ARKive
Biodiversity and Evolution
Why is diversity in biology so important for an ecosystem? Explore biodiversity, evolution, and natural selection with a presentation for your biology class. It features clear information, activities for further understanding, and...
Curated OER
Watch the Screen!
Students explore screening processes for biological activity. In this deep sea instructional activity students complete a lab activity.
Curated OER
Food Chains and Webs
For this food chains worksheet, students identify the producers and consumers in the given food chains and describe how contaminants can biologically accumulate. This worksheet has 4 short answer questions.
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Let's go to the Video Tape!
Using actual data from a deep-sea video survey, high school marine biologists consider the biodiversity, compare species richness between two communities, and learn to calculate the diversity index. The lesson plan is all-inclusive,...
Curated OER
What Is It?!
Working individually or in groups, 4th graders are presented with unusual or at least unfamiliar objects and are asked to speculate on what they are and/or how they are used. The intention is to get students to make careful observations...
Curated OER
Using Science Fiction To Understand Biological Concepts
High schoolers read and discuss," The Andromeda Strain" by Michael Crichton and complete a short writing exercise as a warm-up for a longer piece of science fiction writing. They choose a topic and create a science fiction short story...
Curated OER
A Piece of Cake: Ocean Communities
Young scholars explain habitats. In this model based activity students create a model to help describe a habitat that is typical of deep-water. Young scholars will describe how organisms such as coral and sponges add to their habitat.
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A Frog's Life Story
Students investigate the lives of frogs by completing several worksheets. In this biology lesson, students discover the life cycle of a frog from tadpole to death. Students complete frog life cycle puzzle as well as create a...
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What Does it Take to be a Survivor? Part One
Students explore marine animal adaptation. In this introductory ocean life biology lesson, students access prior knowledge by participating in a whole class "thought swap." Students form two lines, respond to a prompt from the teacher...
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Indian Ocean Explored
Students consider the information presented in the WNET videotape of India: Land of the Tiger/Unknown Seas (Episode 3). In this biology instructional activity, students view the video and engage in a discussion about the questions...
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C.S.I. on the Deep Reef
Students study chemotropic sybioses and chemotropic nutrition. In groups, they complete a Chemotrophic Species Investigations (CSI) Worksheet.
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What Was for Dinner?
Young scholars examine energy obtaining strategies that are used by organisms in deep reef communities. In this ocean lesson students complete an isotope activity.
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Let's Hit the Slopes!
Students study benthic communities in the Gulf of Mexico and explain their roles. In this investigative lesson students participate in a group activity and study how to calculate and index of biological communities.
Ocean Explorer
Easy as Pi
Seamounts are large, extinct volcanoes that rise up from the bottom of the ocean floor. They are a relatively new landform in the scientific community, and this activity invites students to learn about the amazing diversity of life found...
Curated OER
Predator/Prey Activity: Fish Feeding, Environments, and General Behavior
Pupils explore concepts of environment and survival among different marine life, focusing on the ocean environment.
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Keep Away
Study biological diversity by analyzing given data, and make inferences about the possible effects of oil drilling operations on specific benthic communities. This lesson allows students to use their statistical analysis skills asweel as...
Teach Engineering
Extinction Prevention via Engineering
It's time to save endangered species through engineering. The third lesson in a nine-part Life Science unit has young environmentalists study species extinction. An engaging discussion leads to some ideas on how to use engineering design...
Curated OER
Cnidarians
In this cnidarians learning exercise, students will read 4 descriptions and identify each as either the polyp or medusa form of cnidarian. Then students will complete 3 short answer questions about the characteristics of cnidarians....
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Segmented Worms
In this segmented worms worksheet, learners will review the characteristics of segmented worms including the earthworm, bristleworm, and leech. This worksheet has 7 fill in the blank, 3 true or false, and 3 matching questions.
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My Wet Robot
High schoolers design an underwater vehicle. In this engineering instructional activity, students will design an underwater robot that includes specific systems for it to function properly. Each group will present their prototype to the...
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Cutt-Off Genes
High schoolers explore how gene sequence analysis can be used to examine phylogenetic similarities of different organisms. Students work in groups to simulate a gel electrophoresis separation of fragments using poster board to create...
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Collect Data Using a Transect Line
Learners learn about transect lines through a study of marine debris. In this marine debris activity, students calculate the items on a transect line and graph them. Learners complete a category worksheet.
Curated OER
Lesson on GPS
Students investigate global positioning systems. In this technology and mapping lesson, students view a PowerPoint presentation in which they identify the features of a GPS, state its uses, and follow steps to find a waypoint.
NOAA
Individual Species in the Deep Sea
A tube worm's outer covering is made of chitin, the same material that makes up the shells of lobsters and crabs. Scholars create tube worms and analyze and discuss the longevity of organisms living near cold seeps. They then discuss and...