Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Forest Food Chains and Webs

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students explore forest ecological systems. In this ecology lesson, students classify forest plants and animals according to their ecological roles. Students play a related vocabulary guessing game.  Students choose a card on which...
Lesson Plan
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NOAA

Community Ecology and Sampling

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Seamounts in the Coral and Tasman Seas are home to more than 850 different species. Groups explore hydrothermal vents, researching the organisms found there and their energy source. They also learn about seamounts, exploring their unique...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Folktales and Ecology: Animals and Humans in Cooperation and Conflict

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Story elements such as conflict, character analysis, resolution, and moral are discussed and charted as elementary children read folktales involving animals. An element of science is also introduced as learners discover what a keystone...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring the Natural World of the Balkan Peninsula

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers explore the different habitats in the Balkan peninsula. For this ecology lesson, students research about a species and create a 3D diorama of its environment. They present project in class and share their research findings.
Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Modeling Food Webs in Darién, Panama

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
It's a jungle out there! Young biologists journey to Darien, Panama to examine the intricate relationships between the organisms that inhabit the jungle. Groups begin by demonstrating an understanding of energy flow in ecosystems, then...
Lesson Plan
Moanalua Gardens Foundation

The Mystery of Rapa Nui

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
What caused the collapse of the environment on Rapa Nui (Easter Island)? Who constructed the Moai? What was their purpose? Class members assume the role of investigators and use evidence drawn from field studies, ships' logs, and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ecology

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students make connections between their daily lives and the usage of natural resources as they relate to the importance of environmental quality.  In this ecology lesson, students listen to the story The Lorax by Dr. Seuss...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Photographical Ecology

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students study organisms and the roles they play in nature. For this ecology lesson, students photograph several examples of organisms during a nature walk. Students print out their photos and classify the organisms as plants or animals.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Interactions Among Living Things

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students role play predators and prey, classify organisms as predator or prey, and describe factors that affect population growth and size.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Predator-Prey Relationships

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students understand ecological systems. They provide experiences to assist citizens to increase their sensitivity and stewardship for the environment.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Biodiversity Debate - Stream Side Science

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Role play community members who are both for and against the construction of a dam. Research the pros and cons and then hold a classroom debate. This activity ideally follows a series of stream studies, links to which are included. Use...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Everybody Needs a Little Sunshine

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Three activities introduce upper elementary ecologists to photosynthesis and food webs. In the first, an experiment is set up to determine how plants respond to different types of light. In the second, they connect organism cards with...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Predator-Prey Relationships

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students explore the interrelatedness of predators and prey in four different activities. They simulate an aquatic insect, fish, and osprey food chain during a poker chip game, play an M&M game to simulate the relationship between...
Lesson Plan
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Channel Islands Film

Human Impact on the Food Web of Santa Cruz Island

For Teachers 9th - 12th
What happens when a non-native species is introduced onto an island? Santa Cruz Island, part of the Channel Island chain located off the coast of southern California, provides the perfect laboratory for young environmental scientists to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Who Eats Whom in the Salt Marsh?

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders complete a virtual online salt marsh tour. In groups, they observe and identify the various types of animals found in the marsh. After categorizing the animals, they create a food web based on the animals role in the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A STEP IN SPECIATION

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students place different subspecies of a CA salamander are placed on grid map of CA according to where samples were collected. Then discuss patterns of their distribution, their likely evolutionary relationships, and probable sequence of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Food Web Mobile

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students explain the main concepts of food webs and food chains. They describe the role of animals, plants, and other organisms in cycling energy and matter through a food web by creating mobiles. Lesson contains adaptations for all levels.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

1st Grade - Act. 14: Who's in Your Family

For Teachers 1st
First graders create classroom graph of their family members after reading book, Family.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Population Dynamics

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students discover how organisms are dependent on one another for survivial. They also discuss how to conserve natural resources. They compare and contrast the different types of symbiotic relationships as well.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Scavenger Hunt: A Group Collection

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students be complete a collection of living organisms and systems from the school campus.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Laws of the Jungle

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students build a video game on predator-prey relationship. In this biology lesson, students identify the variables that affect this relationship. They write a short description and play each other's game. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Smokey's Message

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students list and discuss positive and negative effects of wildland fire. They discuss relationships among ecosystems and fire. They participate in role-playing activities related to wildland fire management.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rain Forest Project

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students recognize the relationships among the various parts of the world's environment. They practice the concepts of ecology and ecology. The importance of recycling and the complexities of world politics is also taught.
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...