Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Forest Food Chains and Webs

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students explore forest ecological systems. For this ecology lesson, students classify forest plants and animals according to their ecological roles. Students play a related vocabulary guessing game.  Students choose a card on which...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Does Earth Day Mean? - Biology Teaching Thesis

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students possible sources of water pollution, and explain the effects that water pollution can have on the food on the food chain. They Name human and other animal (i.e. fish) illnesses that can be contracted from drinking polluted...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earth Day Unit Plan: Pollution in the Anacostia River - Biology Teaching Thesis

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders are able to explain that there are pollutants in the Anacostia River, what these pollutants can cause, and how to prevent further pollution. They examine the impacts that the pollutants of the Anacostia River could have on...
Lesson Plan
Science Matters

Matter Cycles — Sum It Up

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Scholars become part of the cycle of matter with a reader's theater that showcases producers, consumers, decomposers, and the sun. A diagram and discussion concludes the learning experience and enhances comprehension. 
Lesson Plan
Science Matters

Energy Flow

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Budding scientists work collaboratively to reenact energy flow in a food chain. Scholars take on roles such as producer and consumer and perform tasks that symbolize energy flow in order to provide evidence of how much energy passes...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Food Webs in the Bay

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners get acquainted with a type of ecosystem and how different organisms of that ecosystem compete with one another for resources. They analyze the submerged aquatic vegetation of a bay ecosystem. Students study plants.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Wetlands Are Wonderlands!

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Young scholars explore the wetlands. They participate in numerous activities to explore food chains, food webs, and energy in the ecosystem. Students read stories, sing songs, visit specified websites, and participate in games to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Chewin' in the Chesapeake

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine a web page on food webs and select a habitat to research.  In this research activity students identify the organisms found in the food web and present their findings to the class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bugs in the Woods

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders identify insects and plants in the forest ecosystem in a structured field trip with stations and activity booklets.  In this bugs lesson, 2nd graders explore the ecosystem of the forest, complete the booklet and play...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Life in the Kelp Forest

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students research and create a marine food web to learn about plants and animals in a kelp forest. In this marine food web lesson, students draw lines between kelp forest predators and prey and show the flow of energy in the food web....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fish Are Animals Too

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Learners create posters that show how a shark is a major predator in kelp forests and coral reefs after studying the food webs for these ecosystems. They determine that fish are important animals in the ocean's web of life.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Forest Floor Terrarium

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students study the aspects of a forest floor ecosystem, including decomposition, the water cycle, food webs, the needs of living things, and physical vs. chemical change over an extended period. In addition, students conduct observations...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plants 'R' Us!

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students investigate the interdependencies of plants and animals, and study what a food web is. They create a food web using yarn and images.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Impact of Invasive Species on Food Webs and Ecosystems

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders explore how invasive species affect the Great Lakes. In this science lesson, 5th graders research invasive species and create a food chain involving the invasive species. Students discuss how the environment is affected by...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Standard 4-Ecosystems

For Teachers 9th - 12th
In this ecosystem worksheet, students answer questions about energy pyramids, food chains, consumers, producers, decomposers, biotic and abiotic factors in an environment, natural selection and the importance of biodiversity in an...
Lesson Plan
Pennsylvania Department of Education

Cycles, Systems, and Webs

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders review the parts of the plant and their functions.  In this plant lesson, 4th graders recognize that plants must transfer energy to make food.  Students understand the interdependence of organisms in an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ecology - Food Chains

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students discuss the concept of a food chain in the California ecosystem. in this food chain lesson, students look at different cards and sort them into herbivores, carnivores, decomposers, and omnivores. Then they use these cards to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Marine & Aquatic Habitats Activities - Terrestrial Forests vs. Kelp Forests

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners discuss concept and specificity of habitats, both marine and terrestrial, list similarities and differences in the habitats of a kelp forest and a terrestrial forest, compare types of organisms that occupy corresponding types of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Should Populations in an Ecosystem be Restricted?

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders experiment to determine how overpopulation effects ecosystems specifically plants. In this ecosystem instructional activity, 4th graders conduct an ecosystems experiment after listening to Claire Daniel's, Ecosystems. They...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ecosystem Tumble

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students create visual representations of ecosystems. In this ecology instructional activity, students discuss the interdependence of plants and animals in various ecosystems. Students cut pictures from magazines and glue them on...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Species Diversity in Ecosystems with Different Techniques of Land Management

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners visit numerous places to help in their understanding of Ecology. For this biology lesson plan, students will learn about characteristics and how to identify numerous plants and animals. This lesson allows for many field trip...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Web of Life - Ecosystem

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students examine the concepts of ecosystems and interdependence. They construct block pyramids to demonstrate interdependence, and map off an area to observe and identify animals. They create food chain mobiles and play a web of life game.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Energy Flow in Ecosystems

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Pupils, in groups, create a slide show about the ecosystem and answer critical thinking questions based on their research.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Populations and Ecosystems

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders create a model of an ecosystem and label it to show structure and function. They research the food web of an aquatic animal and also trace energy flow from the primary producer up the food chain.