National Park Service
Living & Non-Living Interactions
What better way to learn about ecosystems than by getting outside and observing them first hand? Accompanying a field trip to a local park or outdoor space, this series of collaborative activities engages children in learning about the...
Curated OER
Ecosystems: Can I Help?
Students study how some activities effect the environment and ecosystems.
Curated OER
What's in the Water? - Stream Side Science
Here is a complete activity in which young biologists or ecologists test the pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity and temperature of stream water. The class visits an actual stream and makes observations of the site. They use scientific...
NASA
Is It Alive?
Determining whether or not something is living can be more difficult than it seems. Put your young scientists to work defining their own criteria to identify life, then work with three samples to see if they are alive or not.
National Institute of Open Schooling
Environmental Concerns
Every year, more than 14 billion pounds of garbage is dumped into the oceans of the world, most of which is plastic and toxic to ocean life. Lesson 32 in the series of 36 focuses on environmental concerns, specifically pollution. Under...
Curated OER
Biosphere II
Students continue their examination of the existence of life on Earth. In groups, they determine the role of the water cycle and other biogeochemical cycles play in keeping balance on Earth. They participate in experiments to discover...
Curated OER
Standard 4-Ecosystems
In this ecosystem worksheet, high schoolers answer questions about energy pyramids, food chains, consumers, producers, decomposers, biotic and abiotic factors in an environment, natural selection and the importance of biodiversity in an...
Curated OER
Examining Samples and Asking Testable Research
Students formulate a testable research question containing a comparison and a
quantitative measure. They state the null and alternative hypothesis for a testable research question. In addition, they describe some of the abiotic
and...
Curated OER
Bering Sea Buffet - A Foodweb Activity
Life in the Bering Sea, food webs, and the ocean ecosystem are introduced with a map activity. The lesson starts as kids explore maps and images of the Bering Sea, then it kicks into high gear as they start to discuss the types of...
Curated OER
Understanding Interactions Among Local Species and the Local Environment
Students examine the differences between biotic and abiotic factors, explain the difference between habitat and niche and compare how organisms get their nutritional needs. In this local environment activity students trace the path of...
Curated OER
Organisms and Their Environment
Students explore Earth's biosphere. In this biosphere instructional activity, students participate in group activities regarding biotic and abiotic factors, population density, and species' habitats.
Curated OER
Arizona Grown Specialty Crop Lesson Plan: Where Do They Go?
Students explore biotic and abiotic factors in landscape design. In this landscaping lesson, students create 3-dimensional models that represent landscape designs taking into consideration climate and planting requirements.
Curated OER
Praire Biome Models
Fifth graders, in groups, list the physical characteristics of a biome and think of ways in which animals might have to adapt to live there and make a biome mobile ball that show the different types of habitats that shape the praire biome.
Curated OER
Land Use Unit
Students identify factors in human society and the natural environment aree interdependent. They analyze interdependencies demonstrated in various situations and occurances.
Curated OER
Changes in Ecosystems
In this changes in ecosystems worksheet, learners complete 21 various types of questions related to ecosystem. First, they determine whether each statement is true or false based on vocabulary. Then, students determine whether natural...
Curated OER
What Lives in the Open Ocean and Where Do They Live?
Students explore oceanography by participating in a flash card activity. In this ocean inhabitant lesson, students define a list of ocean related vocabulary terms and answer ocean geography study questions. Students utilize organism...
Wild BC
Is Climate Change Good for Us?
Is it really that big of a deal if the global climate undergoes a little change? Young environmentalists consider this very question as they discuss in small groups the impact of different climate change scenarios on their lives, their...
Curated OER
Norman Suburban Activity
Students analyze the factors affecting organisms in the pond ecosystem. In this environmental science lesson, students perform an experiment to determine pH, nutrients and temperature of different pond sites. They present their result to...
Curated OER
A Limnology Study of Drainage Ditches
Students chemically test water, observe microscopic organisms in the classroom, and screen the sample for macroinvertebrates. They design a reporting sheet that list all the items to be tested and a space to record the results.
Curated OER
Fire Ecology
Fourth graders examine the role fire plays in maintaining the physical factors of the scrub ecosystem. They see that world ecosystems are shaped by physical factors that limit their productivity.
Curated OER
Energy Flow and the Food Chain
Students complete discussions and worksheets about the Hawaiian food chain. In this food chain lesson plan, students research decomposers, consumers, and producers.
Curated OER
Ecosystems
With a variety of multiple choice and short answer questions, the handout found here could be used in many ways in the classroom: pretest/posttest, study guide, reading guide, or entry/exit questions. There is not a lot of space for...
Curated OER
Critter Clues
Students work together to examine water quality. They identify the indicators of water quality and complete an experiment. They discuss their results.
Curated OER
Should Populations in an Ecosystem be Restricted?
Fourth graders experiment to determine how overpopulation effects ecosystems specifically plants. In this ecosystem lesson, 4th graders conduct an ecosystems experiment after listening to Claire Daniel's, Ecosystems. They watch a video,...