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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Too Cool for School-The Greenhouse Experiment

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students create a town model and analyze the type of greenhouse gases their town emits. In this earth science lesson, students build greenhouses to investigate how trapped heat causes temperature change. They relate this activity to...
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Lesson Plan
Pennsylvania Department of Education

Cycles, Systems, and Webs

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders review the parts of the plant and their functions.  In this plant lesson plan, 4th graders recognize that plants must transfer energy to make food.  Students understand the interdependence of organisms in an ecosystem. 
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Lesson Plan
Pennsylvania Department of Education

Animal Classes and Their Ecosystems

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore animal characteristics by participating in an environment identification activity. In this animal habitat lesson, students discuss a range of different wild life and the ecosystems that they are a part of. Students view...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Investigating Local Ecosystems

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students observe a local area for living organisms and their habitats.  In this local ecosystems lesson, students complete an online field journal.  Students share their findings and sort them into categories. Students visit a website to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Shark Attack Odds and the Importance of Sharks

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine an ecosystem. In this food web lesson, students discover the importance of sharks and what threat sharks actually pose to humans. They participate in class discussions and work independently on a couple of different...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Eco-Detectives

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore natural decomposers. In this decomposing lesson plan, students participate in a WebQuest to discover how nature handles decomposition. Students compare natural methods for decomposition with recycling efforts.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Food Webs

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students identify predator/prey relationships based on the food web of the tropical rain forest ecosystem and realize they need a food web for survival. In this food web lesson plan, students complete a role play activity being animals...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Insects!

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students explore the diet of insects. In this "insects" biology lesson, students take a nature walk and collect various natural materials they think may be eaten by insects. Students sort and classify these materials into three diet...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Barn Owls and Owl Pellet Dissection

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore birds of prey and food chains. In this ecosystems and birds of prey cross curriculum science and literacy lesson, students brainstorm characteristics of birds after viewing photographs. Students view a video and document...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Biomimicry, Nature: Architecture of the Future

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore the relationship between nature and architecture. In this cross curriculum history, culture, and architecture lesson, students observe and discuss structures visible in nature. Students view websites in which Native...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Web of Life

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students construct a web of life. For this ecosystem lesson students are introduced to ecosystems and life cycles. Insects are the main focus.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Layers of the Forest

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students explore rain forests.  In this rain forest ecosystems lesson, students identify and describe the layers of the rain forest. Students paint and decorate a large rain forest mural. Students write riddles about animals that live in...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Start at the Very Beginning

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students explore ocean ecosystems. In this cross curriculum art and oceans lesson, students create a collage featuring three-finger algae using sand paper, tissue paper, and construction paper.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Receding Waters

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students explore the effect of environmental factors on ecosystems.  In this wildlife and ecology lesson, students identify and describe the stages in a frog's life cycle. Students participate in a simulation demonstrating the impact of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Temperate Forest : Pacific Spirit Field Trip

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students examine nurse logs with hand lenses and identify animals.  In this ecosystem lesson, students gain understanding of the rainforest by studying nurse logs.  Students become familiar with vocabulary through their study of nurse logs.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Modeling changes to Ecosystems Part 1

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students record changes in an ecosystem. In this science lesson students make a hypothesis about changes in a terrarium. They record their observations. The students conduct an experiment to test their hypothesis.
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Interactive
Curated OER

Learning About Watersheds

For Students 7th - 8th
In this learning about watersheds worksheet, students answer 15 questions using links to web resources about water use in their community.  This page includes numerous links to helpful websites.
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Interactive
Curated OER

Habitat Project Digital Science Journal

For Students 7th - 8th
In this habitat project digital science journal worksheet, students use a digital camera or camcorder to create a science journal about a habitat they have studied.  This page includes links to helpful web resources for planning and...
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Interactive
Curated OER

Ecological Dilemmas in Wetlands

For Students 7th - 8th
In this ecological dilemmas in wetlands worksheet, students select a topic, use  the links to websites for research, describe the topic, explain its impact on wetlands, identify alternatives and decide on possible changes.   An extension...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Wonders

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students explore hydrology concepts. In this environment and biology instructional activity, students identify and describe macroinvertebrates using a variety of pictures and resources. Students observe and write about a classroom...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

GPS Ecosystem (Ecotone) Scavenger Hunt

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students describe the characteristics of an ecotone. In this ecotone lesson, students pick out their area and describe the visual appearance, conditions, ecosystem, biodiversity, predators, prey, and trees in their ecotone. They create a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Natural Inquirer

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Learners explore the research process. In this scientific method lesson, students analyze data from an article, write their own informational article and express what they have learned. Learners create their own article using the given...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Global Warming Webquest - Group Worksheet

For Students 4th - 6th
In this global warming learning exercise, students, working in groups, answer 11 discussion questions involving global warming, climate, greenhouse effects and ecosystems.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

We're All In This Together

For Teachers Pre-K - 2nd
Students discover what a coral reef is and the animals that live there. In this ecosystem lesson plan, students act out a story with ocean organisms. They answer questions that show the interdependency of the sea animals.