Curated OER
Communities and Biomes
In this communities worksheet, high schoolers will look at the interactions between biotic and abiotic factors and the effect these factors have on organism populations. Students will also order the succession steps that occur over time...
Curated OER
Capturing Watershed Experiences
Students observe organisms found in the water. In this lesson on organisms, students collect water from local streams and tributaries in order to study the organisms found in the water. As a culminating activity, students create a...
Curated OER
My Biotic Creation
Eighth graders explore different ecosystems. In this ecosystem survival lesson conditions lesson students create their own fictional creature.
Curated OER
Factors Affecting Plant Growth
Students determine the physical and chemical factors that affect plant growth. In this biology lesson, students explain the role of hormones in plants. They investigate how competition with other plants affect their growth.
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
RNA Was the First Genetic Molecule
Can organic molecules come from a pre-biotic environment? Stanley Lloyd Miller proved it is possible when exactly the right conditions exist. Learn about his experiment and the other experiments later building off of it that changed the...
Curated OER
Aliens Among Us
Students identify plants growing in the school yard and choose one for further investigation. They investigate the plant's biotic potential and environmental resistance. They predict what would happen should they introduce an exotic...
Curated OER
Brine Shrimp And Ph Levels
Third graders investigate the different ph levels found in water that is tested using simple measurements. The water samples are taken from a local body of water. The ph levels are used to help indicate areas where shrimp can thrive in...
Curated OER
Ecosystems: Can I Help?
Students study how some activities effect the environment and ecosystems.
National Institute of Open Schooling
Environmental Concerns
Every year, more than 14 billion pounds of garbage is dumped into the oceans of the world, most of which is plastic and toxic to ocean life. Lesson 32 in the series of 36 focuses on environmental concerns, specifically pollution. Under...
Curated OER
Building an Ecosystem
Students research a variety of local and world ecosystems. Students will create a collage to represent the biotic and abiotic factors and interactions important to their given ecosystem.Students will understand that an ecosystem is...
Curated OER
Ecosystems Connect
Students investigate ecosystems near their school and across the world. They examine both living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) elements of each. They recognize ecosystems from various continents around the globe. The use of computers...
Curated OER
Dirty Decomposers
Seventh graders design and conduct experiments to determine what environmental factors favor decomposition by soil microbes. They use chunks of carrot for the materials to be decomposed, and their experiments are carried out in plastic...
National Wildlife Federation
Habitat Web
Young scientists weave together an understanding of ecosystems with this fun collaborative activity. Taking on the roles of different living and non-living elements of specific habitats, learners use a ball of yarn to create the web of...
Curated OER
Beetle Rearing
Students investigate plants and the effects beetles have on the plants. In small groups, they collect plants and observe the beetles as they interact with the plants. They record the conditions including temperature, cloudiness, length...
Curated OER
How Does Your Ecosystem Grow?
Students consider that under certain conditions in nature tend to remain the same or move toward a balance. They observe populations and determine the functions (e.g., de-composers, producers, consumers) they serve in an ecosystem. They...
Curated OER
ME402: Growth of Yeast
Students investigate the growth of yeast in a sugar solution. They verify the pressure of carbon dioxide using bromothymol blue. Students are asked to describe the difference between the contents of the test tubes used and to explain...
Curated OER
Changes in Ecosystems
In this changes in ecosystems activity, students complete 21 various types of questions related to ecosystem. First, they determine whether each statement is true or false based on vocabulary. Then, students determine whether natural...
Curated OER
Ecological Relationships
Middle schoolers identify ecological elements and their factors on species, populations and food webs. They analyze ecosystems for these elements and research how these factors influence species survival rate. Predictions on conditions...
Curated OER
Populations and Ecosystems
Sixth graders examine the factors that influence the stability of ecosystems. They construct a miniature ecosystem in a jar that includes plants, small fish, and snails, record the population changes over a period of four weeks, and...
Curated OER
Forest Ecology or Who Lives Here?
Pupils 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. Pupils determine how biodiversity and abiotic elements...
Curated OER
The Portable Niche
Third graders, in groups, research animals, plants, and conditions found in ecosystems.
Curated OER
Biological Sciences
Students examine biodiversity and interrelatedness concepts. In this ecology lesson students go on a field trip and fill out a data sheet.
Curated OER
The Lesson of the Kaibab
Students plot the Kaibab deer population from 1905 to 1939 and analyze the changes over time. In this populations lesson plan, students investigate the causes of changing populations of the Kaibab deer and they find the carrying capacity...
Curated OER
Dirty Decomposers
Students explore the ecosystem by conducting a ziploc bag experiment. In this recycling lesson, students identify decomposer organisms in our environment and how they speed up the recycling process. Students utilize a ziploc plastic bag,...