A food web consists of complex food chains and the more complex the web, the better likelihood of survival. Learners compare and contrast food webs and food chains and discuss concepts like the predator-prey and consumer-producer...

Fourth graders examine how the different organisms living in an ecosystem affect one another. In groups, they research a specific ecosystem and present their findings to the class based on the type of organisms found in it. To end the...

Students explore the dangers of eating high levels of mercury and how small amounts of mercury in water accumulate in greater quantities in organisms higher in the food chain. They list the health of effects of high levels of mercury on...

Students explore how allelopathy works in plants. In this botany lesson, students explain how this phenomenon affect other organisms. They read and analyze an article about allelopathy and discuss its flaws.

Students explore the process of converting organic waste into usable fertilizer. They observe how living and nonliving things interact with one another by making a mini-worm habitat.

Students investigate the worm and the cockroach. In this organisms lesson, students visit suggested websites to identify the characteristics of worms and cockroaches.  Students dissect a worm and observe a live cockroach. Students...

Students research elements on interactive Internet periodic tables, take notes using Inspiration software, and write descriptive paragraphs with graphics. They create presentations.

In this living environment worksheet, students answer a variety of questions about living organisms, the processes they go through to make food and break down food, absorb nutrients, and release toxins. They explain homeostasis, they...

Learners identify invasive species to the Great Lakes and analyze their impact on the ecosystem. Using photo cards with pictures and facts, young scientists work in small groups to match invasive species with their corresponding...

Fifth graders, in groups, create a short skit that shows how body systems work together.

Take a walk through the forest as the leaves change color and fall from the trees, making way for a new ecosystem cycle to cycle through. An inquiry-based lesson plan examines how the process of decomposition eliminates tons of...

Third graders explore why food chains are important. In this food chain instructional activity, 3rd graders break into small groups to represent parts of the food chain. Different amounts of food are given to each group and any...

Seventh graders create a mneumonic device and a graphic organizer about the parts of plant and animal cells. In this biology lesson students are introduced to the parts of the cells and then work in groups to create projects that teach...

Students participate in an interactive game to review how living things are classified.

Students explore how predators help control the growth of prey species for a more balanced ecosystem.

Tenth graders work in teams to order events of DNA transcription and translation protein synthesis. In the second lesson, they put the steps of mitosis and meiosis in order using a concept map poster. They use modeling clay to create...

Students explore the concept of insects and their habitats.  In this insect habitat instructional activity, students create travel brochures for particular insects.  Students must include habitat, producers, and consumers with...

Students examine ocean life by identifying methane hydrates.  In this ocean life instructional activity, students research organisms that live in the coldest, deepest parts of the ocean and live off methane hydrates.  Students...

Learners describe major features of cold-seep communities and the process of chemosynthesis as it relates to organisms in each habitat.  In this deep-sea habitats lesson, students study the categorization of ocean habitats...

Learners use a multimedia project, The Valley of the Shadow: Two American Communities in the Civil War, to create a presentation about the significance of the Gettysburg Address. They work on expert teams to explore the interactive...

Fifth graders label the parts of the respiratory system. They distinguish among the functions of its major organs. They construct a model of the respiratory system. They watch an animated video and utilize the Internet for research of...

Students examine the Gilded Age. In this Gilded Age instructional activity, students create a museum of their own showing what life was like in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Students investigate immigration, settlement...

Sixth graders explore different climates. In this compare and contrast lesson, 6th graders look at the differences in climates of America and Europe. Students use KWL charts and graphic organizers to record information about different...

Students examine the relationship between a horse and its rider.  In this behavior and interactions lesson students research the Internet to learn about horse behavior and biology then write a paper and present it to the class.