body of water, such as a pond, lake, stream, or river, has a sudden...
Curated OER
Marine & Aquatic Habitats Activities - Terrestrial Forests vs. Kelp Forests
Students discuss concept and specificity of habitats, both marine and terrestrial, list similarities and differences in the habitats of a kelp forest and a terrestrial forest, compare types of organisms that occupy corresponding types of...
Curated OER
Aquaculture Production in the Classroom
Students study the basics of aquaculture and how to successfully raise aquatic plants and animals. In this water lesson students perform water quality tests on fish tanks, record and graph their results.
Curated OER
Photosynthesis: Intake of Carbon Dioxide - Production of Oxygen
Students, after a long-term observation of photosynthesis with aquatic plants, assess the benefits of photosynthesis towards all living organisms. They explain in their own words the two cycles within photosynthesis. Guided discussion...
Curated OER
Water Quality Monitoring
Students comprehend the four parameters of water quality. They perform tests for salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH and clarity or turbidity. Students comprehend why scientists and environmental managers monitor water uality and aquatic...
Curated OER
Your Blooming Pond
Pupils model a pond system that becomes enriched with nutrients (fertilizer). They manipulate variables, make observations over time, and draw conclusions that may lead to further inquiry. They, in groups, simulate a pond environment.
Discovery Education
Perfectly Decomposed!
We all know someone who won't eat the banana with a brown spot, the grape with a dimple, and the apple with a bruise. Scholars use different fruits to explore what happens when fruits really start to decompose. They set up an experiment...
Curated OER
Dynamic Wetlands
Learners construct and observe a model of two different types of wetlands. In this wetlands lesson, students create a model of a wetland with constant drainage and a wetland that maintains a well-saturated soil. Learners observe and...
Curated OER
Water Quality and Nitrates & Phosphates
Students examine the effects of nitrates and phosphates on the dissolved oxygen levels in different water sources. In this series of 3 lessons, they consider the reasons for nitrate and phosphate level increases and their effects on...