Curated OER
I See a Coyote
Students role-play coyotes looking for natural resources. In this natural resources lesson, students examine the relationship between animal life and the environment. Students play a game that demonstrates how natural resources affect...
Curated OER
How Many Penguins Does It Take? Studying Carrying Capacity and Limiting Factors
How does a population's habitat determine the size of that population? Teach learners about carrying capacity and limiting factors with an engaging roleplay activity. Class members pose as a colony of penguins who must gather food amidst...
Curated OER
Overpopulation
Students examine population growth and how it impacts our environment. In this population lesson students identify the causes and consequences of overpopulation.
Curated OER
Biome-Ecology Unit with a "Design a Zoo" Extension
Students participate in a three part unit about biomes. Part one, students research the biomes of North America and part two consists of research on zoos and a field trip to a zoo. While part three ties together the first two when...
Curated OER
"Using Cichlids To Demonstrate the Effects of Human Activity On Ecosystems"
Students explore the freshwater ecosystem of Africa's Lake Victoria by creating a freshwater aquarium. They investigate factors affecting the aquarium's ecosystem and conduct lab activities.
Curated OER
San Ignacio Lagoon: Economy or Ecology
Young scholars debate over the development in the habitat of gray whales. In this role playing lesson, students will take on various roles in a debate over the development of a salt production facility in the San Ignacio Lagoon...
Chicago Botanic Garden
Unit 4 Pre-Assessment
Pre-assessments are great to help teachers determine what information their classes lack, what misconceptions they have, and how in depth to teach specific concepts. The first in a five-part series is a pre-assessment of middle...
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 using...
Curated OER
My Favorite Meal
Students investigate ecological systems and the multiple uses of the environment by studying the osprey population.
Curated OER
Home on the Range
Students use maps and mathematics to determine the appropriate panther population in a given area. In this Florida ecology lesson, students research the area requirements of male and female panther and use a map to help calculate how...
Curated OER
Mountain Pine Beetles
Students research and develop power point presentations that answer the question, "What is changing our forests?" In this ecology lesson, students research the niche of Pine Beetles and their increased effect on the forests in Colorado.
Curated OER
Coral Reefs
Young scholars research coral reefs and identify their benefits to humans, threats to the reef, how to reduce and eliminate threats, and more. In this coral reef lesson plan, students research the reefs, and take a field trip to an...
Curated OER
Repopulating Michigan's Waterways
Eleventh graders identify the parts of an ecosystem and how communities change over time. In this ecology lesson students formulate a habitat restoration plan.
Curated OER
Wolves
Students explore wolves. In this ecology and wolves lesson, students research predator-prey relationships on the Internet and complete a related worksheet with a partner. Students interpret data on bar graphs to determine growth and...
Curated OER
Go Fish! Exploring The Tragedy of the Commons
Learners discover what happens when people take advantage of shared resources. In this ecology instructional activity, students explore "The Tragedy of the Commons" by playing a role playing simulation game in small groups. Learners soon...
Curated OER
City Animals
Young scholars identify some of the most important native and introduced species of animals in the United States. They describe how animals populations of cities have changed over time, outline the benefits and problems associated with...
Curated OER
Fish and Flowers
Students read and discuss a research article that explains the unlikely link between increased fish populations and increased plant pollination. They answer reading guide questions to discover this ecological relationship.
Curated OER
Oh Deer! and English Learner Writing Extensions
Learners follow deer through Yellowstone Park and record the number of deer from year to year. In this basic needs of deer lesson, students work in small groups and chart the number of deer each year and give explanations using as...
Curated OER
Receding Waters
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...
Earth Day Network
Healthy Earth, Sick Earth
Earth is sick and needs our help! Read the children's book Planet Earth Gets Well to explain the various problems facing the planet, discussing what young conservationists can do to heal the planet along the way. A great Earth Day...
Curated OER
Effects Of Natural Disasters On Environment
Students investigate the concept of how natural disasters effect the environment. They conduct research using a variety of resources. They are given a scenario that needs a defensive speech. Students take a position and defend it by...
Curated OER
Insect Biology and Ecology: A Primer
Pupils explore insects and closely related organisms. They examine the growth and development of a lady beetle. Students classify insects and organize them. They investigate pest management.
Curated OER
Predator-Prey Relationships
Learners explore the interrelatedness of predators and prey in four different activities. They simulate an aquatic insect, fish, and osprey food chain during a poker chip game, play an M&M game to simulate the relationship between...
Curated OER
Muddy Waters: A historical view of land use patterns, water quality, and the conservation movement
Students research the impact that human activity had on Pennsylvania's water supply over time. In this water quality lesson plan, students research, discuss, and write about how Pennsylvania's water quality has been affected and what...