Pennsylvania Department of Education
Animal Classes and Their Ecosystems
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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What Makes Up Rocks and Soils?
For this rocks and soils worksheet, students will complete a Venn diagram comparing the specific characteristics of rocks and soils.
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Lunch
First graders view and sort a display of fruits and vegetables by one characteristic. They listen as the teacher reads the story, "Lunch." Students identify items on the pages as living or nonliving, fruit or vegetable. Using magazines,...
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A Couch or a Potato
Learners classify objects and organisms seen on the Wakulla Springs icam website as living or nonliving.
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Exploring the Great Salt Lake
Third graders participate in a scavenger hunt, looking for things that are unique about the ecosystem in and around the lake. They observe and describe a variety of habitats and distinguish living and nonliving elements of...
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Extra! Extra!
Students describe how plants and animals depend on each other. They see how living and nonliving environments change over time. They identify ways in which humans have changed their environment and the effects of those changes.
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Parts of an Ecosystem
Fourth graders study the Great Salt lake and the ecosystem that encompasses it. They study the relationship between an individual of a species, a population of that species, a community that includes that population, and the...
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The Dichotomy of Viruses
Students benefit from an education about these nonliving pathogens.
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Developing Environmental Awareness Through Problem Solving
Young scholars examine the relationships among living and non-living parts of the environment. Using their senses, they identify the objects in their classroom. In groups, they participate in experiments to discover where electricity...
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Soil Composition
Students examine soil. In this soil composition lesson students participate in soil sedimentation and filtration activities. The students discuss what non-living and living things are in soil and why it is so important.
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Sibling Relationships in the Animal World
Young scholars research sibling relationships in the animal world. In this animal science lesson plan, students read the book, Sisters and Brothers: Sibling Relationships in the Animal World and discuss the sibling relationships. Young...
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Hatching Brine shrimp
Second graders investigate the life cycle using brine shrimp as an example. They conduct observations by watching the shrimp hatch out of cysts. Students design simple experiment to structure an observation. The experiment is approved...
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Ecosystems: Biotic and Abiotic Factors
Seventh graders examine proper journaling techniques, and record observations about at tree after listening to a read aloud of "Four Worlds: The Dine Story of Creation." They study the difference between living and non-living things, and...
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Fascinating Factors
Learners observe biotic and abiotic things participating in an observational walk outside the school. They create a collage using pictures of biotic and abiotic items.
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Creature Features
Young scholars examine why certain animals live in only specific places throughout the world. Using animals, they classify them based on their characteristics and identify their basic needs. They also observe and compare the life cycles...
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Great Salt Lake
Fourth graders make an ecosystem that brine shrimp can live in and take data as to what level of salinity the water is, how cold it is, and other data that students may think is important. They also hypothesize and predict the outcomes...
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Habitats, Abiotic v. Biotic
Students explore and define ecosystem, ecology and habitat. They discuss abiotic and biotic organisms and the things needed for survival. After observing pictures of animals in their habitat, students compare and contrast habitats and...
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A Tree is an Ecosystem
Young scholars make observations about trees. In this ecosystem lesson, students observe and record all living and non living things they find under a tree, look for birds nests, evidence of woodpeckers and take samples such as leafs,...
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Biodiversity
Students complete activities to study the importance of biodiversity. In this biodiversity lesson plan, students find images to categorize into organism groups and illustrate their interconnections. Students use measurement tools to...
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Forest Food Web
Students explore the elements of a forest ecosystem. They examine the elements needed to form a forest food web. Students construct and describe food webs that include nonliving elements of the ecosystem.
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Ecosystems: What Are They and How Do They Work?
Students explore the characteristics of major ecosystems, the interactions of the organisms within the systems, and the effects of humans on the system. Both living and non-living components are examined in this five lesson unit.
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Animal Diversity
Students use the Animal Diversity E-Sheet to access the Where Can Animals Live? online book.
Random House
Recipe for an Ecosystem
Creating an ecosystem is as simple as baking a cake. Well, maybe not, but using a recipe analogy helps learners realize that ecosystems consist of different components that come together in unique ways. Offer this worksheet as an...
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Growing Seeds (9)
A seed, water, and sunlight. A seed, water, but no sunlight. A seed, sunlight, but no water. Young biologists are ask to infer what will happen to seeds given five different growing conditions.