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Fire Ecology
Fourth graders examine the role fire plays in maintaining the physical factors of the scrub ecosystem. They see that world ecosystems are shaped by physical factors that limit their productivity.
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A Coastal Arctic Food Web
Students create a food web of the arctic ecosystem. In this biology lesson, students explain how global warming affects this ecosystem. They explain how losing a species affects the entire community.
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Population Biology
Students define the following terms: predation, competition, carrying capacity and population. They can explain the patterns of growth and the limitations of growth. Students explain the difference between density-dependent and...
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Adaptation and Diversity on Sheffield Island
Written for an exploration of shoreline ecosystems on Sheffield Island, this gives ecology or marine biology buffs a hands-on experience. Using GPS or visual triangulation techniques, they lay transect lines on a high and a low energy...
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Marine & Aquatic Habitats Activities - Marine Ecology
Students enact the life cycle of a sessile animal and quantify the possibility of survival under the conditions given. They then present to the class a new adaptation which will increase the animals chance of survival.
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The Changing Coral Reef
Students record changes in the composition of a coral reef. In this Coral Reef lesson, students recognize the needs of Coral Reef species to survive. Students chart changes in population over time. Students write an essay about factors...
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"Oh Deer!"
Students play a game where half of them are deer and the others are components of habitat: food, water, shelter and space. They signify their needs by hand gestures and take what they need to their side of the game. They discuss real...
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Wetland Ecosystem Conservation
Learners read articles about wetland ecosystem conservation in Florida and other countries. They summarize information found in the articles. Students reflect on the information in the articles and write their feelings.
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Saving the Bay
Students investigate water pollution prevention. In this ecology wastewater instructional activity, students activate prior knowledge about sewage, then view a video explaining the waste water sewage system used in the San Francisco Bay...
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Estuarine Habitats
Sixth graders study the important habitats, flora, fauna, and physical factors of coastal habitats. They compare the aquatic habitats to terrestrial habitats by researching and completing tables with the information.
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Succession and Experimental Process
Students describe the roles of controlled, manipulated and responding variables in scientific research. They also identify biotic and abiotic interactions affecting the makeup of a plant community.
Teach Engineering
Designing a Sustainable Guest Village in the Saguaro National Park
Brainstorm ideas to design a sustainable guest village in the Sonoran Desert. The first installment of a nine-part unit teaches young environmental scientists about the basics of the Saguaro National Park and about sustainable design....
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Oh Deer!"
Young scholars explore the essential components of a habitat, which is food, water, and shelter. They end the lesson by paying the Oh Deer! game.
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U.S. History: Antebellum Heroes and Villains
Eighth graders research and write reports on key figures of the Antebellum Period. The projects also include pictures, bibliographies, and timelines about their assigned figure. In addition, 8th graders present oral reports to classmates.
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Native Species Restoration: Is Saving One Species Hurting Another?
Learners investigate the effect of human activities upon the environment. The studying experience encourages students to think about the issues involved in native species restoration.
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I See a Coyote
Students role-play coyotes looking for natural resources. In this natural resources lesson, students examine the relationship between animal life and the environment. Students play a game that demonstrates how natural resources affect...
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Solid Waste Recycling
Students seek scientific and technological solutions to envrionmental problems. They record class activities in a journal. They identify relationships among living things and their environments.
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Pharaoh Mountain Hike: Investigating Adirondack Life Zones
Students hike a local mountain and examine its life zones. They measure various components at each zone and collect leaf litter at the sites. At the mountain top, students make descriptive observations and complete a handout about the...
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Asexual versus Sexual Reproduction
Students explore reproduction. They research organisms and groups of organisms to determine whether they reproduce sexually or asexually. In addition, they determine the organism's habitat.
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Field Experiments on Succession
Student develop a hypothesis regarding the effects of either mowing or fertilizer upon the diversity of plant species in a grassland ecosystem. They set up experiment field plots and measure species richness.
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Raising an Animal
Students observe reproduction and behavior in several types of animals and nurture a sense of responsibility and cooperation. They then examine external features of several different types of animal groups.
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Leaf - It's What's for Dinner
Pupils discover correlations in food preferences of invertebrates, and assess stream health through use of kicknets, invertebrate keys, CBL systems and probes.
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Genetic Disorders with Cultural Roots: International Insects
Pupils recognize that certain populations have specific genetic disorders that could benefit or harm them in their environment, work out punnett square problems and infer offspring probabilities from results, and provide advantages and...
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Aquatic Insects: Water Quality Index & Diversity Index
Pupils search stream beds to study the life cycle and adaptations of stream insects. They explore creeks and streams to see the diversity index of creeks or streams and to find the water qualit index.