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Urban Ecosystems 4: Metabolism of Urban Ecosystems
Cities are compared to living, breathing, metabolizing organisms. Fourth in a five-part series of lessons, this one focuses on the flow of materials through a city. Links to interesting websites and images make your delivery of...
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Biotechnology: An Agricultural Dilemma
Students investigate the types of genetically modified crop plants there are and the benefits and risks of such plants. The agricultural needs in developing nations for this biological knowledge to resolve societal issues is also...
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Eco-enrichers
Students discover the importance of plant and animal components within soil. In this soil lesson, students test the quality of soil. Students then conduct an experiment adding different components to bags of soil to see what will...
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Food Webs
Students research an animal to define its food web and life cycle. In this animal life cycle lesson, students research an animal and define its food web. Students then present their animal food webs to the class and note other animals in...
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Bioregions of California
Students map out the bioregions of California by examining the species and environment in different areas of the state. They use information and pictures from a PowerPoint presentation to complete a map handout and play a trivia game.
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The Basics: Life Science
Young scholars develop an understanding of the different fields of study that are encompassed by the term, life science. They view and discuss a video on the topic. In small groups they focus on on of the examples shown in the video to...
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A Coastal Arctic Food Web
High schoolers 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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Environmental Action
Students investigate an environmental problem in order to find and propose possible solutions. The problem is real to add to the engagement of the instructional activity. This is found through conducting research and then brainstorming...
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Food Webs
Students investigate the concept of an ecosystem and how they are interconnected according to a hierarchy. Students are exposed to the "Lion King" as an example of a food chain and this is very relevant. They answer several key...
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Phytoremediation
Students participate in a lab designed to facilitate the clean up and remove of substances ranging from heavy metals to dynamite. They focus on the remediation of copper. They discuss their results of this open ended inquiry experiment.
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Biotechnology
Students explore biotechnology through various activities. In this biology lesson, students analyze its pros and cons. They study and read informative articles about biotechnology.
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Human Populations Studies: the Ghost of Populations Past
Learners 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.
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The Environments of Big Sur:Which Do We Protect?
Students examine the California environments. In this environmental lesson, students examine the various ecosystems of California, creating a presentation on how these environments impact Big Sur. They write a paper defending their point...
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Forest Ecosystem Field Trip
Students investigate the environment by participating in a class field trip. In this botany lesson plan, students attend a field trip through their local park or forest while listening to a nature guide. Students practice using their 5...
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Cool Corals
Students explore corals and polyps. In this coral reef lesson students divide into groups and prepare a written report.
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The Environment and Interactions of Living Organisms
Young scholars study the environment and interactions of living organisms. They identify abiotic and biotic factors and create a foldable and vocabulary cards. They create a poster illustrating soil and watch a video to study symbiosis.
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Aquatic Foodweb
Students explore what a food web is. In this science instructional activity, students examine how nutrients and other pollutants enter a lake and play a food web game whereby students pretend they are either zooplankton,...
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Building YOU from MOO
Students build protiens according to whether they are suppose to be a plant, a cow, or a person. They discover that all proteins are made from the same amino acids and it is just the order of these amino acids that change.
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The Greenhouse Effect
Seventh graders investigate the temperature change in open and closed containers. For this earth science lesson, 7th graders relate this lab activity to greenhouse effect. They create a line graph from data collected in the experiment.
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Pollen & Pollination
Students identify the different ways things are pollinated and how to manage pollen. In this pollination lesson students complete an experiment on how moths pollinate flowers.
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Population Density
Middle schoolers use the scientific method to conduct an experiment and use varied methods to gather background information. They correctly use lab equipment and prepare tables and graphs that organize, conclude, and present their...
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Biome-Ecology Unit with a "Design a Zoo" Extension
Students participate in a three part unit about biomes. Part one, students research the biomes of North America and part two consists of research on zoos and a field trip to a zoo. While part three ties together the first two when...
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Mangrove Ecology and Adaptations
Students create a plant or animal that would be well adapted to a habitat they selected. They first learn about Mangroves and their specific adaptations that help them survive in their habitat.
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Marine & Aquatic Habitats Activities - Marine Ecology
Learners 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.