Curated OER
Prairie In A Bottle
Second graders observe images of prairie ecosystems and discuss the needs of living things. They create a prairie habitat in a closed jar to observe the water cycle and plant growth.
Curated OER
Food Webs and Making Miniature Ecosystems
Students model a food web and create a miniature ecosystem. In this animal interactions lesson, students engage in a role playing game which simulates a food web. Students then build miniature ecosystems using pop bottles, snails, plants...
University of Washington
The Carbon Cycle
When it comes to the carbon cycle, the sky really is the limit. The lesson begins with observing a closed ecosystem in a bottle. Then, scholars discuss and answer questions on the carbon dioxide and oxygen cycles.
Curated OER
Fish In a Bottle
Young scholars work together to build their own fish ecosystems. As a class, they share their prior knowledge about catfish and use a diagram to label its body parts. They record their observations of the ecosystem and determine what...
Curated OER
Build An Island
Students explore erosion. In this science instructional activity, students build an island and observe the effects of erosion on the island. Students discuss freshwater ecosystems in Hawaii.
Curated OER
Mini-Ecosystems
Third graders identify the living and non living things in a book read aloud and discuss the interactions represented in the book. Then, they research and include a list of food that each animal needs in an ecosystem. Finally, 3rd...
Curated OER
Personal Ecosystem
Young scholars build an aquatic ecosystem using large glass pickle jars. In this ecology lesson, students build and ecosystem then observe and collect data on the habitats. In this long term project young scholars observe a population...
Carnegie Mellon University
Introduction to Climate
Begin a full lesson on climate change by demonstrating how carbon dioxide gas contributes to increased temperatures. Be aware that pressure inside the antacid-containing bottle in Activity 2 may cause the lid to fly off; keep viewers at...
Curated OER
De-composers - Terrarium
Students explore the environment by building a mock ecosystem. For this rainforest analysis lesson, students define many environmental and rainforest related vocabulary terms and discuss the current status of our planet's rainforests....
Curated OER
Terraqua Column
Sixth graders create a TerrAqua column. In this ecosystems lesson, 6th graders build a TerrAqua column to conduct investigations on how living things impact the ecosystem.
Curated OER
Watersheds and Wetlands
Young scholars simulate a chemical spill. In this watersheds and wetlands lesson, students build a watershed and observe what happens when it rains. Young scholars add wetlands to their watershed models and examine the effects of water...
Curated OER
To Protect Your Streams, Protect Your Mountains
Students build and experiment with a watershed to understand the effects of pollution. In this movement of water lesson, students work in groups creating rock formations and change the viscosity of the liquids falling down the mountain....
Curated OER
Composting
Using 2-liter bottles, junior ecologists create composting tubes in which they place nitrogen-rich and carbon-rich materials. They observe what changes occur over two weeks' time. Provide more specific direction to your class as to what...
Curated OER
Collect Data Using a Transect Line
Students learn about transect lines through a study of marine debris. In this marine debris lesson, students calculate the items on a transect line and graph them. Students complete a category worksheet.
Curated OER
Mouthpart Madness
Students explore the basic biology of a pest. They identify the four major kinds of insect mouthparts and explain how they work. Students examine the specific mouthparts and how they can limit food resources and in what environment an...
Curated OER
Terrariums for Project Pals
Students identify the components needed by plants to survive in the terrarium. In this biology lesson, students build their own terrariums using materials available. They present their project in class.
Curated OER
Night Creatures of the Kalahari
Learners conduct an experiment to demonstrate how fruit fly populations are controlled by spiders. They observe a variety of environments with fruit flies and spiders and consider how vital spiders are to controlling the insect population.