Curated OER
Mussel Ecology
Students are introduced to the marine environment of the mussel. The emphasis of the lesson is upon what human factors are present to influence the environment in positive and negative ways. They brainstorm in groups in order to conduct...
University of Southern California
How do Organisms Interact?
Examine how organisms interact through a hands-on experience. Learners study population dynamics and distribution during an informative five-lesson unit. The focus is on the ocean environment and the organisms within it.
Curated OER
AP: Chapter 54: Ecosystems
A lot of learning is packed into these 23 questions about ecosystems. Advanced biology classes apply their knowledge of communities, productivity, biogeochemical cycles, and human impact on the environment by writing short answers for...
Curated OER
Marine Protected Areas (MPA)
Ninth graders explain the purpose of MPA's. In this biology lesson, 9th graders identify MPA's in Southern California. They simulate coastal sampling using candy from two buckets. Students analyze their results and share it with the class.
Curated OER
Ecology Vocabulary
In this ecology activity, students read the vocabulary words and then categorize a species found in a field, meadow, or fencerow in their state or region. Students complete 6 problems.
Curated OER
The Motion of a Virus Through a Population
Learners test the factors that influence the rate at which a virus spreads through a population. They complete a lab activity then discuss data collected and review and answer a set of questions.
It's About Time
Diversity in Living Things
How diverse is the world we live in compared to the way things used to be? Young biologists explore diverse organisms and relate the structure of each organism to its ability to survive in our current environmental conditions....
Curated OER
Human Populations Studies: the Ghost of Populations Past
High schoolers compile data on population distribution and develop survivorship curves using information from cemetery tombstones and obituaries. They develop inferences on the changes in population age distribution in their area over time.
Curated OER
Populations – The Survival of the Fittest (Part 1)
Students explain in their own words why organisms live together. In this biology lesson, students model what happens to organisms if their environment changes. They explain the importance of evolution.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Measuring Biodiversity in Gorongosa
Take your biology class' understanding of biodiversity to a whole new level! Ecology scholars use data to calculate three different diversity indices based on the organisms in the Gorongosa National Park. The four-part activity uses an...
Curated OER
Understanding Human Population Growth
You can help students learn about the causes and consequences of our rapidly growing global population
Curated OER
Principles of Ecology
For this ecology worksheet, students will review 10 vocabulary words associated with the basic principles of ecology. This worksheet has 10 fill in the blank questions.
Curated OER
Who Lives in the Water? Stream Side Science
Andree Walker thought of everything when he wrote this resource. It includes a detailed list of materials and background information links for the teacher. In addition, it has procedures, a macroinvertebrate identification key, and tally...
Curated OER
Populations and Ecosystems
Sixth graders examine the factors that influence the stability of ecosystems. They construct a miniature ecosystem in a jar that includes plants, small fish, and snails, record the population changes over a period of four weeks, and...
Curated OER
Forest In A Jar
Tenth graders are introduced to the process of succession and gain awareness of the changing nature of ecosystems. They demonstrate a comprehension of the dynamic nature of ecosystems, including the relationship between ecological...
Curated OER
Historical Harbor Habitats
Tenth graders create food web displays in the classroom. For this ecology lesson, 10th graders identify the different pollutants in the environment and their effect on organisms. They collect samples of sediments from the harbor and...
Curated OER
Dare to Care for a Grizzly Bear
Young scholars examine the relationship between humans and grizzly bears. In this biology lesson, students research about the bear's habits and living environment. They write a letter to the US Fish and Wildlife Service petitioning them...
Curated OER
Endocrine Disruptors in Our Drinking Water: Should We Be Concerned?
Students investigate the different hormone contaminants in the water supply. In this math lesson, students analyze data tables and graphs. They demonstrate exponential growth and decay using frog populations.
Curated OER
Seeds of Wetland Life
Learners participate in several activities on seed exploration. For this biology lesson, students classify seeds according to their dispersal method. They explain the different adaptations plant have to disperse their seeds.
Curated OER
Presenting Ecology through Rodent Control
Students role play the member of a health department task force. In groups, they develop their own recommendations to control the rodent problem in the area. They email their local government official and research information about the...
Curated OER
Population Vs Consumption: Which is a Bigger Problem for the Environment & Who is Getting the Lion's Share of the World's Resources?
Students develop critical thinking and awareness about the complexity of natural resource use, wealth distribution, population densities, poverty, and the environment. They think about people living in different parts of the world and...
Curated OER
Urban Ecosystems 3: Cities as Population Centers
Young scholars discover that throughout history cities have been centers of population but that human exploitation of fossil fuels was key to the growth of large cities worldwide. They research urban growth through a number of websites.
Curated OER
Review of Populations
Students review the concept of populations. In this Biology lesson plan, students will work with a partner to talk through what they remember from the unit on populations. The class will then begin to work through a concept map as a way...
Curated OER
Welcome to Populations!
Students define what population is in their own words. In this biology lesson, students explain different ways to measure population density. They interpret population graphs.