Thirteen short-answer questions follow a brief food web activity in a formative assessment designed to test knowledge of ecosystems and the energy that flows through them.

Who eats who in the savannas of Africa? Explore trophic levels with part four of an eight-part series of lessons focused around Gorongosa National Park. After young explorers identify animals using trailcam images, they construct a food...

Kick-start a discussion of the importance of biodiversity with a colorful resource that touts the benefits of maintaining healthy ecosystems. The images stress the interdependence of all the elements of an ecosystem.

A lab activity is a great way to incite thoughtful questioning and scientific processes. Pupils will collect organisms with a Petri dish, make observations, sketch the organism, ask questions, then attempt to identify the specimen...

Carbon dioxide is not only causing global temperatures to increase, it causes the oceans to become more acidic. Lesson focuses on the blue king crab and the fragility of the habitat due to climate change. Scholars create a concept map...

A controversial construction project in South America, the Belo Monte dam, is endangering local cultures, ecosystems, and communities. High schoolers create a concept map based on an online article they read before engaging in...

Students consider that under certain conditions in nature tend to remain the same or move toward a balance. They observe populations and determine the functions (e.g., de-composers, producers, consumers) they serve in an ecosystem. They...

Seventh graders, using national parks as models, illustrate the energy flow in ecosystems. Working in groups, they use murals, flow charts, or other visual displays to record their findings. Students represent the food chains and webs...

In this ecosystem worksheet, students use a string and make a large circle. Everything in the circle is part of the ecosystem the students will study. They identify everything in their ecosystem and classify their data. They answer 2...

Students outline a scenario demonstrating ecosystem interdependence. They explain the effects of this change according to the food web. They give a positive example such as increased rain and have the students call out answers to your...

In this ecosystem worksheet, students determine the affect on an ecosystem if different organisms are altered or removed. Students complete a graphic organizer.

Students discover new ways to preserve the ecosystem by completing graphic organizers.  In this environmental lesson, students read an article from the Natural Inquirer in small groups and fill out a graphic organizer based on the...

Students observe populations and determine the functions (e.g., decomposers, producers, consumers) they serve in an ecosystem. They investigate the energy flow ecosystems. Students investigate factors (.g., Resources, light, water) that...

Students are divided into three groups, herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores which receive a certain number of lives. Once in their ecosystem (outside or the gym), the carnivores chase and eat either the herbivores or omnivores, the...

For this ecosystem worksheet, students use a diagram of an ocean-based food web to complete 5 short answer questions about the energy flow through this ecosystem.

Students build their own biodome ecosystem. In this biodome lesson, students learn how engineers use brainstorming to come up with ideas on how to design a biodome. In the end, students create their own biodome ecosystem.

Students explore how government restrictions and over fishing impact the ecosystems of sharks and contribute to or curb their danger to humans. They synthesize their understanding of the issues by creating board games in groups.

Students gather evidence to explain that organisms in an ecosystem are tied together by their need for energy. They see that decomposers break down dead organisms and wastes and release the nutrients they contain into the soil,

Learners investigate the ecosystem of the salt marshes. This is done in order to develop an appreciation for this type of environment. They conduct research using a variety of resources. Students are given samples of different organisms...

In this ecosystems learning exercise, learners will look at 4 diagrams and determine if either primary or secondary succession would occur after that particular event happened. Then students will determine the limiting factor for 4...

Students identify sources of hazardous wastes and their effects on the ecosystem. In this hazardous waste lesson plan, students are given a hazardous waste card and walk around to locate other links in their hazardous waste events chain....

In this flow of energy in an ecosystem, young scholars complete a graphic organizer and show the flow of energy from the sun to producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, tertiary consumers and then decomposers. Students define...

Young scholars research and write articles for an imaginary scientific magazine about rain forests. In this rain forest lesson, students research both ecosystems and magazine writing styles. They act as reporters and editors of their own...

Students explore seashore ecosystems.  In this marine animal biology lesson, students sort photographs of various sea creatures according to their eating habits and discuss each animal's identifiable traits.  Students draw and...