Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
Habitat Unit - Day 2
Learners explore abiotic factors that affect habitats. After a class lecture, students work in groups to answer questions about plant tissue, production and growth. They share answers, complete a crossword puzzle, and create a habitat...
Curated OER
The Interdependence of Birds and the Great Salt Lake Ecosystem
Tenth graders participate in the "Checks and Balances" game. This game lets them experience the interdependence of oragnisms specific to the Great Salt Lake. They recieved informaton about food chains, food webs, trophic levels various...
Curated OER
Aliens Among Us
Students identify plants growing in the school yard and choose one for further investigation. They investigate the plant's biotic potential and environmental resistance. They predict what would happen should they introduce an exotic...
Curated OER
Survivor!
Students play a game in physical education class to examine how a deer survives. Using nature as a guide, they discover how it is constantly changing due to weather, food, water, pollution and predators. They discuss the characteristics...
Curated OER
Wetland Ecosystem Conservation
High schoolers 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.
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....
UAF Geophysical Institute
System Interactions: The Lorax and the Truffula Tree
If the Lorax were to write a letter, what would he write? Introduce your class to systems and feedback loops through the whimsical stylings of Dr. Seuss. Learners take on the Lorax's point of view to write a letter, among other activities.
Curated OER
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...
Science Matters
Oh Heron
Two teams—the environmentalists and herons—play four rounds of the game, Oh Heron. Using hand symbols to represent food, shelter, and water, players locate their match to produce more herons while those unmatched decompose.
University of Southern California
Human Impact on the Sea
How far does the human hand reach? Five interactive lessons lead classes through a unit exploring the human impact on ocean resources, pollution, and even extinction. Learners discover how their decisions affect the ocean environment...
Curated OER
Population Ecology
Here are some ideas to help students understand population growth in ecosystems.
Curated OER
The Changing Coral Reef
Young scholars record changes in the composition of a coral reef. In this Coral Reef lesson plan, students recognize the needs of Coral Reef species to survive. Young scholars chart changes in population over time. Students write an...
Curated OER
Where Growth Meets Growth
Students discuss fire risk factors for a property located near a wildland area. In this science lesson, students identify, number, and provide reasons for areas of increased risk on a worksheet they think should be changed. Students...
NOAA
Community Ecology and Sampling
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...
Curated OER
Nature of Science and Ecology
Students identify the different biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem. For this ecology lesson, students perform a case study on current environmental problems. They write a position statement about their chosen topic and share...
Curated OER
Wild Animal Science
Students discover how environmental factors impact the survival of a population. In this landscape design lesson, students create a new animal and discuss the relationship between the animal and its environment before creating a habitat...
Curated OER
Ecological Organization
Students examine the concepts in the ecological organization unit. In this ecological lesson students explore news articles that have to do with the study of ecology.
Curated OER
Ecology and the Conservation of Natural Resources Lesson 2
Students compare and contrast abiotic and biotic factors. They discuss how these factors effect ecosystems. They answer questions to complete the lesson.
Curated OER
Introduction to Biomes
Fifth graders use scientific skills and processes to recognize how living things depend on one another and on the environment for survival and the human use of natural resources impacts the environment. Explain how Earth's surface...
Curated OER
Oceanography
Fifth graders use scientific skills and processes to recognize how living things depend on one another and on the environment for survival and that the human use of natural resources impacts the environment. They research how Earth's...
Curated OER
Marine & Aquatic Habitats Activities - Marine Ecology
Middle schoolers 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.
University of South Carolina
Home Sweet Home
Fifth graders will research a biome (land or aquatic) and create a project (diorama, model or another idea of the student's choosing) which includes the geographic features of that biome as well as plants and animals found there and...
Curated OER
Radish Seed Garden
Fifth graders explore the effects of overpopulation in an ecosystem while applying the scientific method. They discuss overpopulation and its meaning. Students as an organism competes for space in an overpopulated area. They plant...