Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Lesson 1: WildCam Gorongosa
Take a walk on the wild side! Episode one of an eight-part series of interactive lessons regarding Gorongosa National Park invites learners to become a part of the citizen science community. Scholars read a brief overview of the trail...
Curated OER
The Case of the Missing Steller Sea Lions
Young scholars identify and analyze the various roles organisms play in food webs, populations, communities and ecosystems. Students assess the requirements for sustaining healthy local ecosystems. STudents evaluate human impacts on...
Curated OER
Benthic Macroinvertebrates
Students survey and describe a stream ecosystem. They sample the benthic macroinvertebrate populations of a given stream and determine community structure through the use of the Chandler Index and a species diversity index.
Curated OER
Precious Water: Is it a Need, a Right, or a Commodity?
Pupils determine whether water is a need, a right, or a commodity. For this water lesson, students investigate land and water ecosystems through activities. Pupils also discover water as a resource and energy source as they observe and...
Curated OER
Lotic Environment Lesson Plans
Young scholars create and conduct experiments on a "classroom river habitat." They manipulate the biotic and abiotic factors so that they are able to compare an artificially prepared river model to a naturally occurring lotic ecosystem.
Curated OER
Forest Management
Students analyze physical and biological changes in the Sequoia forest ecosystem, especially logging and fire management practices. They evaluate the controversy of how logging and fire management should be conducted in the Giant Sequoia...
Michigan Sea Grant
Invasive Species
Learners identify invasive species to the Great Lakes and analyze their impact on the ecosystem. Using photo cards with pictures and facts, young scientists work in small groups to match invasive species with their corresponding...
Curated OER
The Changing Coral Reef
Students record changes in the composition of a coral reef. In this Coral Reef lesson, students recognize the needs of Coral Reef species to survive. Students chart changes in population over time. Students write an essay...
Curated OER
The Impacts of Human Activities on Biodiversity in New Haven County
Students discover how plants and animal ecosystems are affected by the growth of a city. In this ecology lesson, students study and observe a plant over a period of time. They develop a creative presentation of their data and share them...
Michigan Sea Grant
Sea Lamprey
Learners discuss the types of technology that are used to control the population of sea lamprey in the Great Lakes. They explain the parasite/host relationship and understand the devastating impact invasive species have on ecosystems....
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
How Many Birds Would It Take To Keep A Jackal Alive?
Students examine the role of large families in some animal populations. They work together to complete an activity related to food supply. They discover the relationship between preys and predators.
Curated OER
Prairie Restoration and Prairie Ecology
Students collect data as they identify and classify native prairie plants and insects. They create their own population study using a variety of sampling techniques to determine the population density of various species. Students...
Curated OER
Flowering Phenology: How Do Plants Know When To Flower?
Students explore the biotic and abiotic factors that affect plant reproduction and the potential consequences of human activities on plant populations. The effects of urbanization are discussed as an influence in the consequences.
Curated OER
Managing Wildlife
Learners explore the relationship between wildlife and humans in northern New England. They also brainstorm ideas on why they think some species are greater in population than others in a given area.
Curated OER
On the Brink
High schoolers view a film about environmental issues. They discover how environmental degradation can lead to disease. They identify the relationship between population growth and the environment.
Curated OER
What Have We Done?
Students investigate the effect of dams on the ecosystem. In this environmental lesson plan, students read case studies on the Aswan Dam and the Colorado River Basin and construct a T-chart to compare the effects on the region.
Curated OER
White-tailed Deer Issues
Ninth graders examine the white tail deer population in Pennsylvania and explore the impacts that the deer have on the flora and fauna. In this white-tail deer lesson students complete an activity and graph their results.
Curated OER
Teeter Totter
Pupils explore the two types of spotted sandpipers. They create a puppet show using the spotted sandpiper from Puerto Rico and the spotted sandpiper from Alaska. Students research the habitats of the two sandpipers.
Curated OER
Why Care About Amphibian Population Decline and Malformations?
Students examine the reasons for preserving wildlife. They look at reasons for amphibian malformations and write an essay about the ethical issues that this brings up. They listen to the teacher read quotes about extinction and how the...
Curated OER
My Life as a Loggerhead
Students discuss the current flow of the Gulf Stream and the characteristics of the Sargasso Sea. They visit websites to gather information on loggerhead sea turtles. Students imagine that they are newly hatched loggerhead turtles.
Curated OER
If You Mess With A Wetland, At Least Try to Make Amends!
Eighth graders examine the role of wetlands in an ecosystem. In groups, they use the internet to research how humans have disturbed and ruined the effectiveness of wetlands throughout the country. They pretend they are in charge of...
Global Oneness Project
Reclaiming Rivers
Robert Hass's article "Rivers and Stories" underscores the importance of rivers in the development of civilization and the importance of reclaiming supposedly dead rivers and implementing policies that protect river health. Groups...
NOAA
Invertebrates
Crabs and lobsters ... yum! The 18th installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program focuses on invertebrate marine life. After the lecture slideshow, learners conduct an activity to sample...