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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...
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The Chain Gang
Young scholars perform a food chain simulation to determine what happens when a food chain is broken.
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The Web Of Life - Overlapping Food Chains
Students perform an activity in which they discover what happens when food chains overlap in an ecosystem and discover the three components of a food web.
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De"compost"ition Activity
Students investigate the decomposition process and the parameters which influence the rate at which it occurs. They design a "controlled" experiment by comparing decomposition rates between two compost piles. Analysis questions include...
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State Of The Bay
Middle schoolers investigate the environmental problems that surround the Chesapeake Bay area. They use an environmental handout as a resource that should be supplemented with research. Also students ask specific questions to report...
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Discovering The Oasis
Students participate in a lesson that is concerned with the ecosystem of a local pond. The teacher makes arrangements for students to take a field trip. Time is spent in class for preparation and afterward for debriefing of lab...
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Climate Change
Learners focus on the production of maple syrup in Northern New England as they study the effects of climate change. They investigate other environmental factors on the forests of Northern New England.
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A Walk in the Woods
Students observe an environment, ask questions about what they observe. and design experiments to answer one question they came up with in this upper-level High School or college lesson. The lesson requires an outdoor exploration or...
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Paper, Microorganisms, and Biocides
Students study the paper making process and discuss the implications of recycling paper. Students conduct a lab to determine if microorganisms are present in different solutions used in the papermaking process today.
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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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Biodiversity: El Imposible National Park, El Salvador
Fifth graders explore the concept of how the more diverse an ecosystem is, the more interdependence of species exists within that system. The complex relationships among diverse species are difficult to identify. As species disappear or...
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Comparison of Different Methods for Determining Stream Flow at a Stream Site
Students make measurements and calculations to determine the stream flow of an outdoor stream site. In this stream characteristics lesson, students travel to a field site to construct a transect across a stream and measure the...
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Salt, Soil and Seeds
Students investigate seed growth by experimenting with different soils. In this ecology lesson, students plant seeds in paper cups and add differing amounts of salt to enhance the growth process. Students record which plants...
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Ecology - Ecosystem
Third graders research ecosystems, the work of ecologists, John Muir's contribution to the environment and an endangered species of their choice. They read books, participate in discussions, and write reports.
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Ecology: Trees
Fourth graders research and identify the different layers of the forest. As a class, they observe real-life trees or analyze a poster, and discuss the characteristics of each forest layer. Students then draw a forest and label the...
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Insect Biology and Ecology: A Primer
Students explore insects and closely related organisms. They examine the growth and development of a lady beetle. Students classify insects and organize them. They investigate pest management.
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Powdery Mildew Fungi: Classification and Ecology
Students use a written key or illustrated key to identify fungi on plant leaves into its genus based on sexual or asexual reproduction, host range diversity, and host-parasite relationships.
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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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Forest Food Web Activity
Learners gain knowledge of food webs and ecological interconnections in the forest, and place different life forms in their proper place in a food chain. Students appreciate the balance of nature and how humans are affected by extinct...
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Horticulture Crops in the agro-ecosystem
Ninth graders apply ecological analysis to fruit and vegetable production systems. In this horticulture activity students learn about different management practices.
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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...
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Ecologist's Activities
Students construct a model of a biome. In this ecology lesson, students use a shoebox, magazine pictures, paper, and string to create a model biome. Students glue the photos inside the shoe box and draw other objects, such as plants,...
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What is Happening to Our Water?
Students compare and contrast Wisconsin's water resources to that of Puerto Rico. They research books about islands, particularly the Puerto Rican islands. Student view illustrations of island ecology. They discuss the illustrations and...
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Temperate Forests vs. Wetlands
Learners compare and contrast the temperate forest and wetlands by researching them in groups. In this forest lesson plan, students identify the economic, ecological, and social benefits of each.