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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Great Pond Safari

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students study pond life by visiting a pond and completing an associated worksheet. They play an online game based on the pond learning experience.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lake and Pond Study

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine the habitat and community structure of a pond that could support Ospreys through games and worksheets. They then go on a field trip to a pond to evaluate the suitability of the pond as an Osprey habitat.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ecological Succession in Pond Water Cultures

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Learners collect samples of pond water, dried grass, and soil in a jar. They predict the order of ecological succession in their pond water cultures. They compare their expected results with their observed results.
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Lesson Plan
Forest Foundation

The Web of Life

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Producers, herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, decomposers. To begin a study of the forest ecosystem, learners examine the connections among the members of ecological communities.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Using A Winogradsky Column to Analyze Microbial Communities

For Teachers K - 12th
Young scholars 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...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Importance of Marine Protected Areas: an Overfishing Simulation

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students simulate overfishing by conducting a guided experiment in the classroom. In this ecology lesson, students discuss the environmental consequences of overfishing. They research additional information about the issue and share...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lentic Ecosystem or Lotic Ecosystem

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students explore the differences between lentic and lotic ecosystems. In this ecology lesson students study the water systems in Pennsylvania.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Macroinvertebrate Sampling

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Young scholars identify macroinvertebrate species to investigate ecological systems and the relationship between humans and the environment.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Beaver Ecology

For Teachers 2nd - 8th
Students explore the lives of bgeahvers. They identify the physical and behavioral adaptations that help beavers survive in their environment. Students compare and contrast how beavers influence the ecology of both forest and aquatic...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Aquatic Ecosystem Exploration

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students visit a local stream, pond, creek, or river and collect macroinvertebrates. They sort macroinvertebrates and identify each species using a dichotomous key. Students decide on trophic levels and construct a possible food web for...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Microfishing

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students use a simple method to collect living microorganisms from natural and/or artificial environments and develop skills in microscopy, observation, drawing, speculation, hypothesizing, oral presentation, and raising questions.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Six Levels of Ecological Organization

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders describe the six levels of ecological organizations and give examples of each. They also differentiate between food chains and webs and identify trophic and consumer levels in food chain and food webs.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Healthy is the Wetland?

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore wetlands. In this ecology lesson plan, students visit a wetland site and collect data about the wetland functions. Students record their results and use the data recorded to rate the wetland site on its function.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Threatened, Endangered & Extinct Lesson Plan

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students examine the basic needs of living organisms. In this science instructional activity, students study ecosystems and discover that organisms have basic needs that must be met.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Inquiry-based Investigations into Pond Water Microorganisms

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Young scholars become familiar with common microorganisms and experience exploring the microbial world.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Using A Winogradsky Column to Analyze Microbial Communities

For Teachers 4th - 11th
Students use easily obtained materials to study ecological succession in a microbiological community. They collect water samples from outdoor sources in plastic bottles to observe and record changes.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water and Rice Agriculture

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders investigate the agriculture of rice by reading a study guide.  In this food making lesson plan, 2nd graders read about the irrigation of rice fields used for harvesting.  Students write three sentences about the rice...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fish and Flowers

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students read and discuss a research article that explains the unlikely link between increased fish populations and increased plant pollination. They answer reading guide questions to discover this ecological relationship.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Daphina Science, The Method of Investigation

For Teachers 6th - 11th
Students determine what causes a reaction in a species of Daphnia. In this ecology based instructional activity, students are in a hands on project to demonstrate a controlled experiment with data collections. Students...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Burnaby Lake Field Trip

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students identify different organisms found in the lake ecosystem. In this life science lesson plan, students discover the predator-prey relationship through a game. They explain how beavers adapt to the environment over time.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fish Haunts

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine some of the different ecosystems that fish live in. While doing this they identify the species of fish and the ecological conditions needed for survival. Students use research resources to make fish cards that have...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Approaching Walden: From Emerson to Thoreau"

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars examine selected local leaves in greater detail in the classroom by using more analytical drawing techniques. They use Thoreau's drawing of a Scarlett Oak as their model. Students choose a leave from a box of leaves...
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Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

Ecosystem In A Bottle

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Ecosystem activities show how everyone and everything is interconnected. The smallest change can make a big impact.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Micro-Ecosystems

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students create a sustainable, self-contained ecosystem in a ten-gallon aquarium.