Curated OER
Basic Needs of Living Things - Lesson Two
Fourth graders study and identify the basic needs of a variety of organisms. Terrariums and aquariums are used to demonstrate what plants, animals, and fish need to stay alive. These two classic models are used to effectively convey what...
Curated OER
Channel Catfish
Students study the life and biology of the Channel Catfish. In this aquatic biology instructional activity, students will examine the external and internal features of the catfish along with their breeding habits and environment. This...
American Chemical Society
Density: Sink and Float for Liquids
We don't think of liquids as floating typically, but a quick look at any oil spill tells a different story. Lesson explores various densities of liquids and why this fact is important. After observing the density variation, scholars...
Curated OER
Aquatic Organisms and Their Habitats
Middle schoolers investigate the presence of specific organisms in a freshwater habitat to determine the quality of that habitat. They conduct a field study and distinguish and classify organisms found during the field study.
Curated OER
Pond Water Survey
Students identify and describe various organisms living in a pond water environment. They describe the characteristics of living things. Students compare and contrast organisms created by asexual reproduction and sexual reproduction....
Michigan Sea Grant
Food Web II
A food web consists of complex food chains and the more complex the web, the better likelihood of survival. Learners compare and contrast food webs and food chains and discuss concepts like the predator-prey and consumer-producer...
Curated OER
Crawdad Grab
Students explore biology by conducting a freshwater fishing activity. For this crawdad lesson, students discuss what a crawdad is, where they are found and how they can be prepared as a meal. Students utilize string, alligator clips,...
Curated OER
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,...
Curated OER
Creating a Freshwater Ecosystem
Students correctly identify some fishes of Texas and parts of their ecosystem.
Curated OER
Oddball Out: Fish
In this problem solving worksheet, students analyze a row of pictures of various fish to determine which creature is different from the others pictured.
Curated OER
Investigative Case: The Nancy Creek Challenge
Young scholars examine a case study of fish kill in Nancy Creek and identify the environmental conditions that favor life in a fresh water ecosystem. They work in small groups to assess the situation and gather resources from various...
Curated OER
Food Webs in a Pond
Learners explore food chains and food webs in a pond and identify common creatures found in ponds. They look for tadpoles, fish, mites and other creatures in a pond during a field trip for first hand research.
Curated OER
Filtering Water to Prevent Pollution
Students explore techniques used to filter water and different pollutants. In this prevention of water pollution lesson plan, students define water pollution and list ways water is polluted. They explore water purification and complete a...
Curated OER
Pond Ecosystem Field Trip
Students investigate the environment by participating in a class trip. In this pond ecosystem lesson, students define a list of vocabulary terms associated with ponds such as invertebrate and metamorphosis. Students attend a field trip...
Curated OER
Understanding the pH Cycle within the Aquarium
Students discuss places they have been where the air seemed hard to breathe. They discuss if they could "see" the humidity or smell. Students discuss ways this might relate to the fish in the aquarium. The teacher introduces pH and how...
Curated OER
Osmosis and Dialysis
How do you engage pupils in a discussion about osmosis without leaving them overwhelmed? By providing them with the tools to perform an exciting experiment, and they will see osmosis in action! Young chemists and biologists use...
Curated OER
Out of the Deep
Students observe, describe, and record characteristics of ocean animals (mammals and fish) and sea shells. They conduct an experiment comparing and contrasting sugar water, salt water and fresh water and create a mural of coral reef...
Curated OER
Can We Keep the Lake Clean?
Students are introduced to the water cycle. They help draw a picture of a lake ecosystem, adding human impacts that affect water quality. Students help fill in the components of a drawing of a water system. At the end of the lesson...
Curated OER
Case of the Threespine Stickleback
Students examine why some freshwater populations of stickleback fish. In this macroevolution lesson students read a study packet then answer questions.
Curated OER
"Using Cichlids To Demonstrate the Effects of Human Activity On Ecosystems"
Students explore the freshwater ecosystem of Africa's Lake Victoria by creating a freshwater aquarium. They investigate factors affecting the aquarium's ecosystem and conduct lab activities.
Curated OER
Got Water?
Learners determine that delivering clean, fresh water to citizens around the world involves and affects politics, economics, international relations, and technology. They brainstorm a list of factors that might affect their town's...
Michigan Sea Grant
Sea Lamprey
Learners discuss the types of technology that are used to control the population of sea lamprey in the Great Lakes. They explain the parasite/host relationship and understand the devastating impact invasive species have on ecosystems....
Curated OER
Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Resources
Fifth graders are introduced to the important topic of renewable, and non-renewable, resources. They are expected to be able to correctly categorize different types of resources as renewable or non-renewable. Another emphasis of this...
Curated OER
Dream Stream
Investigate the parts of a healthy stream to build content-specific vocabulary and ecological awareness. The class builds vocabulary and determines why clean water is important for trout. They design a shoe box to show what a clean...