Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Rainforest Community

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students create a miniature rainforest ecosystem, a terrarium. Students then explain how the continuous flow of energy and food in the ecosystem allows it to sustain itself.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Relationships Among Living Things

For Students 7th - 9th
In this relationships among living things instructional activity, students determine if given statements are true or false. Students correct the false statements making them true. Also, students answer several short questions that...
Interactive
Curated OER

Bluebirds Ecology Vocabulary Exercise

For Students 3rd - 8th
In this bluebirds worksheet, students categorize bluebird species found in their state and define vocabulary related to it. Students complete 6 vocabulary words.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

San Ignacio Lagoon: Economy or Ecology

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students debate over the development in the habitat of gray whales. For this role playing lesson, students will take on various roles in a debate over the development of a salt production facility in the San Ignacio Lagoon concerning the...
Unit Plan
Curated OER

Anthropogenic Biomes

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
If you teach a man to fish, he will never go hungry—or he will overfish and permanently damage the ecosystem? Address the traditional biomes as well as the human-included ecosystems and contrasts the biotic and abiotic factors in each....
eBook
Rice University

Biology for AP® Courses

For Students 9th - Higher Ed
An eight-unit electronic textbook provides a guide to AP® Biology. Each of the 28 chapters include an introduction, multiple lessons, a summary, review questions, and test prep questions. Teachers see how each lesson connects to a big...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What If the Reef Dies?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students complete four activities to investigate how reef ecology can change. They perform experiments to show how sewage discharge can affect a marine ecosystem, look at substances that don't dissolve in water, examine wave action...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Man's Struggle for Environmental Preservation

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the way all living things are connected to one another. In groups, they participate in experiments in which they analyze the chemical processes through the biosphere and explain the role of energy. They also brainstorm...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ecological Citizen

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine the interconnectedness of living and non-living things that constitute an ecosystem. They examine fallen trees,insects, living trees, leaves, food webs, and forests. They conduct various activities and write poems about...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ecosystem Interdependence

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students outline a scenario demonstrating ecosystem interdependence. They explain the effects of this change according to the food web. They give a positive example such as increased rain and have the students call out answers to your...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Classroom Aquaponics: Exploring Nitrogen Cycling in a Closed System

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate nutrient cycling in a simplified desktop ecosystem involving aquarium and hydro-ponically grown plants. They set up an aquarium with 10 gallons of water at least a week before the lab is planned and place...
Lesson Plan
Serendip

Food Webs, Energy Flow, Carbon Cycle, and Trophic Pyramids

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
The reintroduction of a species to an area doesn't always go as expected. Scholars learn about the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park with a video, reading, and discussion questions. They complete a hands-on activity...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Evaluate Ecosystems

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders conduct an environmental inventory on one ecosystem. They collect data, and write an environmental impact statement on that area. Students explain the interactions between different systems found within an ecosystem....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Greening of Mars: The Changes Necessary to Sustain Life on Mars

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders discuss the currents conditions on the planet of Mars. In groups, they work together to develop a mechanism that allows for a balanced ecosystem to survive on the planet. After presenting their ideas to the class, they...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Something Fishy - Bioaccumulation of Mercury

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the dangers of eating high levels of mercury and how small amounts of mercury in water accumulate in greater quantities in organisms higher in the food chain. They list the health of effects of high levels of mercury on...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rain Forests

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate claims of medicinal plants found in the rain forest. In this research skills instructional activity, students examine the validity of Internet sources as they visit websites in search of information about rain forest...
Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

Exploring Three Categories of Human Induced Environmental Problems

For Teachers 4th - 7th
By exploring the three categories of human-induced environmental problems students can gain a global perspective.
Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

The Important Role of Biomes

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Travel the world from the comfort of your classroom with this unit on the Earth's biomes.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The "Nuts and Bolts" of Taxonomy and Classification

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students develop classification scheme that meets the established rules of the Linnaean system. They write one page essay on classification choices.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Farming in a Fishbowl: How Ethnic Groups in

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders research Chinese agricultural needs and practices. They conduct an experiment with aquaculture and germinated rice as they take measurements and apply the scientific method.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Spinning the Eco Web

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students examine the components and relationships of ecoregions and ecosystem management. They define ecoregion and ecosystem, list ecoregions, and participate in a simulation that demonstrates the connections between parts of the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Land Use

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students examine ecosystems that covered Illinois 200 years ago, investigate some living and non-living components of ecosystems, identify components of prairie system, create food webs, and observe human effects on environment. Lessons...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making a Food Web and Learning About Ecosystems

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders examine the difference between a food web and food chain. They also examine the importance of the sun in a food web and food chain. Students understand what happens when you remove parts of the chain.
Online Course
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Open Course Ware: Courses: Civil Environmental: Ecology I: The Earth System

For Teachers 9th - 10th
College-level online course highlighting the fundamentals of ecology. Course topics include coevolution of the biosphere, geosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere; photosynthesis and respiration; and the carbon, nitrogen, and water cycles....