Curated OER
Marine Field Trip to Whytecliff Park
Students study the intertidal habitat, tidal pools and the organisms that live in them. In this aquatic ecosystems lesson students take a field trip and experience first hand the local seashore environment.
Curated OER
Plant Lifecycles
Students examine the life cycle of plants. In this plants lesson, students identify the various stages of plants and their parts. Students compare the life cycle of a plant with that of an animal. Activities suggested can be modified for...
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Stream Study
Young scholars study the characteristics of a stream habitat. In this life science lesson, students use sieves, nets, and jars to collect aquatic organisms. Young scholars also measure the temperature of the stream and calculate the...
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Build Your Own Sea Turtle
Students design and create their own sea turtles. They investigate the marine turtle anatomy by constructing a model of a sea turtle. They incorporate the vocabulary that identifies each part of the sea turtle's anatomy.
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Who Lives Here?
Students identify various aquatic wildlife species. In this biology lesson students collect clues about animals that live in wetland habitats. Students rotate through several stations displaying particular animal species to collect their...
Global Change
Impact of a Changing Climate on the Pacific Walrus
How many of us can say they've seen a Pacific walrus? Not many and one of the reasons is the impact of climate change on their aquatic environment. Children get to think about the food web of the Bering Sea by creating an actual web with...
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environment: Fresh and Saltwater Habitats
Students compare and contrast fresh and salt water coastal environments. After describing how sea animals adapt to their habitats, they design a variety of sea creatures and explain how the adaptations aid in the animals' survival. ...
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Can Fishing
Fifth graders investigate aquatic organisms. In this fishing lesson, 5th graders use can-fishing rigs to observe animals in their natural habitat. Students consider ways to solve a problem and discuss their findings.
Curated OER
Move To a Healthier Aquatic Balance
Fourth graders examine aquatic orgnaisms and how enviromental chages affect them. This factors include: temperature, Ph, oxygen, nutrients, and pollutants. They also explore habitat quality (erosion). Students compile data and create...
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Does the Introduction of Pesticides and Fertilizers Alter an Aquatic Ecosystem?
Students conduct an experiment using a small sample from a local water source. They introduce fertilizers and pesticides, separately, and carefully examine the results in their simulated aquatic ecosystem.
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Water Cycle and Ecosystems
Students explore the water cycle. In this investigative lesson, students examine the water cycle process. They will record their observations and discuss marine and freshwater ecosystems.
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Water Quality and Dissolved Oxygen
Students investigate the relationship between dissolved oxygen and organic materials and aquatic organisms. This is a 3-lesson series in which students explore dissolved oxygen and then design an experiment testing the effects of changes.
Michigan Sea Grant
Invasive Species
Learners identify invasive species to the Great Lakes and analyze their impact on the ecosystem. Using photo cards with pictures and facts, young scientists work in small groups to match invasive species with their corresponding...
Curated OER
Water Quality and Temperature
Young scholars are led through three activities to explore the effect of temperature fluctuations on the growth and survival of aquatic plants, clams, and shrimp eggs.
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Weave an Aquatic Food Web
Young scholars explore organisms that are part of interconnected food webs. In this food web lesson, students choose an animal and research what the animal eats. Young scholars begin with the food chain and branch out into...
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Blubber Gloves
The ways that animals adapt to their environments is quite remarkable. For this life science lesson, fifth graders take a look at some of the ways that aquatic animals that live in Arctic or Antarctic waters survive. They perform an...
Curated OER
Natural Inquirer
Students interview wildlife experts to gain information needed to research and write a report about an aquatic plant or animal affected by climate change.
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Habitats and Deep Sea Environments
Pupils examine and identify the characteristics of the four zones of the ocean. They discover the amount of diversity in marine habitats. They also explore the adaptations organisms have that have allowed them to survive.
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Sea Pollution
Learners explore facts about sea pollution. They discover how litter affects marine life. They investigate ways to reduce pollution. They complete a quiz to test their knowledge of sea pollution.
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Aquatic Organisms
Students create a poster describing the five characteristics of a salt water organism compared to a fresh water organism.
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Marine & Aquatic Habitats -- Journey of a Drop of Water Through a Watershed
Learners discuss pollution and the steps in the hydrologic cycle. They follow a drop of water through a watershed simulation. They discover the components of a water cleaning system as well.
Curated OER
Eutrophication Lab
Middle schoolers examine the effects of detergents and fertilizers on aquatic life and describe algae. Students define the term eutrophication as the process by which a body of water, such as a pond, lake, stream, or river, has a sudden...
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Stream Table
Students explore channelization, riparian habitats and soil erosion to find out about the aquatic habitats in Iowa. In this aquatic habitats lesson, students define important terms and read an article about pollution. ...
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Water and Land Ecosystems
Students investigate the differences between a land and aquatic ecosystem. They use the information in order to present it in an assessment. There are target questions that can be used to guide research, lead a classroom discussion, or...