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  • Ecology
Biomes and Population Dynamics - Balance within Natural Systems
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With a continued focus on the Sonoran Desert, students are introduced to the concepts of biomes, limiting factors (resources), carrying capacity and growth curves through a PowerPoint® presentation. Abiotic factors (temperature, annual precipitation, seasons, etc.) determine the biome landscape. The vegetative component, as producers, determines the types of consumers that form its various communities. Students learn how the type and quantity of available resources defines how many organisms can be supported within the community, as well as its particular resident species. Students use mathematical models of natural relationships (in this case, sigmoid and exponential growth curves) to analyze population information and build upon it. With this understanding, students are able to explain how carrying capacity is determined by the limiting factors within the community and feeding relationships. By studying these ecological relationships, students see the connection between ecological relationships of organisms and the fundamentals of engineering design, adding to their base of knowledge towards solving the grand challenge posed in this unit.

Subject:
Career and Technical Education
Ecology
Life Science
Technology and Engineering
Material Type:
Lesson Plan
Provider:
TeachEngineering
Provider Set:
TeachEngineering NGSS Aligned Resources
Author:
Amber Spolarich
Megan Johnston
VU Bioengineering RET Program,
Wendy J. Holmgren
Date Added:
09/18/2014
Biomimicry and Sustainable Design - Nature Is an Engineering Marvel
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Students are introduced to the concepts of biomimicry and sustainable design. Countless examples illustrate the wisdom of nature in how organisms are adapted for survival, such as in body style, physiological processes, water conservation, thermal radiation and mutualistic relationships, to assure species perpetuation. Students learn from articles and videos, building a framework of evidence substantiating the indisputable fact that organisms operate "smarter" and thus provide humans with inspiration in how to improve products, systems and cities. As students focus on applying the ecological principles of the previous lessons to the future design of our human-centered world, they also learn that often our practices are incapable of replicating the precision in which nature completes certain functions, as evidenced by our dependence on bees as pollinators of the human food supply. The message of biomimicry is one of respect: study to improve human practices and ultimately protect natural systems. This heightened appreciation helps students to grasp the value of industry and urban mimetic designs to assure protection of global resources, minimize human impact and conserve nonrenewable resources. All of these issues aid students in creating a viable guest resort in the Sonoran Desert.

Subject:
Career and Technical Education
Ecology
Forestry and Agriculture
Life Science
Technology and Engineering
Material Type:
Lesson Plan
Provider:
TeachEngineering
Provider Set:
TeachEngineering
Author:
TeachEngineering.org
VU Bioengineering RET Program,
Wendy J. Holmgren
Date Added:
09/18/2014
Boston School Forest - Backyard Habitat Investigation
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CC BY-NC
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The Boston School Forest is a field trip destination for 6,000 students each year providing high quality outdoor environmental education programs that expand and authenticate classroom learning. Science education in our district is transitioning to provide greater opportunity for inquiry, and teachers are now searching for resources that can be used in either face-to-face or e-learning formats. The Backyard Habitat Series focuses on connecting kids to an outdoor place through use of sensory observation, exploring the natural features and animals, and engaging in the improvement of habitat for neighborhood wildlife species. Classroom teachers, preservice teachers, and families will discover straightforward instructions, few materials or background knowledge required, and a format that is easily adaptable to the e-learning environment.

Subject:
Ecology
Environmental Literacy and Sustainability
Environmental Science
Life Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Other
Teaching/Learning Strategy
Unit of Study
Date Added:
06/24/2020
Botany & Art and Their Roles in Conservation
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The lessons in this issue of Smithsonian in Your Classroom introduce the work of botanists and botanical illustrators, specifically their race to make records of endangered plant species around the world. “Very little of the world’s flora has been fully studied,” says one Smithsonian botanist, “and time is running out.” In the first lesson, students gets to know six endangered plants. They examine illustrations, photographs, and dried specimens of the plants as they consider this question: If a scientist can take a picture of a plant, are there advantages in having an illustration? They go on to consider some of the big questions that botanists themselves must ask: Which of these species are most in need of conservation efforts? Are any of these plants more worth saving than others?In the second lesson, the students try their own hands at botanical illustration, following the methods of a Smithsonian staff illustrator. All that is required for the lesson are pencils, markers, tracing paper, and access to a photocopier.

Subject:
Botany
Ecology
Fine Arts
Forestry and Agriculture
Life Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Diagram/Illustration
Lecture
Lesson Plan
Reading
Unit of Study
Provider:
Smithsonian Institution
Provider Set:
Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund
Author:
Smithsonian Institute
Date Added:
01/22/2018
Budgeting for a Better Tomorrow
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This unit will teach students about “Carbon and Ecosystems.” They will begin by analyzing the four spheres: biosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, geosphere and how they are interconnected. They will understand that one system cannot exist without the other in order to maintain proper functioning within our planet. The students will learn about the various types of ecosystems that exist and how living organisms depend on other living and non-living organisms for survival. This being said, students will examine how the spheres interact and how changes in one, affects another. Students will understand that ecosystems are fueled by the energy from the sun and cycles from which they are powered.

