Students investigate the biotic and abiotic factors that are found in an aquatic ecosystem. The emphasis is upon the investigation of present an projections of future water quality. Then students visit a local body of water to gather...

Investigate the different types of pollution that storm drain runoff carries into oceans, lakes, rivers, and streams with this class demonstration. Using an aquarium and an assortment of everyday items that contaminants like motor oil,...

Students investigate the changes that can take place in an aquatic environment. They conduct research using a variety of resources. The research is used to report different possibilities of change because of abiotic or biotic factors.

Students engage in the process of researching a riparian ecosystem. They conduct a field trip in order to obtain different types of data and work on measurement skills to analyze data to form a conclusion about the biotic factors of the...

Ninth graders debate the positive aspects of dam construction. They discuss how a dam changes the ecosystem. In groups, 9th graders research and gather information for a debate. They state their position and write a report supporting it....

Young scholars will develop skills of fish identification, correlate habitat characteristics with species present, develop a working vocabulary of Oneida fish terminology and fish names and discuss the relationship between a healthy...

Learners examine the ways that government works to help improve aquatic habitats. In this water habitats lesson students view a video and plan a school restoration project. 

Students explore the environment by building a mock ecosystem. In this rainforest analysis lesson, students define many environmental and rainforest related vocabulary terms and discuss the current status of our planet's rainforests....

Students examine the importance of submerged aquatic vegetation in the St. Mary River ecosystem. They identify different characteristics of common eelgrass and discuss water quality, photosynthesis, habitat, oxygen production.

Role play community members who are both for and against the construction of a dam. Research the pros and cons and then hold a classroom debate. This activity ideally follows a series of stream studies, links to which are included. Use...

If you have elodea and snails in your classroom aquarium, or if you have access to a pond with these organisms, your young biologists can set up a controlled experiment to determine how certain ecosystems respond in light and dark...

Sixth graders role play predators, prey and other parts of the aquatic ecosystem. They show inter and intra-specific competition as well as the link between abiotic and biotic components in an ecosystem. Students play games about the...

Students create a pond habitat inside and outside their classroom. In this pond lesson plan, students create a habitat with animals, water, and plants in order to create a proper pond habitat.

Students observe subsidence and the effect it has on wetlands with a classroom demonstration. They think about the impact of global warming and the sea level and how it affects the marsh.

Sixth graders create a Bahamian terrarium. In this Bahamian ecosystem lesson, 6th graders watch a PowerPoint to see Bahamian biotic and abiotic factors. They bring in 2-3 items for their terrarium. 

Learners construct and observe a model of two different types of wetlands. In this wetlands lesson, students create a model of a wetland with constant drainage and a wetland that maintains a well-saturated soil. Learners observe and...

High schoolers identify the differences in the water quality of a stream and complete water testing.  In this water quality instructional activity students collect aquatic insects and identify them. 

Teams of six to eight players imagine that they are driving in a vehicle and collect balls that represent carbon dioxide emissions based on their different activities. "Greenhouse Gas Guzzler" cards tell teams how many balls to collect...

Students explain the importance of dissolved oxygen in water ecosystems. They describe the aquatic oxygen cycle and the effect of water pollution on oxygen. They make observations, collect data and draw a conclusion.

Seventh graders study and explore the base of PA game fish species and characteristics.  In this cooperative learning instructional activity students create a fish fact game by researching information on certain species then play...

Students work together to develop their own estuarine ecosystem in an aquarium. They observe the aquarium daily and record them in a notebook. They discuss the different interactions they see with the class.

High schoolers view macroinvertebrates, or discuss previous collection activity. They graph data on macroinvertebrates in the Hudson River. Students discuss the relationship between habitat, environmental changes, and invertebrate...

Students test water for a least one chemical characteristic. They hypothesize how a storm event might change the chemical characteristics of a stream. Students collect water samples and use the chemical test to test the water.