Students observe the effects of eutrophication and determine why it is harmful to aquatic ecosystems. They create mason jar ecosystems to observe the growth of algae in pond water. In addition, they observe the effect of introducing...

Fifth graders examine pond ecology, testing how temperature affects the respiration rate of fish. They collect various living things found at a pond, and identify the animal and plant life discovered. They observe a pond community in an...

Written for Washington state students in life science, this lesson provides an opportunity to examine the residents of local freshwater habitats. You or the class collects a water sample, and learners try to examine what organisms live...

Young scientists roll up their sleeves and get a little dirty in this three-day earth science investigation. Following the scientific method, children monitor the growth of algae in pond water samples in order to determine...

Students read about and discuss water and how it is used as a resource and how engineers use technology to preserve it. In this water lesson plan, students look at a picture of water treatment and tell what is wrong with the picture.

Young scholars define what a pond habitat is and explain what animals live in this habitat. They discuss what can harm or destroy a pond habitat. They create a poster of what could harm a pond habitat including illustrations and...

Students identify the different organisms in the food web. In this biology lesson, students create food chains using the information on cards. They explain what happens if an organism is removed or added in the web.

Students explore nature in a living, experiencing way. In this woods and ponds lesson plan, students recognize that ponds/woods environments are ecosystems, identify three of the trees in the area by their leaves and bark...

Middle schoolers examine the world of the Arkansas alligator and topics that are related to wetland environments. They pay attention to the relationship between geography, climate, environment, and the animals who live there. A role-play...

Fifth graders observe and categorize different sections of a park and it's ecosystem. In this categorizing lesson plan, 5th graders collect different facets of nature from a nearby park (without disturbing the ecosystem). They map,...

Students examine the Michigan state quarter and identify land and water on the quarter. They locate the Great Lakes and other bodies of water on a map. They compare and contrast streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, and oceans.

How does the dirt get out of your drinking water? A hands-on activity introduces the use of flocculants to help clear solid particles out of water. The plan walks learners through the process of setting up an experiment that...

Students visit a local stream, pond, creek, or river and collect macroinvertebrates. They sort macroinvertebrates and identify each species using a dichotomous key. Students decide on trophic levels and construct a possible food web for...

With vocabulary lists, worksheets, and more, this lesson sets learners on an exploration of the Hudson River area. They read an essay about the area, analyze a relief map of New York State, and complete a worksheet.

Young scholars participate in a service project about improving air quality. In this air quality instructional activity, students understand the problems and solutions for improvement of air quality issues. Young scholars discuss and...

Students plan stations for a nature and fitness trail and construct an accompanying e-Book for extended descriptions at each station. Data on the human impact on the environment is gathered in this lesson.

Students explore a hardwood forest. In this forest ecology lesson, students examine the diversity and animals and plants as they explore their habitats at Poricy Park Conservatory. Students determine how biodiversity and abiotic elements...

Learners examine the Michigan quarter reverse and differentiate between bodies of water. On copies of the quarter reverse, they color the land green and the water blue. After observing photos of water bodies, they complete a worksheet...

Hummingbirds and flowers need each other to survive! Pupils explore the co-adaptation of hummingbirds and the flowering plants. They explain how a flowering plant has adapted to be pollinated by a hummingbird and how the hummingbird has...

Students photograph living organisms. In this plan for a field trip, students go to a local park or pond and photograph themselves with various living organisms on their scavenger hunt list. The photographs taken are compiled into a...

Fifth graders complete a survey to decide what are most popular plants among the class. They test the water quality in a nearby pond. Studnts test the quality of soil samples taken from their homes. Different plants are moistened with...

Sixth graders create a TerrAqua column. In this ecosystems lesson, 6th graders build a TerrAqua column to conduct investigations on how living things impact the ecosystem.

Students explore what the dinosaurs were like. In this dinosaur instructional activity, the teacher peaks student curiosity about dinosaurs. This instructional activity would be a great starting point for a dinosaur unit since it...

Pupils study the Wampanoag tribe to learn about the importance of the herring to their culture. In this Wampanoag lesson, students read information and complete multiple activities to learn about the role of the herring fish in the...