Lesson Plan
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So -- What's Happening Here? On this Old Christmas Tree Farm

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Young scholars take a field trip to an old Christmas tree farm near their school. In groups, they gather data at the site and analyze the data in an attempt to discover what happened to the area. They identify human activities that led...
Lesson Plan
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Dinoflagallates of Bioluminescent Bay

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders research dinoflagallates of the Bioluminescent Bay. They research the Internet for pictures of the Bio Bay and discuss the difference between ecosystems and ecoregions. They research a marine ecoregion and create a poster.
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National Forests of Wisconsin and Puerto Rico

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders study the forests of Wisconsin and Puerto Rico. They view a Power Point presentation and predict slides to represent various forests in Wisconsin and Puerto Rico. They play a game to recognize differences and similarities...
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Bat Habitat

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders engage in a lesson plan to find the role of bats in the complexity of certain ecosystems. They identify where bats live and the daily role played in the ecosystem. Students also construct a bat house to help control the...
Lesson Plan
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Flower Power

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students view examples of Robert Harris' artwork to identify and describe the ecosystems in them. In groups, they work together to discuss how ecosystems breakdown and create solutions to keep this from happening. To end the activity,...
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Discovering the Oasis

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders investigate riverbanks and oxbox ecosystem at the Truckee River. They observe the plants, animals, insects and water organisms located there. Students document water samples, flow and then categorize them in class. This...
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Discovering The Oasis

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students participate in a lesson that is concerned with the ecosystem of a local pond. The teacher makes arrangements for students to take a field trip. Time is spent in class for preparation and afterward for debriefing of lab...
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Discovering the Oasis

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explore the ecosystem of Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge Complex. In groups, classmates take pictures and research the species of birds and plants in the area. Over a period of time, 4th graders collect temperature...
Lesson Plan
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Teeter Totter

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
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.
Lesson Plan
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Listening to the Prairie

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students, in groups, visit an exhibit and for a prairie scavenger hunt to locate sunflowers and name products made from them. After sketching a prairie dog, they find nature cues farmers use when growing plants and raising animals. The...
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Our Schoolsyard is Full of Biology

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students study the habitats found in their schoolyard. They apply firsthand, what they have learned in the classroom to something familiar to them. Students look at biotic, abiotic habitats. Small groups will present their findings to...
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Critical Habitat

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students watch the video clip and create a web map showing the cycle between producers, consumers and decomposers. They also tell why it is important to conserve the old-growth forests.
Lesson Plan
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Mental Map Postcard

For Teachers 7th - 11th
Students visit an outdoor setting and make a mental map of what they observe. They return to the classroom and create a postcard with specified elements such as a description of the land and the ecosystem. Students illustrate the...
Lesson Plan
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Food Webs in the Bay

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners get acquainted with a type of ecosystem and how different organisms of that ecosystem compete with one another for resources. They analyze the submerged aquatic vegetation of a bay ecosystem. Students study plants.
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Biodiversity Bird Hunt

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the influence of biodiversity on human culture through the use of birds. They brainstorm words that come to mind when they think of human cultures. They describe ways that human culture and biodiversity are linked.
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Animal Habitats

For Teachers K
Pupils study the word habitat and its meaning. They also identify that in order for something to be classified as a habitat there needs to be the proper shelter, food, water, and space.
Lesson Plan
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Are You Being Poisoned by Your Dishes?

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students explore lead poisoning and how it relates to ceramic dishes. They perform an experiment to discover if any of your ceramic ware is leaching lead which might cause lead poisoning.
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Leaves

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore, observe, and collect leaves from outside. They make journal entries, discuss the differences and common features of leaves and what function leaves serve. They will discuss the plant and tree leaves. Students draw...
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Making a Food Web and Learning About Ecosystems

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders examine the difference between a food web and food chain. They also examine the importance of the sun in a food web and food chain. Students understand what happens when you remove parts of the chain.
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Gwynns Falls

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners investigate the question: What is the impact of urban development and expansion on the health of a decidious forest ecosystem and humans? They examine the issue of land development by responding to a specific scenario and...
Lesson Plan
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ECOLOGICAL BIOASSAY OF COPPER SULFATE IN DAPHNIA MAGNA

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Young scholars use this lab as a follow up to the introduction of the ecosystems and productivity levels, bioassays and what and how they measure, and Daphnia magna as an index organism, i.e., a species whose health within an ecosystem...
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The Consequences of Extinction

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars participate in a class discussion on site of an older style bridge to help connect the significance of each organism in an ecosystem by using an analogy of bolts slowly being removed from a working bridge.
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Invasive Species

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners use the Internet to research non-native plants that exist in their local community. Using this information, they analyze the invasive species effect on their environment. In groups, they plan and execute their own project to...
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Deserts KWL Chart

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Learners will define what a desert is through the creation of a KWL Chart. This will help students to tap prior knowledge and make new connections with the new curriculum being delivered in the lesson.