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Habitat Hunt: Clue Box
Students compile a collection of specimens, descriptions, and data that describe their local environment. They exchange this collection with another school and use their collection to determine the ecosystem surrounding the exchange school.
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Island Biogeography
Students work in small groups to sort through photos of an ecosystem following a major disturbance. They place these photos in chronological order to show the process of succession. They then do an experiment with yeast to show the...
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Food Webs
Pupils create a bulletin board display illustrating food chains they make from a list of ocean organisms. Students also play a game showing what happens when one of the organisms is removed from the food chain and how they are all...
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Food Webs
Students research rainforest animals and use that information to make a flow chart to show the order in which energy is transferred through several organisms. They label the producers, consumers, and decomposers in their chart.
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The Rainforest Community
Young scholars create a miniature rainforest ecosystem, a terrarium. Students then explain how the continuous flow of energy and food in the ecosystem allows it to sustain itself.
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Populations and Ecosystems
Sixth graders define terms prey, predator, and scavenger, describe predator-prey relationship, discuss effects of a lack of predators in an environment, and separate the role of the scavenger from that of the predator.
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Earth's Ecosystem: Seven Major Biomes
Students discuss the different types of ecosystems and the composition of biomes. Working in groups, they define various related terms and make posters of them. Then they explain their posters to the class.
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Sea Connections: Marine Ecosystems
Students identify producers and consumers from marine ecosystems and describe the balance among them in the environments. After constructing a food chain from a marine ecosystem, they examine human activities that can upset the balance...
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Ecosystems: What Are They and How Do They Work?
Young scholars explore the characteristics of major ecosystems, the interactions of the organisms within the systems, and the effects of humans on the system. Both living and non-living components are examined in this five lesson unit.
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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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What Makes up an Ecosystem?
Eighth graders design posters of working ecosystems using pictures from magazines. They label autotrophic, heterotropic, or saprotrophic energy sources, and identify predators and prey.
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Ecosystems
Young scholars work in small groups to create a poster illustrating the flow of energy through a typical ecosystem, then present their posters to the class.
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Food for Thought
Students explore the food chains in a variety of ecosystems and its relationship to the survival of threatened or endangered marine animals or fish in the ocean. The interdependence of the species is investigated in this lesson.
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Biofilms Are Everywhere
Students research biofilms and create brochures. They role play as advertising firm members assigned to educate the general public about biofilms. They create "wanted dead or alive" posters about harmful and helpful biofilms respectively.
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Balance and Flux Reveal How Organisms Are Connected in Ecosystems
Students read about cats in Borneo and discuss role predators play in controlling population size. They map the interdependencies among species. They read about flux in ecosystems and complete a worksheet.
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Interactions Among Living Things
Students role play predators and prey, classify organisms as predator or prey, and describe factors that affect population growth and size.
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Animals Abound
Students explore the world of mammals, birds, and fish to compare and contrast their habitats, adaptations, and camouflages. Through research, musical experiences, and hands-on activities, the lives and adventures of these animals are...
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Build a Reef
Young scholars build a coral reef, then discover organisms that make up the ecosystem.
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Desert Animals
Middle schoolers survive within an ecosystem, an animal must be physically and behaviorally adapted to the conditions of its environment.
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A Natural Habitat: What, How and Why
Students understand what a habitat is. They determine why a habitat is important to our environment no matter where it is located. Students observe and recognize natural habitats in their surroundings.
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School Site Ecosystem
Fourth graders are introduced to the concept of ecosystem; specifically, the interrelationships among plants and animals within an ecosystem, and their relationships to the environment in which they live and interact.
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Minnesota Ecosystems
Students study the different ecosystems found in Minnesota. In this ecosystem lesson plan students complete a worksheet on climate and the major organisms found in Minnesota.
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Introduction to Ecology
Eighth graders identify the living and nonliving components of an ecosystem. In this ecology lesson, 8th graders explain the role each organism plays. They participate in class discussion and answer a quiz at the end of the lesson.
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Burnaby Lake Field Trip
Students identify different organisms found in the lake ecosystem. In this life science lesson, students discover the predator-prey relationship through a game. They explain how beavers adapt to the environment over time.