Curated OER
Oceans in Motion
This simple lesson introduces children to basic marine life as well as to show them the necessity of protecting aquatic environments. Some famous marine life animals are introduced via vocabulary words, then children cut out pictures of...
Curated OER
What If There's No Light?
students discuss the importance of light and the consequences of living without it. Using a plant as a demonstration, students predict and observe what happens to a plant when it does not receive enough light. In groups, they experiment...
Curated OER
How Do Plants and Animals Change the Environment Around Them?
If you have elodea and snails in your classroom aquarium, or if you have access to a pond with these organisms, your young biologists can set up a controlled experiment to determine how certain ecosystems respond in light and dark...
Curated OER
Peek at the Chesapeake!
Students research organisms that live in the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. In this science instructional activity, students choose an organism and research how it is affected by humans. Students create a presentation of their findings.
Curated OER
Your Own Fresh Water Aquarium in the Classroom
Students explore aquariums. In this fish and ecosystems lessons, students establish a freshwater aquarium environment using materials provided. Students read about and care for the classroom fish.
Curated OER
Biomes
In this biomes worksheet, students review the characteristics of aquatic biomes and terrestrial biomes. This worksheet has 12 fill in the blank, 6 multiple choice, and 4 short answer questions.
Curated OER
Build An Island
Students explore erosion. In this science lesson, students build an island and observe the effects of erosion on the island. Students discuss freshwater ecosystems in Hawaii.
Curated OER
Business Responsibility to Wetlands
Eighth graders discuss the responsibilities of businesses to protect local wetlands. In groups, they participate in numerous activities and create a model of a wetland to discover how it functions. They are given a quiz to end the lesson...
US Environmental Protection Agency
Non-Point Source Pollution
Investigate the different types of pollution that storm drain runoff carries into oceans, lakes, rivers, and streams with this class demonstration. Using an aquarium and an assortment of everyday items that contaminants like motor oil,...
Curated OER
Teaching about Aquatic Respiration
Young scholars explore respiration in a lake ecosystem by experiment and research.
Curated OER
Marine Field Trip to Whytecliff Park
Students study the intertidal habitat, tidal pools and the organisms that live in them. In this aquatic ecosystems lesson students take a field trip and experience first hand the local seashore environment.
University of South Carolina
Home Sweet Home
Fifth graders will research a biome (land or aquatic) and create a project (diorama, model or another idea of the student's choosing) which includes the geographic features of that biome as well as plants and animals found there and...
Curated OER
Biomes -- Part 1
Students use the internet to locate and gather information on the world's biomes. They compare and contrast biomes to ecosystems and describe the human effects on ecosystems. They answer questions to end the instructional activity.
Curated OER
Who Lives in a Wetland?
In this science worksheet, students list the names of 14 animals that live in a wetland. The animals are pictured and numbered. Students identify the animals and color the picture.
Curated OER
Salmon Life Cycles
Students list salmon life cycle stages in order, list three threats that salmon face throughout their lives, and examine important role native fish play in aquatic food chains throughout their life cycles.
Curated OER
"Conducting a Watershed Snapshot of Blockhouse Creek"
Learners examine specific skills in assessing water quality from a holistic approach. They assess the health of a local watershed and identify problems in the local watershed and suggest remediation.
Curated OER
Understanding Ecosystems: Erosion and Flooding
Young scholars study the balance in the environment needed for ecosystems. They discuss what can lead to erosion and flooding.
Curated OER
SAV Plants of the St. Mary¿¿¿s River Ecosystem
Students examine the importance of submerged aquatic vegetation in the St. Mary River ecosystem. They identify different characteristics of common eelgrass and discuss water quality, photosynthesis, habitat, oxygen production.
Curated OER
Speedy Succession
Fifth graders investigate how a pond ecosystem can change into a prairie or grassland ecosystem. They observe a small pond ecosystem in a two liter soda bottle, and examine and record changes over a two-week period of time on a worksheet.
Curated OER
Bahamian Terrariums
Sixth graders create a Bahamian terrarium. In this Bahamian ecosystem lesson, 6th graders watch a PowerPoint to see Bahamian biotic and abiotic factors. They bring in 2-3 items for their terrarium.
Curated OER
Standard 4 Review-Human Impact
In this human impact on the environment worksheet, students fill in the blanks to complete sentences about how humans have negatively affected the environment. They complete sentences about the actions taken to reduce and repair the...
National Science Teachers Association
Adopt-a-Dino
Earth historians research a specific dinosaur, write a paper about the Mesozoic era that it lived in, create an artistic rendition of the environment, and give a presentation in class about what they learned. Be aware that there are...
Curated OER
Compettion at its Best
Sixth graders role play predators, prey and other parts of the aquatic ecosystem. They show inter and intra-specific competition as well as the link between abiotic and biotic components in an ecosystem. Students play games about the...
Curated OER
Turning the Tide on Trash: Marine Debris Curriculum
Seven pages of fascinating reading on marine debris preface the activities in this lesson plan. Four different activities are employed to simulate how the debris is distributed in the ocean and along beaches. Early ecology learners...