Students research cultural characteristics of a Canadian city with that of their home town. They complete a map handout, providing the relative location on a large map and the absolute location on a provincial map. Students work together...

Examine a slug? Of course, what else would a 2nd grader do with it? Pupils use clues and go on a slug hunt, read a slug story, or make a cooperative group mural of a slug's habitat. While older learners catalog slugs, go on a slug hunt,...

Become a member of the Pollution Patrol and stand up to litter! After discussing the life cycle of seeds and discussing how plants figure into the food chain, young conservationists engage in several activities involving podcasts,...

In this forests and people activity, 3rd graders brainstorm what forests are used for, discuss forest habitats, and how human interventions have affected trees and animals that depend on the forest environment. Students read the books,...

Dirt babies are an excellent way to show young botanists the plant life cycle. They explore the functions and industry behind grasses before growing some of their own. Use the informational text here and consider implementing some...

Students study coral reefs and marine communities.  In this investigative lesson plan students get into groups and are assigned a subject.  In their groups they create a poster about their assigned topic. 

It's time for a field trip! Scholars take their new-found knowledge of adaptations and seed dispersal on a field trip to a local botanical garden. They gain an up-close look at how ecological interdependence works in a distinct...

Youngsters become familiar with zoo animals. They sort them into categories, and choose an animal to act out. Two zoo centers are created in the classroom that have examples of the animals for the pupils to play with. Then, they choose...

Here is an opportunity for your first graders to take a close look at plants: what they need to survive, how they grow, and the names of each plant part. The book, Corduroy's Garden is used to open the lesson. Then, youngsters utilize...

Young scholars study the growth of the Phoenix area using geographic images, maps, tables, and graphs. They study the idea of community.

Fifth graders define vocabulary terms, identify the characteristics of a pillbug, and create a dichotomous key. Then they examine the pillbugs and make observations and record these observations. Finally, 5th graders observe specific...

Kick-start a discussion of the importance of biodiversity with a colorful resource that touts the benefits of maintaining healthy ecosystems. The images stress the interdependence of all the elements of an ecosystem.

Students participate in a game in which they discover the balance of life in the ocean. They identify different organisms that rely on different types of food. They answer questions to complete the instructional activity.

Students discover what a coral reef is and the animals that live there. In this ecosystem lesson, students act out a story with ocean organisms. They answer questions that show the interdependency of the sea animals. 

Learners explore birds of prey and food chains. In this ecosystems and birds of prey cross curriculum science and literacy lesson, students brainstorm characteristics of birds after viewing photographs. Learners view a video and document...

Students imagine and describe fictitious sea animals that might live in the ocean. After reading an article, they reflect on new discoveries found in the ocean recently. Using the internet, they research the interdependence of animals...

Explore the food chains that support Arctic ecosystems. A class discussion on interdependence and the different roles plants and animals play in ecosystems provides students with the knowledge to complete a worksheet asking them to...

Introduce ecology classes to biodiversity and interdependence in ecosystems with a PowerPoint presentation. Then, they get up-close and personal with the invertebrate world by collecting insects, classifying them, and graphing their...

Is it a producer, carnivore, omnivore, scavenger, or decomposer? Different relationships among organisms are explored here. It is a simple, multiple choice assignment. Use it as a quick warm-up or quiz.

Sometimes, the best solution to a problem can be found by walking in someone else's shoes. Here, scholars use character cards to take on the roles of people around the world. They determine how their character's...

Scholars take part in a grand conversation about the basic needs of living things. Working collaboratively, pupils brainstorm and identify similarities to come to the conclusion that the environment meets the needs of all living...

We are very dependent upon other life forms around us to survive. Here, scholars explore relationships in the ecosystem with the help of Auntie Litter and the pollution patrol. They imagine a world without grass, making connections to...

Students consider the interdependency of life in a temperate forest by studying selected organisms from an Asian temperate forest and creating a food web.

Students gain an awareness of the diverse habitats of the 17 species of penguins. Standard: 4.4 Interdependence of Life Changes in an organism's habitat are sometimes beneficial to it and sometimes harmful.