Science Matters
Crawly Composters
Get your hands dirty with an interactive instructional activity that showcases the process of decomposing and returning nutrients back into the soil. After building a compost pile, pupils regularly observe the...
Intel
Composting: Why Bother?
The first STEM lesson in a group of 10 explores composting. After discussing how to make a better tomorrow, classes are challenged to track garbage in their communities, visit a local waste management facility, and conduct a survey about...
Curated OER
Our Friends or Foes
In this living organisms worksheet, 6th graders choose the multiple choice answer to 10 questions. Students then read and answer 10 statements as true or false and fill in the blanks to 5 statements.
Curated OER
Selecting Soil Organisms in Compost
Students conduct an experiment to demonstrate that many of the enzyme systems needed to break down society's wastes exist in nature among the decomposers in a compost pile. They culture compost bacteria on starch agar to examine the...
Curated OER
Helping the Soil
In this soil conservation worksheet, students study and analyze two excellent ways to enhance soil conservation: compost heap and leaf-mould. Students review all the ingredients in making both.
Curated OER
Cycling of Matter and Energy
These twenty various types of questions related to the cycling of matter and energy require students to match each definition in column 1 with the correct vocabulary term from column 2. Then, students explain what is being demonstrated...
Curated OER
Earthworm Bridge
Fourth graders complete analysis experiments for decomposers and their adaptable traits. For this decomposers lesson, 4th graders test worm behavior to light, sound, warmth, touch, and moisture. Students work in groups to analyze the...
Curated OER
A MINI LANDFILL
Students observe the difference between degradable and non-degradable wastes. They create their own landfill in a jar by adding four or five pieces of garbage and then covering it with dirt and water. They make observations on what they...
Curated OER
Prokaryote Coloring
In this prokaryote worksheet, students answer ten questions about prokaryote cells and they color a diagram of a simple bacteria cell and its structures.
Kentucky School for the Deaf
Levels of Organization within an Ecosystem
From tiny organisms to entire biomes, young scientists examine the interdependent relationships tying all living and non-living things together with this collection of ecology resources.
Curated OER
Selecting Soil Organisms in Compost
Students demonstrate that many of the enzyme systems needed to break down--and therefore clean up-society's wastes already exist in nature among the decomposers. They select the best starch-munching organisms by altering the environment...
Curated OER
The Human Impact on the Environment
Despite the typos and formatting issues, the Word document found here has some great potential. There are two questions that ask learners to put several events in a logical order; these could easily be made into a card sort activity....
Curated OER
The Macaroni Lab
Learners are given an introduction to the "ecosystem", what factors make up an ecosystem (biotic factors, abiotic factors, food chain, producers, consumers and decomposers) and how those factors interact.
Curated OER
Classroom Composting
Pupils discover the benefits of composting. They identify the steps of decomposition as well. They are read a book and discuss what items decompose.
Curated OER
Ecosystem Energizers
Fourth graders see how the flow of energy through an ecosystem made up of producers, consumers, and decomposers carries out the processes of life and that some energy dissipates as heat and is not recycled.
Curated OER
Fungus Among Us- Non-Fiction Reading Comprehension Worksheet
In this fungus non-fiction reading comprehension activity, students read a 3 page selection that describes the characteristics and life of fungi. They answer 10 questions based on the reading which include true or false, multiple choice,...
Curated OER
Knowledge Quiz: Bacteria
In this bacteria quiz instructional activity, learners complete a set of 10 multiple choice questions covering a variety of concepts related to bacteria. A reference web site is included for additional resources.
Curated OER
Forensic Entomology: What the Blowfly Saw
Students read a paragraph describing various insects and decomposition rates, then fill in the table indicating when the three insects arrived or left the body. They write paragraphs explaining when the person died, and how they know.
Curated OER
Forests
Students examine soil in forests looking for animals and insects. They divide the animals based on their number of legs and draw the animal they have collected.
Curated OER
Composting -- Nature's Disappearing Act
Studenst work together to discover the concept of biodegradability. They build a model of a landfill and how different items decompose. They examine how engineers use this information for better waste management.
Curated OER
Ecology
In this ecology worksheet learners complete a crossword puzzle that incorporates all of the ecological vocabulary in the word puzzle.
Curated OER
Think Green
Students experience and practice compositing and recycling through hands-on-activities. They distinguish between which items from their trash can be recycled, composted and reused. The process for making recycled paper is also covered in...
Curated OER
Compost Columns
In this unit of lessons, students examine the role of compost columns and recycling. They create a KWL chart about garbage in Chicago. They also examine life cycles and packaging of everyday products.