Curated OER
Ecosystems
In this ecosystems instructional activity, students define the components that make up an ecosystem. Students focus on the forests found in Ireland. This instructional activity has 30 fill in the blank and 7 short answer questions.
Curated OER
The Lorax and Forest Park
Learners read The Lorax by Dr. Seuss and identify situations where there is a risk to the community. During a class discussion, students predict types of liter they will find in a park. Learners take a field trip to the park to collect...
Curated OER
Save Our Forests
Fifth graders discuss the forest products industry and its affects upon their communities. They inventory the wood and paper products they consume and determine how it translates into the number of trees cut. Using a spreadsheet, they...
Curated OER
Community Distribution
In this community distribution worksheet, students will review 5 terms associated with biomes, ecosystems, and communities. Students will then match 11 terms as either relating to marine biomes or land biomes. This worksheet has 5 fill...
Curated OER
National Forests of Wisconsin and Puerto Rico
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...
Curated OER
Cathedral in the Sea
Young scholars construct a model giant kelp and kelp forest inhabitants based on field-guide photographs. Students also place animal cutouts in appropriate positions on or near the plant.
Curated OER
Forestry and Changing Feelings
Students investigate how the forest affects their daily lives by creating a concept map. In this ecological lesson, students create a concept map linking the forest to the many things they use each day. Students take a field trip in...
Curated OER
Natural Inquirer Lesson Plan - Bio Energy Edition
Students investigate energy use by discussing the pros and cons of oil use. In this energy source lesson, students portray different individuals in the fictional town of Heatville and argue why they should or should not switch from oil...
Curated OER
Finding the Basal Area of a Forest Plot to Determine Stocking Levels
Learners use graphs and plots to measure the basal area and stocking levels. In this graphing instructional activity students work in the field the use their data to help them complete a lab activity.
Curated OER
Soil, Forest, and Land Conservation
Students discuss the demands on the rainforest and devise a management plan that satisfies competing uses. They then construct a diorama to show the location of the various sites.
Curated OER
School of Fish
Student explore the natural resources of Buffalo National River. For this natural resources lesson ,students discuss the fish and other animals in the Buffalo River. Students discuss what they can do to keep the river clean to keep the...
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...
Biology Junction
Changes in Ecosystems: Ecological Succession
Can an area with no soil turn into a forest? Scholars learn about the process of ecological succession using an interesting presentation. It covers both primary and secondary succession in the building of new ecosystems.
Curated OER
El Salvador: Whose Breakfast Isn't for the Birds?
Sixth graders investigate the understanding of where coffee is grown by conducting a survey. They study the natural history of coffee and examine bird habitats in the areas where coffee is grown. They write letters to explaining the...
Curated OER
Fall 1-The Rain Forest Biome and the Effects of Acid Rain - Biology Teaching Thesis
Students explain why rain forests have great biodiversity, and list each layer of a rain forest and tell an organism that lives in each. They identify the cause of acid rain and its affect on a rain forest. Students hypothesize the...
Cheetah Outreach
Introduction to Cheetah
Transform your classroom into the African savannah, a mountain range, the forest, and an urban environment! Young scientists embark on an imaginary field study observing various cat species in native habitats and recording in field guides.
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...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Leaf Litter Ecology Lab
Some organisms spend their entire lives in leaf litter. The third in a series of six is a great lesson exploring the community of leaf litter. Groups gather and then spread leaf litter over white paper and remove leaves/twigs while...
Global Oneness Project
Ancient and Modern Worlds
The old aphorism, "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions," might well serve as the title for a resource that asks viewers to consider the plight of the people of the Gamo Highlands, an area in southwestern Ethiopia. These...
Curated OER
Adapted to Fire
Fourth graders explore forest species' adaptations to fire by participating in a scavenger hunt and mapping a burned forest. Students create maps and explore how indigenous species adapted to living with fire.
Curated OER
Wildlife Needs
Students identify the wildlife needs in a specific setting. In this wildlife needs lesson, students identify and illustrate the four stages of forest succession. Students list the natural habitat and food for a given species. Students...
Curated OER
Michigan Ecosystems: The Web They Weave
Students examine the forest ecosystem and how all life in the forest depends upon itself. In this ecological lesson, students participate in a personal connections activity where someone pulls on a string and everyone feels it,...
Curated OER
Why Are Thinning Trees Important?
Learners investigate thinning trees and why they are important to the forest. In this sustainable environment lesson, students role-play as if they are trees in the forest and simulate the overcrowding and inability to move spaces,...
Curated OER
Fish Are Animals Too
Students create posters that show how a shark is a major predator in kelp forests and coral reefs after studying the food webs for these ecosystems. They determine that fish are important animals in the ocean's web of life.