Curated OER
Exploring the Temperate Forest: Biodiversity and Interdependence
Students examine the consequences of cutting down large amounts of forests throughout the world. In groups, they use the internet to complete a module taking them on a tour through different temperate forests. To end the lesson, they...
Curated OER
Rain Forest Reporters
Students research and write articles for an imaginary scientific magazine about rain forests. For this rain forest lesson, students research both ecosystems and magazine writing styles. They act as reporters and editors of their own...
Curated OER
Terrestrial Ecosystem Response to Climate Change
An extensive investigation of the Earth's climate changes awaits your environmental science classes. This top-notch presentation begins by looking at the history of Earth's climate and then predicts the impact on each major terrestrial...
Curated OER
National Forests of Wisconsin and Puerto Rico
Fifth graders study the forests of Wisconsin and Puerto Rico. They view a Power Point presentation and predict slides to represent various forests in Wisconsin and Puerto Rico. They play a game to recognize differences and similarities...
Curated OER
Forests of the Deep
Students identify three ways in which seamounts are important to biological communities. They also discover how deep-sea corals are important to the seamounts. They finally explain why scientients are worried about the future of ecosystems.
Curated OER
Tropical Ecosystems
Fourth graders use a Palm eBook Studio text to read about tropical ecosystems. They use a study guide to orient their reading, use software to create a map of a tropical ecosystem and take a quiz.
Curated OER
Diversity Ecosystems
Students work in teams to characterize their biomes and compare them to the biomes of the rest of the class. In this biomes lesson plan, students complete a bean activity, relate it to the diversity in biomes, and then research and...
Curated OER
Comparing Ecosystems
Students, in groups, research two biomes. They create a Venn diagram and include the characteristics of each biome, placing similar features in the overlapping area of the circles.
Curated OER
Ecosystems
In this ecosystems worksheet, students define the components that make up an ecosystem. Students focus on the forests found in Ireland. This worksheet has 30 fill in the blank and 7 short answer questions.
Curated OER
For Creative Minds: Mountain Ecosystems
In this mountain ecosystems worksheet, students read information about mountain ecosystems and study various diagrams about the environment. Students match animals in the ecosystem to their descriptions.
Curated OER
Ecosystems Online
Students work together to gather information on ecosystems from websites. They identify plants and animals and create their own website. They are graded on their willingness to work together and the content on the website.
Curated OER
Animals of Rainforest and Temperate Forest
Students research an animal from each type of forest, and compare/contrast them on a concept map. They write a letter from one animal to the other, using information from their research.
Curated OER
Topical Ecosystems
Fourth graders read about two tropical ecosystems: the rainforest and the coral reef using Palm Reader. They then complete a study guide as part of their reading experience and create a Sketchy and PiCoMap as directed. Students take test...
Virginia Department of Education
Succession
The final lesson in a two-part series prompts scholars to create newspaper articles and succession events. Applying their knowledge of the ecosystem and the past examples of succession, they predict what will happen in the future...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Modeling Trophic Cascades
In the ecological game of who eats who, one small change can have a big impact! Individuals create food chains in an array of ecosystems, then determine what happens to organisms in the chain when one organism changes its feeding...
Curated OER
Biomes and Plant Growth
Seventh graders design four biomes models and plant three types of seeds in them to observe growth. In groups for each type of biome, they predict the seeds' growth in each of the settings. Students follow the conditions on a biome chart...
Global Oneness Project
Protecting Wilderness
Would you live in a tree for three years to protect a redwood forest? Viewers of Rainhouse Cinema's Among Giants documentary consider the actions of Earth First! environmental activists who moved into the treetops of a grove of giant...
Curated OER
Visual Vocabulary
Students interpret and name the vocabulary termed acted out by the mime. In this science/language arts/physical education lesson, students are given a set of vocabulary terms to discuss within their group. Next, students place all...
Curated OER
Impervious Surfaces
Students comprehend impervious surfaces. They recognize the problems caused by impervous surfaces. Students observe how land use can influence impervious surfaces. They chose four of the seven basic land surface, students draw a picture...
Curated OER
Investigative Case - "Rio Grande Wildlife Refuge"
Learners study wildlife management as it relates to ecological principles and whole systems. They role play professional ecologists working for the fish and wildlife service to develop a plan to manage a new wildlife refuge along the Rio...
American Museum of Natural History
Cuban Wildlife Matching Game
Young biologists match Cuban wildlife to their ecosystems by dragging images of the creatures to either a forest, coral reef, cave, or wetland habitat.
Curated OER
The Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change
Learners analyze the impact of climate variability and change utilizing a broad span of topics over a wide range of grade levels. This three lesson unit is easily adapted for the various instructional levels listed.
Curated OER
Wildlife Needs
Students identify the wildlife needs in a specific setting. In this wildlife needs lesson, students identify and illustrate the four stages of forest succession. Students list the natural habitat and food for a given species. Students...
Curated OER
Tree Products Scavenger Hunt
Sixth graders explore how everyday items come from the forest. In this tree products lesson students create an advertisement for one product that comes from the forest.