Curated OER
Dinosaurs 1: Where Are the Dinosaurs?
Students explore the time of the dinosaurs. In this extinction lesson, students watch a video clip about different dinosaurs and are asked about what they observed. Students talk about how dinosaurs hatched from eggs and compare that...
Curated OER
The Consequences of Extinction
Students participate in a class discussion on site of an older style bridge to help connect the significance of each organism in an ecosystem by using an analogy of bolts slowly being removed from a working bridge.
University of Southern California
Human Impact on the Sea
How far does the human hand reach? Five interactive lessons lead classes through a unit exploring the human impact on ocean resources, pollution, and even extinction. Learners discover how their decisions affect the ocean environment...
Curated OER
Sunken Lesson: Animal Adaptation
This animal adaptation PowerPoint provides definitions and photographs of vocabulary related to how the animals that live in particular biomes protect themselves. It also explains the cause/effect relationship between the inability of...
Curated OER
Will Global Warming Push Trees to Extinction?
Students examine the extinction of plants and animals through loss of habitat. They investigate the effects of global warming. They use a computer model to analyze the impact of global warming on tree growth and distirbution...
Curated OER
Web of Life - Ecosystem
Third graders play the roles of various organisms in an ecosystem (focusing on insects) and pass yarn or string around to other organisms from largest animals to the smallest. The end product is a web which shows how all of these animals...
College Board
2017 AP® Environmental Science Free-Response Questions
Almost half of test takers passed the AP Environmental Science exam in 2017. Use the free-response questions on the topics of pollution and ecosystems to improve writing skills in preparation for the AP exam. Discuss the scoring...
Curated OER
Our Natural Resources
Pupils discuss key terms used to describe ecosystems and how humans are altering natural resources. They listen to the book, Grandfather's Wisdom, and list the renewable and nonrenewable resources they have used or consumed in the past...
Curated OER
Where Are the Dinosaurs
Students explore the concept of extinction. In this dinosaur instructional activity, students view a video and have a class discussion about the extinction of dinosaurs. They create a dinosaur egg and imagine what life would be like for...
Curated OER
Life at Risk
Students examine the characteristics of the peregrine falcon. They investigate endangered and extinct species, and how the environment affects the process.
Curated OER
The Ice Age
Students study the ice age and the causes of it. In this Ice Age lesson students examine why those animals became extinct and complete activity sheets.
Curated OER
Plants of the Past
Fourth graders explore ecosystems by examining plants of the past. They discuss ways in which we interact with plants in our daily lives. Students discuss the role plants play in providing food for animals and the significance they had...
Curated OER
Food for Thought
Young scholars explore the food chains in a variety of ecosystems and its relationship to the survival of threatened or endangered marine animals or fish in the ocean. The interdependence of the species is investigated in this lesson.
Curated OER
Which Animals Should Be Saved?
Fifth graders investigate the concepts related to the endangerment of different animal species. They conduct research using a variety of resources. The skills of prediction are used to show the possible outcome of the extinction of a...
Consortium for Ocean Science Exploration and Engagement (COSEE)
Arctic Smorgasbord
Though the walrus spends roughly one third of its time on land, it eats organisms that live on the bottom of the ocean. The first in a series of five, the lesson uses a variety of plant and animal cards to have scholars build an arctic...
Curated OER
Changing Ecosystems
In this ecosystem worksheet, students will review terms associated with succession in an ecosystem plus the various relationships between organisms. This worksheet has 5 matching, 9 true or false, and 6 short answer questions.
Curated OER
Turtle Lesson
Students identify ways that they can help protect turtles. In this wildlife awareness lesson, students read the story Turtle World and construct a T-chart on the board. Students create a list of problems facing turtles and possible...
Curated OER
The Value of a Garden
Students explore the history of taxonomy, the work of Carl Linnaeus, and the factors involved in the decline and extinction of a variety of botanical species.
Curated OER
Into the Wilderness: Habitat vs. Development
By studying the once-assumed extinction, then rediscovery of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, learners look at the physical changes that have occured in habitats throughout Arkansas. This outstanding lesson is chock full of terrific...
Desert Discoveries
Keepers of the Prairie
Young ecologists examine the case of the prairie dog, and their near extinction. They read a terrific student handout embedded in the plan, and engage in a class discussion that's based on what they read. Learners perform research on...
Ocean Explorer
Easy as Pi
Seamounts are large, extinct volcanoes that rise up from the bottom of the ocean floor. They are a relatively new landform in the scientific community, and this activity invites students to learn about the amazing diversity of life found...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Endangered Species: What Are They And How Can We Help Them?
Students research endangered species online and prepare a presentation identifying species, and the reasons why species are becoming endangered,
Curated OER
Endangered Species
Students watch video clips of endangered animals. They imagine a small garden in front of a house and describe the living and non-living things that could interact to make up a garden eco-system.
Curated OER
What makes up YOUR Environment!
Students create their own land or water environment. They make their environment livable for all the different animals they collect to put in it. Students research the types of animals that they can have in their environment, and how...