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Urban Ecosystems 2: Why Are There Cities? A Historical Perspective
Students investigate the importance of food surpluses to the historical development of urban ecosystems.
Curated OER
Urban Ecosystems 2: Why are There Cities? A Historical Perspective
Second in a series of five lessons, this lesson encourages preteens to consider cities as urban ecosystems. First, they keep a food diary for a few days. They visit the Natrional Agricultural Statistics Service website for current data...
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Urban Ecosystems 4: Metabolism of Urban Ecosystems
Cities are compared to living, breathing, metabolizing organisms. Fourth in a five-part series of lessons, this one focuses on the flow of materials through a city. Links to interesting websites and images make your delivery of...
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Urban Ecosystems 3: Cities as Population Centers
Young scholars discover that throughout history cities have been centers of population but that human exploitation of fossil fuels was key to the growth of large cities worldwide. They research urban growth through a number of websites.
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Lentic Ecosystem or Lotic Ecosystem
Students explore the differences between lentic and lotic ecosystems. In this ecology lesson students study the water systems in Pennsylvania.
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Ecosystems
Middle schoolers study ecosystems and the biodiversity within. In this ecosystems lesson students complete a lab activity and assess the biodiversity in their own community.
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Section Two: Why is Biodiversity Important?
Explore soil, genetic traits, natural resources, and pollution in a series of lessons that focus on biodiversity. Kids complete experiments to learn more about the importance of varied genes and organisms in an ecosystem.
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Ecosystems
Students examine biodiversity in plant life and what an ecosystem is composed of. In this ecosystem lesson students go around their school and collect specimens and examine the plant species they encounter.
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How Much Is An Ecosystem Worth?
Students explain and discuss the importance of ecosystems. They analyze the natural resources in the environment. They also suggest actions that would protect ecosystems.
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The Study of Urban and Suburban Environments within the Mystic River Watershed
High school students examine their own water-based environments, within the Mystic Watershed. As the learners engage in inquiry-based, hands-on projects, critical thinking skills and problem-solving, the project will lead them to cross...
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Cycles of Life in an Urban Habitat: Changes in Biodiversity
Second graders compare and contrast animate and inanimate objects. In this environmental science lesson, 2nd graders create simple food webs. They observe their environment and create a collage about it.
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Selecting Trees for Urban Environments
Pupils consider the best place to plant a tree. In this environment instructional activity, students identify urban locations that are compatible with particular tree types. Pupils decide what trees would go where and why they would...
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Invasion of the (Cactus) Booty Snatchers
Students, in groups of four,identify and analyze relationships among birds within a population, a community and an urban ecosystem. They fill out, while they're completing their experiments, a Populations of Birds Student Data Sheet.
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Plant Diversity and Distribution
Students construct a defined plot on school grounds and observed patterns in plant life. They count trees, shrubs, cacti and record on a data sheet. They compare data and generate a plant diversity overlook for their school.
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Are You Getting Thirsty?
High schoolers study droughts and how they affect communities and coastal ecosystems. In this ecosystems lesson students use data to examine drought conditions in certain areas.
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Norman Suburban Activity
Students analyze the factors affecting organisms in the pond ecosystem. In this environmental science lesson, students perform an experiment to determine pH, nutrients and temperature of different pond sites. They present their result to...
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The Big Picture: Systems
Students study the ways that agro-ecosystems function to support sustainable agriculture. For this investigative lesson students examine the different cycles of ecosystems and food systems.
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Flora and Fauna of the Hill Neighborhood
High schoolers compare and contrast the characteristics of plants and animals. In this ecology activity, students observe the outdoors and describe the relationship among different living things. They relate plant diversity with animal...
Forest Foundation
Fire - How Does it Relate to You?
Forest fires can be a necessary step in keeping a forest healthy, but what happens when they get out of control? Learners investigate the causes and effects of forest fires in two specific areas, culminating in a report about the ways...
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The Greening of Mars: The Changes Necessary to Sustain Life on Mars
Fifth graders discuss the currents conditions on the planet of Mars. In groups, they work together to develop a mechanism that allows for a balanced ecosystem to survive on the planet. After presenting their ideas to the class, they...
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Ecology
Students make connections between their daily lives and the usage of natural resources as they relate to the importance of environmental quality. In this ecology lesson, students listen to the story The Lorax by Dr. Seuss and then...
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Examine the Trees in Your Community Forest
Twelfth graders examine selected tree species. In this tree lesson, 12th graders examine twenty selected tree species, identify them, and correctly map out the trees in the area.
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Urban Impact on Chollas Creek (California): A Field Study
Students, in groups, take samples from a creek and keep a field journal on their samples. They also perform tests on their samples.
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Water and Ice
Students observe what happens to water as it goes from a solid to a liquid. In this exploratory lesson students gain an understanding for the water cycle while working in groups observing what happens to water as it changes state.