Curated OER
The Unique Rain Forest
Students explore the unique Rain Forest. In this Rain Forest lesson, students watch a video about the dangers the Rain Forest faces. Students create a Rain Forest mobile. Students choose plants or animals from the Rain Forest then write...
Curated OER
The Wetlands
Fourth graders learn what a wetland is, where they can be found, and what types of plants, animals and characteristic are associated with the wetlands. They also participate in an activity to explore and enhance their knowledge of...
Curated OER
Fieldwork: Horizons Under Ground: Digging Through Wetland Soil
Students study the different soil types and describe the different soils in various environments. In this soil lesson students walk to a reserve and discuss what they saw.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Modeling Food Webs in Darién, Panama
It's a jungle out there! Young biologists journey to Darien, Panama to examine the intricate relationships between the organisms that inhabit the jungle. Groups begin by demonstrating an understanding of energy flow in ecosystems, then...
Curated OER
How Do They Know That
Young scholars explore methods for reconstructing the past. In this forest succession lesson, students examine forest succession and how to read the land in order to predict patterns of change. Young scholars will visit a historical...
Curated OER
Guetemala's Changing Forest
Eighth graders compare their local ecological zone to the tropical rainforest. In this natural ecology lesson, 8th graders complete an activity about the differences in ecological zones. They compare their biome to the Guatemalan...
Curated OER
The Prairie Climate
Ninth graders research the average temperature and precipitation of a prairie region to determine the type of climate it is, and how it differs from other biomes. They examine the types of adaptions animals have made to live in the...
Serendip
Changing Biological Communities – Disturbance and Succession
After cutting down a forest to make a farm, how long would it take the environment to turn an abandoned farm back into a forest? Scholars study this exact scenario while they interpret many charts and graphs of the changing ecosystems as...
Curated OER
Teeter Totter
Students explore the two types of spotted sandpipers. They create a puppet show using the spotted sandpiper from Puerto Rico and the spotted sandpiper from Alaska. Students research the habitats of the two sandpipers.
Curated OER
Science Trail
Fourth graders explore the concept of ecosystems. In groups, they examine clues to find mystery objects. Once they find the mystery objects, they discuss what ecosystem each comes from. They also look at pond water samples under a...
Curated OER
Discovering the Oasis
Students focus on the types of vegetation and animal life living around local water sources. This lesson can be adapted to any local water source, whether it be a lake, a river, stream or ocean. It has a particular focus on the bird...
Curated OER
Driving Forces Forestry In Canada
Students discuss the natural and economic impact of forests and forestry. Using given statistics they construct different types of graphs in which they make observations and draw conclusions.
Curated OER
Salinity Of Soil
Fourth graders investigate the contents of various types of soil to determine the differences in salinity levels. They conduct an experiment of observing the plants in the different soils. Students then determine survival rates by...
Curated OER
Animal Species Richness in Tioga County, PA
Students compile an extensive list of animal species seen throughout Tioga County. In this data collecting lesson, students report daily any animal species seen during the course of their travels and adventures outdoors in Tioga County...
Curated OER
The Role of Fire in Healthy Prairie, Brush and Forest Lands
Sixth graders read and discuss background information and brainstorm reasons for wildfires. They use a Venn Diagram to list the similarities and differences between wildfires and prescribed fires and then track the weather forecast for...
Curated OER
Lesson 6 - Our Important Wetlands and Uplands
Students examine the benefits wetlands provide to man and nature. They compare types of wetlands in northeast or east-central Florida. They discover ways that uplands affect wetlands and water bodies.
Curated OER
Ecosystem Relationships
Students study the relationship between the types of trees, soil, and organisms. They investigate the complex interactions and cycles at work in the forest and understand the factors that contribute to a healthy, sustainable forest.
Curated OER
Links in a Food Chain
Little ones make costumes and act out a rhyme in which there are daisies, bugs, wrens, snakes, and foxes that all interact in a food web. This would be a memorable activity for primary life scientists to participate in as a wrap-up to a...
Curated OER
The Role of Fire in Healthy Prairie, Brush and Forest Lands
Students create a Venn diagram to compare and contrast wildfires and prescribed fires. In this earth science instructional activity, students conduct a series of experiment to explore fire characteristics. They describe favorable...
American Museum of Natural History
What is Biodiversity?
Not all dogs are the same just like not all finches are the same. An interactive online lesson helps individuals learn about the causes and limitations to biodiversity. The clickable sections describe the basics of the genetics of...
National Wildlife Federation
What is DBH?
When measuring the circumference of a tree, does it matter how high you place the measuring tape? Most scholars have never considered this question, but scientists know that measurement techniques must be standardized. The 13th lesson in...
Curated OER
Beaver Ecology
Students investigate beaver adaptations, life cycle, and the effects of beaver behavior on ecosystems. They compare and contrast how beavers influence the ecology of both forest and aquatic ecosystems.
Curated OER
Biomes Internet Lesson
In this biomes worksheet, students use an on line source to complete a table of the Earth's biomes. Students include the types of plants in each biome, the types of animals, the climate and any details about the biomes. Students answer...
Curated OER
Leaf Collection
Students examine the tree species in Pennsylvania. In this Pennsylvania tree lesson plan students use field guides to assist them in identifying tree species.