Curated OER
Beaver Ecology
Students explore the lives of bgeahvers. They identify the physical and behavioral adaptations that help beavers survive in their environment. Students compare and contrast how beavers influence the ecology of both forest and aquatic...
Curated OER
Hypoxia and the Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico
Students investigate the causes of hypoxia, the characteristics of a watershed, and how the actions and management practices of people can both negatively and positively affect aquatic ecosystems.
Curated OER
Does a change in pH affect the growth and survival rate of aquatic plants?
Students determine if changes in pH affect the growth and survival rates of aquatic plants. They evaluate the optimal pH levels for the growth of aquatic plants.
Curated OER
Aquatic Communities
Students watch a video about aquatic communities. They conduct an experiment that shows how movement of rivers change the landscape. They compare fresh and salt water communities and its wildlife.
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
Aquatic Invertebrates
Students examine the impact that human development has on streams. For this stream sampling lesson students compare macroinvertebrate data and graph it.
Curated OER
Weave an Aquatic Food Web
Students explore organisms that are part of interconnected food webs. In this food web lesson, students choose an animal and research what the animal eats. Students begin with the food chain and branch out into the interconnected web...
Curated OER
Tree Top Canopy Field Trip
Students visit the Greenheart Canopy Walkway. In this environmental lesson, students experience a coastal rain forest ecosystem. Students interact and explore the different layers of the rain forest.
Curated OER
Wetland Metaphors
Students describe the characteristics of wetlands and identify their ecological functions. They inspect items and use them to create metaphors about wetlands.
Curated OER
Oceans in Motion
This simple lesson introduces children to basic marine life as well as to show them the necessity of protecting aquatic environments. Some famous marine life animals are introduced via vocabulary words, then children cut out pictures of...
Curated OER
What If There's No Light?
students discuss the importance of light and the consequences of living without it. Using a plant as a demonstration, students predict and observe what happens to a plant when it does not receive enough light. In groups, they experiment...
Curated OER
How Do Plants and Animals Change the Environment Around Them?
If you have elodea and snails in your classroom aquarium, or if you have access to a pond with these organisms, your young biologists can set up a controlled experiment to determine how certain ecosystems respond in light and dark...
Curated OER
Peek at the Chesapeake!
Students research organisms that live in the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. In this science activity, students choose an organism and research how it is affected by humans. Students create a presentation of their findings.
Curated OER
Your Own Fresh Water Aquarium in the Classroom
Students explore aquariums. In this fish and ecosystems lessons, students establish a freshwater aquarium environment using materials provided. Students read about and care for the classroom fish.
Curated OER
Build An Island
Students explore erosion. In this science lesson, students build an island and observe the effects of erosion on the island. Students discuss freshwater ecosystems in Hawaii.
Curated OER
Business Responsibility to Wetlands
Eighth graders discuss the responsibilities of businesses to protect local wetlands. In groups, they participate in numerous activities and create a model of a wetland to discover how it functions. They are given a quiz to end the lesson.
Curated OER
Teaching about Aquatic Respiration
Students explore respiration in a lake ecosystem by experiment and research.
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.
University of South Carolina
Home Sweet Home
Fifth graders will research a biome (land or aquatic) and create a project (diorama, model or another idea of the student's choosing) which includes the geographic features of that biome as well as plants and animals found there and...
Curated OER
Biomes -- Part 1
Pupils use the internet to locate and gather information on the world's biomes. They compare and contrast biomes to ecosystems and describe the human effects on ecosystems. They answer questions to end the lesson.
Curated OER
Salmon Life Cycles
Young scholars list salmon life cycle stages in order, list three threats that salmon face throughout their lives, and examine important role native fish play in aquatic food chains throughout their life cycles.
Curated OER
"Conducting a Watershed Snapshot of Blockhouse Creek"
Students examine specific skills in assessing water quality from a holistic approach. They assess the health of a local watershed and identify problems in the local watershed and suggest remediation.
Curated OER
Understanding Ecosystems: Erosion and Flooding
Students study the balance in the environment needed for ecosystems. They discuss what can lead to erosion and flooding.
Curated OER
SAV Plants of the St. Mary¿¿¿s River Ecosystem
Students examine the importance of submerged aquatic vegetation in the St. Mary River ecosystem. They identify different characteristics of common eelgrass and discuss water quality, photosynthesis, habitat, oxygen production.