Consortium for Ocean Science Exploration and Engagement (COSEE)
Arctic Smorgasbord
Though the walrus spends roughly one third of its time on land, it eats organisms that live on the bottom of the ocean. The first in a series of five, the lesson uses a variety of plant and animal cards to have scholars build an arctic...
NASA
Decomposers Get Energy From Dead Things
When life gives you mold, make penicillin. Scholars design an inquiry experiment to determine what causes rotting and mold growth. It also covers decomposers and the important role they play for other living things.
NASA
Biology Training Module
Are you a koalafied biologist? The lesson begins with research about human survival and our ecosystem. Then, an online training module simulates the effects of changes to the plants and animals in an ecosystem. Finally, scholars research...
Scholastic
Study Jams! Ecosystems
With the forest as an example, Sam and Zoe talk about the components biotic and abiotic of an ecosystem. They also discuss the role of producers, consumers, and decomposers. This concise clip covers all of the basics. As an introduction...
Scholastic
Study Jams! Food Webs
Rhinozilla is back to take your lesson plan on trophic levels a step higher! After showing the video on food chains (available through the See All Related Jams button), add to it by showing this one. It deals with omnivores and food...
Curated OER
Regents High School Examination: Living Environment 2003
The living environment, from the interior of a cell to the complex relationships among populations, are queried in this final examination. Learners look at air pollution maps, diagrams of cells, population graphs, and drawing of cells....
Curated OER
Regents High School Examination: Living Environment 2005
The 2005 version of the Regents High School Examination in the area of ecology is as comprehensive as previous years' exams. It consists of 40 multiple choice questions on everything from the structure of DNA to the interactions within...
Curated OER
Regents High School Exam: Living Environment 2008
Tne New York Regents High School Examinations are comprehensive and include various styles of questions, includingmultiple choice and the analysis of graphs. This particular version, the 2008 Living Environment exam surveys a variety of...
K20 LEARN
Microbes and Manure = Biofuel
Waste not, want not! Science scholars explore manure as an alternative energy source through reading and experimentation. Groups construct their own biofuel digesters and observe the process of methane production. The teacher's guide...
University of Waikato
Build a Marine Food Web
Dive into a lesson on marine ecosystem interactions. Individuals learn about and devise a marine food web. The resource provides organism cards and pupils use article resources to discover interactions before modeling them in a food web.
National Wildlife Federation
Soil Decomposers
Worms are the kings of the decomposers. A four-part lesson has learners experiment with the characteristics of earthworms and their sensitivities. They vary factors such as light, acidity, temperature, and touch of soil and observe the...
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Forest Floor Investigation
Most living things go unnoticed. Change that using a fun activity about the nutrient cycle. Pupils use hula hoops to mark areas of study and then make observations about the living things they see. They first make surface observations,...
National Wildlife Federation
Soil Decomposers
The class studies the soil food web that includes earthworms and conduct four experiments using the crawly critters. Individuals determine whether earthworms are sensitive to light, touch, temperature, and acid.
Purdue University
Food Waste Solutions
Easy doesn't always mean better. In an era with pre-packaged everything, learners consider the environmental impact of the convenient trend. They critique the packaging of food and how waste impacts cost and then look for solutions.
Purdue University
Getting the Dirt on Decomposition
Sometimes science requires getting a little dirty. A hands-on lesson explores the idea of decomposition by building a compost structure. Using red worms and dirt, individuals build and collect data on the rate of decomposition. The STEM...
Discovery Education
Perfectly Decomposed!
We all know someone who won't eat the banana with a brown spot, the grape with a dimple, and the apple with a bruise. Scholars use different fruits to explore what happens when fruits really start to decompose. They set up an experiment...
College Board
2010 AP® Environmental Science Free-Response Questions
Scientists rely heavily on data to make predictions and find solutions. Young scholars become scientists as they analyze information presented to them to construct responses. They consider scenarios related to air pollution, invasive...
Biology Junction
Ecology
Psychologists study human relationships while ecologist study relationships between organisms in the environment. An introduction to ecology and the related vocabulary benefits scholars as they progress through the presentation and...
Biology Junction
Energy Flow in an Ecosystem
Every living thing requires a food source, thus the interconnections in ecosystems become complex. Scholars learn about these interconnections in a presentation on energy flow. It starts with the sun and moves through many different...
Science Matters
Formative Assessment #3
Thirteen short-answer questions follow a brief food web activity in a formative assessment designed to test knowledge of ecosystems and the energy that flows through them.
Science Matters
Matter Cycles — Sum It Up
Scholars become part of the cycle of matter with a reader's theater that showcases producers, consumers, decomposers, and the sun. A diagram and discussion concludes the learning experience and enhances comprehension.
Science Matters
Mighty Microorganisms
How can you tell if a microorganism is helpful or detrimental to an ecosystem? Learners inspect slides or pictures of microorganisms and record their observations to identify those that are beneficial or harmful. They then pretend to...
Polar Trec
Bering Sea Fabulous Food Chain Game
In spring, the Bering Sea turns green due to phytoplankton, which live at the surface, experiencing a population explosion. Groups of scholars play a food chain game, writing down food chains as the game is played. After five to six...
Shelby County Schools
How Ecosystems Work
How does one organism get its energy? What is the main source of energy in an ecosystem? How does the flow of energy affect different types of ecosystems? Answer these questions with a fill-in-the-blank instructional activity.