University of Southern California
Mastering Microbes
Small but mighty! Learners explore the role of microbes in a healthy ecosystem. An engaging lesson asks pupils to design an aquaponics system that demonstrates that healthy microbes are necessary to maintain the ecosystem.
Beyond Benign
Ecological Footprint
How does your lifestyle measure up in terms of your ecological footprint? Young ecologists examine their impact on the planet using an insightful online calculator. A short quiz asks users to rank the size of their homes, their energy...
Global Change
Impact of a Changing Climate on the Pacific Walrus
How many of us can say they've seen a Pacific walrus? Not many and one of the reasons is the impact of climate change on their aquatic environment. Children get to think about the food web of the Bering Sea by creating an actual web with...
Nature New Brunswick
Habitat for Endangered Wildlife and You
Compare and contrast your habitat with that of endangered plants and animals! Learners discuss what a habitat is actually comprised of, describing what theirs looks like. They fill out a graphic organizer explaining what they eat, how...
Curated OER
Land Quality Issues
In this unit of lessons, students examine land quality issues. They discover food chains and practice reading them. They also examine the erosion of soil and how it affects the environment.
Curated OER
Tropical Forest Food Chain
Learners explore the interdependence of the animals and plants in tropical rainforests. They explore the importance of conserving biodiversity and tropical food chains. They create a tropical forest food chain and identify species that...
Curated OER
Create a Food Chain
Students discover the connection between plants and animals by discussing simple food chains. Students explore what may happen when parts of a food chain are removed. Students wrap up the instructional activity by writing a story about a...
Curated OER
What A Tangled Web We Weave
Learners of many ages discuss how all organisms rely on other organisms for their survival. They construct a food web and energy pyramids, and write an informative essay about the food web that they have designed.
Curated OER
Water Wars
Students investigate the water wars taking place in East Africa. In this global issues lesson plan, students watch video clips and read selected articles about the water shortages in East Africa. Students estimate their own average daily...
Curated OER
In the Company of Wild Butterflies
Students discover the life cycle of a butterfly and explain the different stages. In this exploratory lesson students watch a video and create insect art and they will get an opportunity to view live specimens of butterflies.
Curated OER
Species Interactions
Students research desert species to find where it lives, what it eats, and what species it interacts with directly. Upon completion of research, students construct a web of all the species as a class. This emphasizes the role each...
Curated OER
Illinois Biodiversity
Learners examine the amount of biodiversity in the state of Illinois. They practice using new vocabulary and listening to stories about animals. After given time to reflect, they write their own haiku. They work together to create a...
Curated OER
Food Chains
In this chemistry worksheet, students watch a movie about food chains and use it to respond to each of the questions stated. They use the list of works in the word banks to assist them in matching the correct term to its description.
Curated OER
Fun With Food Chains
Students explore our ecosystem by researching animal eating habits. In this food chain lesson, students identify the links between predator and prey and the energy that passes between organisms based on what their diet consists of....
Curated OER
Animals and Plants of BC's Rocky Shore: lesson 3
Students create a mural of the food chain of the animals and plants of BC's rocky shore. In this food chain lesson plan, students also play a food chain matching game.
Global Oneness Project
Deconstructing Consumerism
A short, engaging video provides a critique of the hyper-consumerist mentality that many think have taken over the Western world. After watching the video, pupils reflect on their own habits and use evidence...
Code.org
Rapid Research – Data Innovations
Scholars conduct research into a computing innovation of their choice and figure out how it uses data. They prepare brief reports of their research in the second installment of the series.
Channel Islands Film
Natural Resources, and Human Uses of Plants and Animals
As part of their study of the restoration projects on Santa Cruz Island, class members demonstrate their understanding of the connections among plant life, animals, and the actions of humans by crafting a model that reveals these...
Curated OER
Keys and Webs
High schoolers explore and classify organisms found in a Rocky Mountain Ecosystem. Through discussions, students examine the effects upon an ecosystem if a component was removed or a new component was added. As a class, they survey...
Explore Learning
Student Exploration: Forest Ecosystem
In this ecosystem exploration instructional activity, students complete 2 prior knowledge questions, then use "Forest Ecosystem Gizmo" to conduct several activities, completing short answer questions when finished.
Curated OER
Step by Step
Students explore agriculture by creating a food production diagram. For this farming lesson, students read assigned text about the entities that assist in food production companies such as farmers, truckers and supermarkets. Students...
Curated OER
Everybody Needs a Little Sunshine
Three activities introduce upper elementary ecologists to photosynthesis and food webs. In the first, an experiment is set up to determine how plants respond to different types of light. In the second, they connect organism cards with...
Curated OER
Iron Fertilization - Pumping Iron
The theory that adding iron to ocean water may increase phytoplankton ability to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is examined. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute is monitoring conditions off the California coast to...
Curated OER
Seed Dispersal
Learners explore seed dispersal by designing their own wind dispersed seed structure. Using one piece of paper and a box fan, they construct a seed dispersal structure, record the distance their seed travels, and answer discussion...