Lesson Plan
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Survival Of The Fittest

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders examine the concept of an ecosystem and how there is a variety of representations of life that exist there. They look at the equilibrium that is reached in stable communities and how the variable of change in...
Lesson Plan
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Wildlife Habitat

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explain what a habitat is and describe its four elements. They see how an area's habitat suitability varies with different species of wildlife. They name factors that affect habitat suitability.
Lesson Plan
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Animal Life Histories Derived From Morphology

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students learn the mechanisms of natural selection by deducing information from the physical appearance of the animal.
Lesson Plan
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Animals Abound Pre/Post Assessment

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students prepare for or evaluate their experiences in learning about animal persistence. This is part of a multi-segmented unit on animal living, adaptation, and survival.
Lesson Plan
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Web of Life - Ecosystem

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders play the roles of various organisms in an ecosystem (focusing on insects) and pass yarn or string around to other organisms from largest animals to the smallest. The end product is a web which shows how all of these animals...
Lesson Plan
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The Web of Life

For Teachers 6th - 8th
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 lesson.
Lesson Plan
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Sand Tracks

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine the different markings animals make while walking through the sand. In an activity, the teacher hold up the same tracks individually and they must guess the animal who made them. They discuss the results as a class to...
Lesson Plan
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Plover Survival: A Simulation Game

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders engage in a simulation that explains the feeding behavior of the piping plover and the things that disturb the feeding and nesting of this species.
Lesson Plan
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Macroinvertebrate Simon Says

For Teachers K - 2nd
Pupils study the four groups of macroinvertebrates. In groups, they explore the characteristics of macroinvertebrates. Through playing a "Macroinvertebrate Simon Says" game, students discover the adaptations of the animals and their...
Lesson Plan
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Animals of Point Reyes

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders explore how disasters affect animals.  In this animal habitats lesson students create an animal that will survive in Point Reyes habitats. 
Lesson Plan
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How Do You Do?

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders research organisms in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. They create a picture book demonstrating their understanding of relationships.
Lesson Plan
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The Great Spider Debate

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students study about the survival and hunting strategies of several different kinds of spiders. They also be introduced to scientific classification of spiders and write a brief report about one of the spider families they observe.
Lesson Plan
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Habitat Is Home

For Teachers 2nd - 8th
Students are introduced to the concept and components of a habitat. They discuss the key components of a habitat and describe how certain factors can cause disturbances in a habitat and change its population. Activities are leveled for...
Lesson Plan
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Creatures That Glow In The Night

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers investigate the different bioluminescent organisms. They use microscopes in order to make observations and draw what is seen. Students demonstrate they have studies the differences between the process of photosynthesis and...
Lesson Plan
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Saving Habitat

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Students pick an animal native to Maryland and research how populations of that animal might be affected by land use changes over the past thirty years. They predict population trends for the next thirty years.
Lesson Plan
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My Favorite Meal

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students investigate ecological systems and the multiple uses of the environment by studying the osprey population.
Worksheet
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The Great American Alligator

For Students 6th - 10th
In this alligator worksheet, students read a short essay describing the natural history of this reptile. Then students complete 3 fill in the blank and 3 short answer questions.
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March Market

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Pupils role play a living wetland food web. They trace the food web associated with the items in their lunch.
Lesson Plan
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Surviving in Our Ecosystems

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders identify the characteristics of a frog and compare them to a human child. They draw and describe the best environment for a human to live in and the best environment for a frog to live in based on their physical...
Lesson Plan
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Endangered Species Furniture Project

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students work in groups to research an endangered species. They then refinish and paint a piece of furniture and incorporate facts and references about the animal they have researched.
Lesson Plan
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Daphnia and Algae: A Study of Pond Dynamics

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students observe interrelationships and interdependencies of organisms which may generate stable ecosystems. They also study that living organisms have the capacity to produce infinite sized populations, but environments and resources...
Lesson Plan
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The Dynamics of Populations

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders analyze the growth rate of different population. For this biology experiment, 10th graders identify the biotic and abiotic factors that limit population size. They create a poster to show their findings in class.
Lesson Plan
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Adaptable Mandibles

For Teachers K - 8th
Students define adaptation and highlight example of adaptation in birds and other animals. They study feeding techniques of seabirds and investigate the effect that trash has on wildlife.
Lesson Plan
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Amazing Bird Adaptions--Why Am I A Bird?

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders identify and classify birds found in Illinois. Using the internet, they discover how birds have adapted over time and how the adaptations have increased their life span. They compare and contrast the various adaptations...