Curated OER
The 8 Realms - Hawaiian Vegetation Divisions
Students study the attributes of the 8 realms of Hawaiian vegetation. In this Hawaiian vegetation lesson, students read project cards to determine the elevation, rainfall, and organisms that live in each realm. They make a poster that...
Curated OER
Ecosystem Tumble
Learners create visual representations of ecosystems. In this ecology lesson, students discuss the interdependence of plants and animals in various ecosystems. Learners cut pictures from magazines and glue them on sturdy blocks. Using...
Curated OER
Food Chain/Food Web
Students explore ecosystems. For this ecology lesson, students read an article explaining ecosystems. Students create a visual organizer with index cards using components of various ecosystems.
Curated OER
Co-evolution of Plants and Pollinators
Students explore biological evolution and natural selection and its evolutionary consequences. They also explore how organisms are interdependent on one another.
Curated OER
Something Fishy - Bioaccumulation of Mercury
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...
Curated OER
Compost and Composting Experiments
Students investigate the composting process through a variety of experiments. In this ecology lesson, students discuss the benefits of composting. They examine how compost affect plant growth.
Curated OER
Life in a Forest Stream
Students assess macro-invertebrates from a stream. In this science lesson plan, students observe, classify and identify organisms found in a stream. A lab station is constructed at the stream sight and students study the different...
Curated OER
Let's Build a Worm Bin
Students explore the process of decomposition. In this ecology and measurement lesson, students prepare a worm home to be used for vermicomposting. Students weigh a group of worms and the added food, recording this information on a data...
Curated OER
Fish and Flowers
High schoolers read and discuss a research article that explains the unlikely link between increased fish populations and increased plant pollination. They answer reading guide questions to discover this ecological relationship.
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Receding Waters
Learners explore the effect of environmental factors on ecosystems. In this wildlife and ecology lesson, students identify and describe the stages in a frog's life cycle. Learners participate in a simulation demonstrating the...
Curated OER
What Are the Layers of the Rain Forest?
Students investigate the different levels of the rain forest by comparing it to an apartment. In this ecology lesson plan, students practice using forest related vocabulary words and complete a vocabulary data sheet. Students...
Curated OER
Hands on Biome-Building
Students explore Earth science by participating in an environment activity. For this biome lesson, students discuss the importance of a healthy ecology in order to sustain life, both animal and plant. Students utilize a cardboard or wood...
Curated OER
Hands on Biome-Building: Build a Forest
Learners explore Earth science by identifying environmental factors. For this biome lesson, students discuss the importance of a functioning ecology and design a biome diorama. Learners utilize images of trees and plants which represent...
Curated OER
Population Dynamics
Middle schoolers 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.
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How Clean is that Water?
Students conduct a water quality experiment on a local stream using benthic organisms as a water quality indicator. Based on the results from the experiment, students determine how engineers use this background information to make...
Curated OER
Aquatic Investigations
Fifth graders investigate pond organisms, plant life, water temperatures, and changes that occur during the four seasons. They design scavenger hunts with the information collected about pond life. They read about the geology of the...
Curated OER
Calculating Your Foodometer
Middle schoolers explore environmental issues by completing a food production class activity. In this carbon footprint lesson, students discuss the types of foods they eat, where they come from and what types of methods are used to...
Teach Engineering
Biomimicry and Sustainable Design - Nature is an Engineering Marvel
Discover how copying nature can be beneficial to humans. Scholars read articles about examples of biomimicry and its potential applications. Along the way, they learn about Nature's Nine Laws and how they relate to biomimicry. This is...
University of Kentucky
Beneficial Bug Scavenger Hunt
Many people think of bugs as annoying pests to be squashed, but most insects and spiders are beneficial, eating the actual pests or pollinating plants. After reviewing some of the common bugs in your area (they may differ from those...
Curated OER
Scavenger Hunt: A Group Collection
Students be complete a collection of living organisms and systems from the school campus.
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Community Problem Solving
Learners use community problem solving to solve a littering problem in the community of San Carlos. Students use a Role Play Description to learn this process.
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Introduction to Biomes
Eighth graders identify the different kinds of biomes. In this life science instructional activity, 8th graders explain their importance in an ecosystem. They take a BrainPop quiz at the end of the instructional activity..
Curated OER
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...