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Pika Chew
Students work in collaborative teams with specific roles, use the Internet to research the behavior and ecology of pikas, make predictions about survival rates of pikas in different habitats and organize their data in graphs.
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Compost and Composting Experiments
Students investigate the composting process through a variety of experiments. For this ecology lesson, students discuss the benefits of composting. They examine how compost affect plant growth.
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Overpopulation
Students examine population growth and how it impacts our environment. In this population lesson students identify the causes and consequences of overpopulation.
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"Using Cichlids To Demonstrate the Effects of Human Activity On Ecosystems"
Students explore the freshwater ecosystem of Africa's Lake Victoria by creating a freshwater aquarium. They investigate factors affecting the aquarium's ecosystem and conduct lab activities.
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Finding the Basal Area of a Forest Plot to Determine Stocking Levels
Learners use graphs and plots to measure the basal area and stocking levels. In this graphing instructional activity students work in the field the use their data to help them complete a lab activity.
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"Honey Dew from Bunny Too!"
The students will design a lab to test the mechanism that triggers spore dispersal. They should have some clues after making observations of the life cycle. Part of the fun here is to let the students devise a method for testing this...
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Predator-Prey Simulation
In this predator-prey worksheet, students simulate the relationship between predators and prey using small squares to represent rabbits and large squares to represent coyotes. They complete 20 rounds of the simulation trying to get the...
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Pharaoh Mountain Hike: Investigating Adirondack Life Zones
Students hike a local mountain and examine its life zones. They measure various components at each zone and collect leaf litter at the sites. At the mountain top, students make descriptive observations and complete a handout about the...
Polar Trec
Animal Monitoring Introduction
Not only do mealworms taste great, they are also great for classroom science lessons. In pairs, young scientists observe and record what they see as they check out what their mealworms are doing from minute to minute. Each minute...
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Physiological Adaptations
Students investigate the concepts of genetics and how it is tied to the variations found within different species and how it is tied to adaptations. They review the theory of evolution and factors found to help create variation. The...
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Scientists Write!
Students use a journal to record observations. They make notes about what research may be needed to answer questions that have come up in the field and sketch or make connections in the curriculum. They research bioinformatics and...
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Composting
Using 2-liter bottles, junior ecologists create composting tubes in which they place nitrogen-rich and carbon-rich materials. They observe what changes occur over two weeks' time. Provide more specific direction to your class as to what...
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Coral Reefs
Young scholars research coral reefs and identify their benefits to humans, threats to the reef, how to reduce and eliminate threats, and more. In this coral reef lesson plan, students research the reefs, and take a field trip to an...
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Micro-Ecosystems
Students create a sustainable, self-contained ecosystem in a ten-gallon aquarium.
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Integrated Pest Management
Students investigate the different methods used in integrated pest management. In this biology lesson, students evaluate experiments and case studies on IPM. They discuss the pros and cons of using this method.
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What's in Our Woods?
Students observe their local forest and document the change that occurs over the school year. For this forestry lesson, students utilize a GPS to mark a certain area of the woods as their study area for the remainder of the year....
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Fish Parasite Survey
Students count nematodes, cestodes and crustaceans on approximately one-hundred and fifty fish. They fill out autopsy reports for external and internal parasites then complete and discuss guide questions to make inferences about parasite...
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Fish Parasite Survey
Students survey and dissect as many fish as possible. They count nematodes, cestodes and crustaceans on the fish, fill out autopsy reports, and transfer data to a chalkboard data table. Students graph the results of the entire class...
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A Living Watershed
Students, through this series of lessons, use local resources, speakers, print and video materials, as well as standard text materials to study the ecosystem of the local watershed.
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Wolf Pack in a Bottle
Students participate in an activity of a mock electrophoresis using paper chromatography to study DNA and genetic restriction mapping.
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The Portable Niche
Third graders, in groups, research animals, plants, and conditions found in ecosystems.