It will focus on what the carbon cycle is and its’ influence in our lives. Carbon is essential for all life on Earth and is also in our atmosphere. It regulates the Earth’s temperature and provides an essential source of the energy to fuel our economy. The carbon cycle describes how carbon moves throughout the Earth’s spheres. By gaining a deeper understanding of how carbon moves, we can better regulate our daily decisions to help sustain our future.

Subject:
Atmospheric Science
Biology
Earth and Space Science
Ecology
Environmental Science
Life Science
Material Type:
Lesson Plan
Unit of Study
Provider:
Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute
Provider Set:
2021 Curriculum Units Volume III
Date Added:
08/01/2021
Can Organic Farms and Mosquito Control Coexist?
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Learn about one town's conflict over the issue of spraying pesticides to combat disease-carrying insects, in this video segment from Greater Boston.

Subject:
Ecology
Forestry and Agriculture
Life Science
Material Type:
Lesson
Provider:
PBS LearningMedia
Provider Set:
PBS Learning Media Common Core Collection
Author:
NIEHS
WGBH Educational Foundation
Date Added:
03/02/2011
Can Venus and Mars Be Made Habitable?
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This activity is about planetary climate. Once familiar with the factors that determine a planet's surface temperature, learners will use an interactive spreadsheet model of a planet's atmosphere to determine if greenhouse gases, luminosity of the source, the distance of the planet from the source and the albedo of the planet can be manipulated so that the average surface temperature on Mars or Venus could support human life. Learners will then be asked to make some conclusions about these methods and suggest improvements for the spreadsheet model (see related resources for link to this model). The activity requires use of Microsoft Excel software. This is Activity D in the fourth module, titled "How do Atmospheres Affect Planetary Temperatures?," of "Earth Climate Course: What Determines a Planet's Climate?."

Subject:
Atmospheric Science
Earth and Space Science
Ecology
Forestry and Agriculture
Life Science
Mathematics
Physical Science
Physics
Material Type:
Data Set
Full Course
Student Guide
Provider:
NASA
Provider Set:
NASA Wavelength
Date Added:
10/13/2017
Candid Camera: Capturing the Secret Lives of Carnivores
Unrestricted Use
Public Domain
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This is a Wisconsin-based case study with data on how the size and distance of an island from the mainland can affect the number of different types of carnivores found on the island (Species Richness). Students are asked to graph data collected from the Apostle Islands and make a claim evidence and reasoning statement supported by data.

This resource has been reviewed using the HQIM rubric https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1P6wGNGU0PZwuiwOe0AohGZUL07YU7zZc7MOdaUbYeAY/edit?usp=sharing

Subject:
Biology
Ecology
Environmental Science
Life Science
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Formative Assessment
Learning Task
Author:
Data Nuggets
Erik Olson
Date Added:
01/28/2024
Caught in the Net
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Bycatch can be defined as the act of unintentionally catching certain living creatures using fishing gear. A bycatched species is distinguished from a target species (the animal the gear is intended to catch) because it is not sold or used. Marine mammals (whales, dolphins, porpoises), seabirds, sea turtles and unwanted or undersized fish are some examples of animals caught as by-catch The incidental capture of these animals can significantly reduce their populations. The most well known example of by-catch may be the unintentional mortality of spotted and spinner dolphins in the tuna fishing industry. "Dolphin-Safe" tuna was a result of this interaction (Be prepared to discuss how this came about with students, as it is something close to their daily lives). One important aspect to consider when discussing this issue is that laws protect some of the animals caught as by-catch (Marine Mammal Protection Act and Endangered Species Act). In this lesson, students will first be shown pictures of entangled marine animals and will discuss the definition of by-catch This will lead to discussions on why by-catching exists, how it impacts specific animals as well as humans, whether the students believe it is an important issue, and how by-catch can be reduced.

Subject:
Career and Technical Education
Ecology
Life Science
Technology and Engineering
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Lesson Plan
Provider:
TeachEngineering
Provider Set:
TeachEngineering NGSS Aligned Resources
Author:
Amy Whitt, Nicholas School of the Environment
Angela Jiang, Pratt School of Engineering
Aruna Venkatesan, Pratt School of Engineering
Engineering K-PhD Program,
Matt Nusnbaum, Pratt School of Engineering
Vicki Thayer, Nicholas School of the Environment
Date Added:
09/18/2014
Chaos in Population Dynamics -- Understanding Chaos in the Logistic Model
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CC BY-NC-SA
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Spreadsheets Across the Curriculum module. Students build spreadsheets to explore conditions that lead to chaotic behavior in logistic models of populations that grow discretely.

