Polar Trec
Arctic Smorgasbord!
Two blooms of phytoplankton, instead of just one, now occur in the Arctic due to declining sea ice, which will have widespread effects on the marine life and climate. In small groups, participants build an Arctic food web with given...
Curated OER
Questions - Appearances are Deceiving
Five evolution-related questions are answered by beginning biologists on a separate sheet of paper. First, they are asked to list adaptations that allow organisms to survive under various conditions. The second question refers to...
Curated OER
Changing Planet: Sea Levels Rising
Begin by showing a six-minute video, Changing Planet: Rising Sea Level as an anticipatory set. Pupils draw a topographic map of a potato continent. Finally, they will visit NOAA's sea levels online map and NASA's carbon dioxide...
Curated OER
Caterpillars and Climate: How Temperature Affects Feeding Rate In Insects
Do you eat more when you are hot or when you are cold? Young scientists observe the eating pace of two caterpillars at different temperatures. The differences in endotherm and ecotherm animals' ability to adjust to temperature change...
Montana State University
Climb into Action!
Climate change affects even the largest and intimidating of landforms—even Mount Everest! A resource helps teach learners the connection between global climate change and its effects on Earth. Activities include videos, class discussion,...
Serendip
Changing Biological Communities – Disturbance and Succession
After cutting down a forest to make a farm, how long would it take the environment to turn an abandoned farm back into a forest? Scholars study this exact scenario while they interpret many charts and graphs of the changing ecosystems as...
PBS
Terrific Trees
Engage in a shady activity to practice measurement techniques. Classes venture outside to collect measurements of various trees, using different strategies to measure the height, trunk circumference, width, and crown size. Then they...
Curated OER
Boom and Bust in the Ozark Forests
Here is a hard-hitting, cross-curricular activity on the effects that the deforestation of the Ozark forests in the 19th century had on the people, animals, and ecosystems of the area. The Dr. Seuss book The Lorax is used as a way of...
Ocean Explorer
Architects of the Coral Reef
Coral Reefs are the focus of a life science lesson plan. Upper graders look at how coral reefs are formed, how the animals and plants reproduce, and the variety of ways that humans benefit from coral reefs around the world. Groups of...
Desert Discoveries
What's the Buzz on Native Bees?
Young biologists describe the different types of bees that are native to the Sonoran Desert. They look at the nesting and feeding requirements of the insects, and study how they are able to pollinate many plants found in the environment....
Curated OER
Web of Life
Highlight the importance of each animal in an ecosystem by having scholars research different endangered species. Research is a lot more streamlined when learners are provided with a tool such as the graphic organizer attached here. How...
Curated OER
Land Assessment
Students work in small groups on a problem based learning activity. Students are presented with a problem of buying land to use for educational purposes only and must determine if it is feasible to buy it based on soil analysis and plant...
Rainforest Alliance
Colombia Biodiversity
How diverse is the rainforest? How much more diverse is a rain forest than a temperate forest? Explore these focus questions in a lesson that explores the plants, animals, and insects in forests. After listening to a reading about...
Curated OER
Lizard Lab
In this detailed and comprehensive multi-day activity, budding evolutionary biologists use real data from lizard populations in the Canary Islands to examine evolution and natural selection.
Pulitzer Center
Extractive Industries
Here is a chance for environmental studies classes to take a critical look at crises occurring around the globe by reading articles and viewing video clips. The human activities under scrutiny are the extraction of oil, logging, and...
Lee & Low Books
Classroom Guide for Sacred Mountain: Everest
The most famous climbers of Mount Everest could never have made it to the summit without the assistance of the local Sherpa. Christine Taylor-Butler's nonfiction children's book Sacred Mountain: Everest is the focus of an extensive...
American Museum of Natural History
What Do You Know About T. Rex?
There's so much to learn about dinosaurs. A 10-question quiz tests knowledge of the more detailed characteristics of the Tyrannosaurus Rex. As individuals complete the quiz, they better understand how fossil records helped define some of...
Curated OER
Our World A Complex Eco-system
Sixth graders set up an ecosystem, investigate conservation techniques, develop an action plan for conservation, and various other activities to explore the ecosystem.
Curated OER
Strands Walk An Ecological Observation
Students examine an ecosystem and analyze the role of two abiotic factors in the ecosystem. In this ecosystem lesson students complete an activity on their ecosystem.
Curated OER
Science Trail
Fourth graders explore the concept of ecosystems. In groups, they examine clues to find mystery objects. Once they find the mystery objects, they discuss what ecosystem each comes from. They also look at pond water samples under a...
Curated OER
The Woods and Pond
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...
Curated OER
Native Species Restoration and its Impact on Local Populations
High schoolers watch video clips of ecosystems and answer questions relating to them.
Curated OER
Ecosystems
Sixth graders perform various labs, create presentations, and do hands on activities to explore the ecosystem.
Curated OER
Trail Adventure
Students create a trail with numbered specimens. Students complete an accurate and functional interactive trail activity brochure. They complete a web page tree identification guide and interactive identification activity. Students...