Students work together to review the concepts of food webs and food chains. They describe the role of plants and animals when dealing with the cycling of energy. They identify any behavioural strategies to help the animals survive.

Students view a video that presents the biogeochemical cycle of nitrogen. They compare types of soils and consider how different fertilizers affect soil composition.

Students learn about the biological carbon cycle. In this carbon cycle lesson, students access the web site and mouse over the diagrams to follow the carbon cycle. They read about what happens to humans and plants during this cycle.

Pupils use a purchased kit to explore the characteristics and life cycles of several butterflies including the Monarch, Western Swallowtail, Red Admiral and Painted Lady. They create a plaster casting of each species for study and display.

First graders study sunflower plants and identify its parts. They plant sunflower seeds and watch them grow and make sunflowers out of paper plates and colored paper. They watch videos and visit websites about sunflowers.

Students grow duckweed, observe what happens when an organism population is allowed to grow without predation or competition, view videos about invasive species, and develop a proposal for controlling the growth of an invasive species in...

Students visit the UBC Farm. In this lesson on various landscapes, students spend a day at the University of British Columbia exploring the farm and trail adjoining the campus. This lesson could be modified for use in any region that has...

Not only is this lesson about story retell, main events, and making predictions, it's also about plants. Youngsters will read the tale, The Tiny Seed as they explore the plant life cycle and early literacy skills. The lesson is very...

Students germinate pea seeds and plant the seeds. They experiment with different amounts of light and darkness on the plant growth.

Students build tools to help track the weather. In this weather lesson, students follow directions to build a rain gauge, barometer and hair hygrometer.

First graders investigate the origins of vegetables. In this Science lesson, 1st graders identify where fruits and vegetables come from. Students describe how people utilize plants.

Students observe dried bees, carefully glue them to toothpicks, and use them for cross pollinating their Brassica plants. They also describe reasons why two similar investigations can produce different results. Finally, students...

Students explore how plants depend on pollinators to reproduce.  In this pollination lesson students dissect a local flower and collect and identify pollinating insects. 

Students study the interdependence of an ecosystem that allows it to sustain itself. They examine the Western lowland gorillas for an example.

Third graders receive a small container of tapioca pudding, they are to pretend that it is frog eggs. The students pretend they are birds who see the eggs, and eat some of them. They discuss what would happen if these were really frog...

Students examine sunflowers and discuss the importance of sunflower cooking oil and seeds. They view pictures, read books, sing sunflower songs, and grow flowers from sunflower seeds.

Fourth graders study the characteristics of five coastal communities. They use logic cards and matching activities to identify the proper community for plant and animal species.

Students examine the concept of extinction by studying dinosaurs. In this living environment instructional activity, students view dinosaur video clips and define the word "extinction." Students visit the "Zoom Dinosaur" website to...

First graders ponder the question of how plants help their lives. They observe and compare properties of several different plants. Differentiate between living organisms and nonliving objects.

Students investigate how plants absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. In this biology lesson, students differentiate photosynthesis and cellular respiration. They discuss the important role of plants in the environment.

In this ecology vocabulary exercise:  wetlands worksheet, students read the definitions of 8 words, then categorize a species found in a wetland in their region.  This page has numerous links to helpful web resources.

Students use the scientific inquiry method to identify the changes in a plant's life cycle. In groups, they plant different types of plants and use a chart to compare and contrast their growth rates. They share their conclusions with...

Students examine the role of Purple Loosestrife in Illinois and Indiana rivers. In groups, they collect a wide variety of plants in a wetland and raise beetles in a controlled environment. They introduce the loosestrife into the...

Sixth graders collect soil samples and record the location of the samples by using GPS.