Subject:
Biology
Ecology
Life Science
Mathematics
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Provider:
Science Education Resource Center (SERC) at Carleton College
Provider Set:
Pedagogy in Action
Author:
David McAvity
Date Added:
02/10/2023
Chemist and Biologist Catherine Drennan
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In this video produced for Teachers' Domain, learn about MIT professor Cathy Drennan's research into microorganisms that remove carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, from the atmosphere.

Subject:
Ecology
Environmental Science
Forestry and Agriculture
Life Science
Material Type:
Lesson
Provider:
PBS LearningMedia
Provider Set:
PBS Learning Media Common Core Collection
Author:
Amgen Foundation
WGBH Educational Foundation
Date Added:
09/08/2009
Chemistry of Greenhouse Gases
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This unit will include an overview of the three main greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide). The unit will be a mix of organic and inorganic chemistry and will describe the physical and chemical properties of the three main gases and the most important chemical reactions that move the greenhouse gases into and out of the atmosphere. The unit will include a chapter of chemical reactivity, how these gases work (by atmospheric absorption and scattering of electromagnetic waves at different wavelengths), their residence time in the atmosphere and analyze the mitigation (what humans can do to reduce or limit the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere).

One section of the unit will discuss the “global warming potential” (what makes a stronger or a weaker greenhouse gas) and the relationship between physical properties of greenhouse gases and their lifetime (how long they remain in the atmosphere).

Subject:
Chemistry
Ecology
Environmental Science
Life Science
Physical Science
Material Type:
Lesson Plan
Unit of Study
Provider:
Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute
Provider Set:
2021 Curriculum Units Volume III
Date Added:
08/01/2021
Christmas Bird Count
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CC BY-NC
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A pdf file that contains slides with visuals to be shown. It explains the CBC from its beginning to end with an example of Data taken from our local bird count.

Students will be instructed to build a data table and graph representing data. Then draw conclusions.

Subject:
Ecology
Environmental Science
Life Science
Mathematics
Measurement and Data
Material Type:
Data Set
Lecture Notes
Date Added:
12/12/2018
Clean Up This Mess
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Students are challenged to design a method for separating steel from aluminum based on magnetic properties as is frequently done in recycling operations. To complicate the challenge, the magnet used to separate the steel must be able to be switched off to allow for the recollection of the steel. Students must ultimately design, test, and present an effective electromagnet.

Subject:
Career and Technical Education
Ecology
Forestry and Agriculture
Life Science
Physical Science
Physics
Technology and Engineering
Material Type:
Unit of Study
Provider:
TeachEngineering
Provider Set:
TeachEngineering
Author:
Justin Montenegro , Glencliff High School, Nashville
TeachEngineering.org
VU Bioengineering RET Program,
Date Added:
09/18/2014
Cleaning Up with Decomposers
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Students investigate decomposers and the role of decomposers in maintaining the flow of nutrients in an environment. Students also learn how engineers use decomposers to help clean up wastes in a process known as bioremediation. This lesson concludes a series of six lessons in which students use their growing understanding of various environments and the engineering design process, to design and create their own model biodome ecosystems.

Subject:
Career and Technical Education
Ecology
Life Science
Technology and Engineering
Material Type:
Activity/Lab
Lesson Plan
Provider:
TeachEngineering
Provider Set:
TeachEngineering NGSS Aligned Resources
Author:
Denise W. Carlson
Integrated Teaching and Learning Program,
Katherine Beggs
Malinda Schaefer Zarske
Date Added:
09/18/2014
Climate Change Impacts Alaska Glaciers
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This video adapted from KTOO takes a look at Earth's warming and cooling cycles and the current atypical trend of warming that is impacting the glaciers in Alaska's Inside Passage.

Subject:
Ecology
Environmental Science
Forestry and Agriculture
Life Science
Material Type:
Lecture
Provider:
PBS LearningMedia
Provider Set:
PBS Learning Media: Multimedia Resources for the Classroom and Professional Development
Author:
National Science Foundation
WGBH Educational Foundation
Date Added:
11/04/2008
Climate Change: Virtual Bookshelf
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CC BY-SA
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This article features children's literature about weather, climate, and climate change. What’s the difference between weather and climate? How do scientists observe, measure, and predict weather phenomena? How is Earth’s climate changing, and why? This month’s bookshelf will help students develop a solid grasp of weather-related concepts. It will also introduce students to global warming and climate change and inspire them to do what they can to combat the problem.

Subject:
Atmospheric Science
Earth and Space Science
Ecology
Life Science
Material Type:
Lesson Plan
Provider:
Ohio State University College of Education and Human Ecology
Provider Set:
Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears: An Online Magazine for K-5 Teachers
Author:
Jessica Fries-Gaither
Kate Hastings
Date Added:
06/01/2010
Climate Data Inform Recovery Plan for Endangered Butterfly
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After a butterfly species disappeared from a location where it had been found for many years, conservation professionals accessed climate projections to identify potential habitat for its recovery.

Subject:
Ecology
Life Science
Material Type:
Case Study
Provider:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Provider Set:
U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit
Date Added:
08/09/2016