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Species on the Edge
Students examine sea turtles. In this endangered species lesson, students analyze sea turtle habitats. Students hypothesize why sea turtles could go extinct.
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Rx Rainforest:
Middle schoolers identify plant diversity in the rainforest and the role that animals and habitats play in scientific research. They differentiate between natural habitat and laboratory research and work collaboratively to produce a...
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Who's Coming to Dinner?
Students identify the role predators/prey play in food chains, differentiate between food chains and webs, identify factors that affect the balance in food webs, and propose solutions to protect endangered species' environments and...
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Transforming Food Energy: A Balancing Act
Young scholars explain their role as consumers. They use a purchased calorimeter or make their own simple calorimeter to measure the energy content in selected foods. This interesting lesson really gets students thinking about what they...
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Ride the Arctic Climate Rollercoaster
Students view interactive CD-ROM entitled The Arctic Climate Roller Coaster, research evidence of changes in climate through the years, record ways people responded to changes, and create short presentations to share evidence with...
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Amazon Rainforest
Seventh graders complete a simulation in which they travel through the Amazon rainforest. Using their map skills, they determine the best route and where to see specific plants and animals. They develop their own database to organize...
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Rain Reasons
Students explore how climatic factors influence the growth of plants. They create an experiment to find how variations in water, light, and temperature affect plant growth and describe how precipitation and geography can affect the...
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Photosynthesis
Sixth graders are introduced to the process of photosynthesis by discussion and then by participating in an experiment. They then answer questions as independent practice project.
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The Intertidal Zone
Students research the diverse animal and plant life that inhabit the intertidal zones along the Pacific rocky coast. As students progress through this lesson, they begin to recognize distinct behaviors, adaptations, and characteristics...
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Into the Sea
Students display an awareness of the diversity of species in the coral reef, their habitat and adaptations. They conduct research to find and then color code the locations of coral reefs around the world.
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PERIODICAL CICADA SURVIVAL
Students explore defense mechanisms involved in predatory/prey relationships.
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Bats
Students model how the bones in a bat wing are organized. They develop questions about bat body parts based on photographs. They hypothesize how bats locate their food.
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Plants and Animals of Great Bay Animals and Plants of the Estuary
Students participate in a webquest about the plants and animals that inhabit an estuary. They role play as environmentalists researching this habitat and present the results of their research in a creative way.
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The Geographic Question
Students are introduced to the characteristics of a river system. In groups, they discover how rivers are formed and how it flows. They discuss the relationship between the river system and people and develop ways to keep the river...
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Regulating the Harvest
Students study the effect of trapping in the Illinois Territory in 1805 and compare it to trapping today. They participate in a role playing activity in which they discover how practices in early Illinois Territory led to wildlife...
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Flowering Phenology: How Do Plants Know When to Flower?
Students study the process of plant reproduction and the biotic and abiotic factors that affect flowering phenology. In this plant reproduction lesson, students describe the interaction of environmental factors as it relates to...
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Why Are Thinning Trees Important?
Students investigate thinning trees and why they are important to the forest. In this sustainable environment lesson, students role-play as if they are trees in the forest and simulate the overcrowding and inability to move spaces,...
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Taxonomy
In this biology worksheet, students complete a crossword puzzle with 39 questions on taxonomy. They identify the different classification systems used in biology.
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Carbon Dioxide Heats It Up
Learners design an investigation to test whether vegetation in an area helps regulate the ambient air temperature. They make comparisons between the investigation and global changes in climate. In groups, they present their findings to...
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Comparing Two Turtles
Students compare and contrast the various observable features of two different turtles. in groups, they complete a visual analysis of the sea turtle and tortoise. Using their observations, they complete Venn Diagram of the observable...
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Environmental Risk Management
Middle schoolers investigate the concepts related to managing the environment. They conduct research using a variety of resources. Students cite examples of different organisms that have been targeted to become endangered. They answer...
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Farming in a Fishbowl: How Ethnic Groups in
Seventh graders research Chinese agricultural needs and practices. They conduct an experiment with aquaculture and germinated rice as they take measurements and apply the scientific method.
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Bluebirds Ecology Vocabulary Exercise
In this bluebirds worksheet, students categorize bluebird species found in their state and define vocabulary related to it. Students complete 6 vocabulary words.
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Ecology Vocabulary
In this ecology worksheet, students read the vocabulary words and then categorize a species found in a field, meadow, or fencerow in their state or region. Students complete 6 problems.