Curated OER
Life is Weird
Separate your science class into small groups and assign each a specific deep-sea organism to research. The class will learn about all of the organisms as each group presents their assigned animal. Following their presentations, you can...
Curated OER
Chemosynthesis for the Classroom
Explorers set up Windogradsky columns with local mud so that they can culture microorganisms. After three and six weeks they make observations of the mud and the organisms growing in it. In this way they observe succession and relate...
Curated OER
How Diverse is That?
After reviewing biodiversity, learners work in small groups to analyze actual species distribution data. They learn to calculate the Shannon-Weaver diversity index for different communities. Though not particularly engaging, the content...
Curated OER
Forest Communities
Students identify tree specimens. In this tree specimens lesson, students collect different parts of a tree from the areas around the school or their home. They then work in groups to create booklet that identifies tree specimens.
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...
It's About Time
Succession in Communities
What occurs following a natural disaster? High schoolers research this question and others as they investigate natural succession after a disaster. First, as they differentiate between primary and secondary succession, they explain how...
Curated OER
Some Like it Cold: Canada's Northern Communities
Fifth graders examine cultures close to the arctic circle. In this geography lesson, 5th graders consider the impact of climate on cultural development of arctic communities. Students research a given community and present their findings...
Curated OER
Fish Communities in the Hudson
In this Hudson River learning exercise, students read about fish communities in the river and complete related graph and comprehension activities.
Curated OER
Using A Winogradsky Column to Analyze Microbial Communities
Students use easily obtained materials to study ecological succession in a microbiological community. This investigation is appropriate for a variety of age groups. Elementary Students be fascinated by the changes occurring over time...
Curated OER
River and Woodland Communities
Students examine the differences in the lifestyles of people living along a river and in the woods. They develop and discuss a class chart of the differences and similarities between the two communities.
Curated OER
Fish Communities in the Hudson
Learners use tables of fish collection data to draw conclusions about where fish live in the Hudson Estuary. Given available data they interpret organized observations and measurements and recognize simple patterns, sequences, and...
Curated OER
The Effect of Tides & Elevation on Wetland Plant Communities
Pupils comprehend how tides can impact shoreline plant communities through the study of a freshwater tidal marsh. They use actual tidal data to show that tidal ranges differ among geographic locations, even those relatively close...
Curated OER
Marine Communities
Students view a video and then complete lab exercises to help them explain marine communities and animals in them.
Curated OER
What's the Connection?
Students explain hardground communities in the Gulf of Mexico. In this deep-sea ecosystem lesson, students investigate the connection between deep-sea ecosystems and petroleum deposits. They discuss the relationship between hydrocarbon...
Curated OER
Hot Food
Students compare and contrast photosynthesis and chemosynthesis as processes that provide energy to biological communities. They investigate the energy content of hydrocarbons used in coral communities.
Curated OER
Burning Up! A Look at Global Warming
Students investigate global warming. In this global warming instructional activity, students watch movies about global warming, discuss problems in their local community and see how communities have changed over time. Students realize...
Curated OER
Repopulating Michigan's Waterways
Eleventh graders identify the parts of an ecosystem and how communities change over time. In this ecology lesson plan students formulate a habitat restoration plan.
Curated OER
"The Soil Around Us" Project
Young geographers collect samples of different kinds of soil to match to the soil terms in Barry Rudner's rhyming book Filet of Soil: dirt, mud, dust, soot, etc. They start a glossary for the project on index cards or large sheets of...
Forest Foundation
The Web of Life
Producers, herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, decomposers. To begin a study of the forest ecosystem, learners examine the connections among the members of ecological communities.
Curated OER
How Should Our Gardens Grow?
Young scholars examine different types of land use by humans and evaluate the ways land is used in their local community. They also consider the environmental effects of the different types of land use. Students assume the role of...
Curated OER
This Land Is Your Land, This Land Is My Land
Students review and evaluate the ways land is covered and used in their local community. They consider the environmental effects of the different types of land use. Students act as community planning engineers to determine where to place...
abcteach
Community Walk
Invite your pupils to explore their surroundings with a walk around the neighborhood. Learners use their senses to make observations about their surroundings.
Curated OER
Something Fishy in Ontario
Students create a diorama of the habitat of the fish of their choice, along with a research paper. They research habitats, the factors which affect specific habitats, and how fish adapt to different habitats in order to meet their unique...
Curated OER
Tree Diversity Activity
Class members become tree huggers with this terrific study of biodiversity among trees! They do so by examining different characteristics of trees: shape, leaves, bark, fruit or seeds, etc. After examining five concepts, they use their...