TeachersFirst's Ecology - Science Resources
This curated list of resources will help you research information about ecology. Read the descriptions to find out whether a site sounds right for what you want to know. Some sites may be more challenging reading, while others may offer solid basic information. Be sure to try several sources.
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Browse through our entire tagged list of resources related to ecology.
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The Wonder of Science - Paul Andersen
Grades
K to 12tag(s): biodiversity (32), chemicals (41), climate (83), earth (186), ecology (101), ecosystems (73), energy (132), environment (239), forces (37), genetics (79), life cycles (21), light (53), matter (46), molecules (44), motion (50), oceans (149), planets (112), sound (73), space (216), stars (70), weather (160)
In the Classroom
This site is a must-have for all science teachers to use to find high-quality lessons and teaching materials. Be sure to visit the Phenomena section to find the Master List of Phenomenon Google Document sharing suggestions for observable science events or find phenomena by grade level. Engage students in learning by sharing videos on this site, then use Edpuzzle, reviewed here to add questions and focus comments to the videos to support student learning. Use the ideas and resources on this site to create flipped and blended learning lessons or to create playlists to encourage student choice of learning activities. Learn more about playlists by viewing the archive of OK2Ask: Playlists to Personalize Learning, reviewed here and learn about choice boards at the OK2Ask archive: Choice Boards for Differentiation Part 1, reviewed here.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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The Pack - New York Hall of Science (NYSCI)
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): animals (285), ecology (101), ecosystems (73), environment (239), game based learning (181), plants (147)
In the Classroom
Utilize the Teacher-Guide to find ideas for classroom use. Use the table in the guide as a starting point to document and organize student learning. As students play The Pack, use a spreadsheet tool such as Excel or Google Sheets to recreate the table in the guide and add additional areas of documentation. Enhance student learning by having students use a screen recording tool like Screencastify, reviewed here, to share different portions of the game and their chosen actions. As a final activity, and to extend student learning, ask students to create their own environmental learning game using Scratch, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants - Joe Grabowski
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): animal homes (55), animals (285), conservation (86), ecology (101), explorers (65), oceans (149), space (216), STEM (274), virtual field trips (88), water (101)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of these free sessions to bring real-word conservation and science lessons to your students. There are three ways for your class to enjoy the sessions. The first one is to "Tune in live! Any number of classrooms can watch the events live on YouTube and even send in some questions using the chat sidebar." The second one is "Grab a camera spot so your class can appear on the screen and interact with the speaker. We generally have 5-7 classrooms joining in this way each hangout." The third viewing choice is "Every hangout is recorded directly to YouTube, we have a growing library of past events that can be viewed by classrooms anytime on our channel." See more explanations to the viewing options by clicking the wavy red lines in the upper left corner and then click For Teachers. Begin by watching virtual field trips (viewing option 3), then expand your activities in additional sessions by signing up to participate and interact with the presenters. Prepare for student questioning by brainstorming ideas. Engage students by sharing ideas using an online bulletin board tool like Pinside, reviewed here. Save and share ideas on your class website. As students research information for your upcoming topic, enhance learning by using a collaborative bookmarking tool like Raindrop.io, reviewed here, for all students to share websites with their peers and add comments. Prepare your students further for interactions with researchers by watching videos from previous broadcasts using playposit, reviewed here, to add questions for students into the YouTube videos and encourage students to add comments discussing each issue. Most of the online tools suggested above will help students document their learning during remote or distance learning sessions.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Hacking STEM Library - Microsoft
Grades
4 to 10tag(s): angles (51), critical thinking (112), electricity (61), energy (132), light (53), makerspace (43), Microsoft (80), problem solving (225), solar energy (34)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of these free activities to include with any STEM lessons already taught. Many activities are perfect for use with Genius Hour or Makerspaces in the classroom. Ask students to share their journey in completing activities in a blog. Seesaw, reviewed here, offers tools for building digital portfolios and incorporating blogs. Ask students to annotate images taken of their activities with text, URL's, or videos using Google Drawings, reviewed here. Google Drawings allows you to annotate an image with links to videos, text, websites, and more. Not familiar with Google Drawings? Watch an archived OK2Ask session to learn how to use: OK2Ask Google Drawings, here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Ecology Lab - Learner.org
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): animals (285), ecology (101), ecosystems (73), environment (239), plants (147)
In the Classroom
View this interactive together with students on your interactive whiteboard as you change different environmental components. Ask students to predict final outcomes before viewing each scenario, ask them to vote on their prediction with an online voting tool like Dotstorming, reviewed here. Ask students to discuss results in an online blog using edublogs, reviewed here. Include before and after screen shots of your lab as part of student blog discussions. Extend student learning by having your students try their own hand at creating an online game using Scratch, reviewed here, to demonstrate interactions between plants and animals in different environmental conditions.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Human Influence on Ecology Mapped - Erle Ellis
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): biomes (112), conservation (86), ecology (101), population (48)
In the Classroom
Share this video as part of your unit on biomes, conservation, or world populations. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, to compare and contrast the proposal to current definitions of biomes. Then have students debate the pros and cons of the proposal outlined in the video using a tool such as Thinkalong, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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World's Biomes - University of California
Grades
5 to 12tag(s): biomes (112), deserts (16), ecology (101), forests (28), oceans (149), tundra (14)
In the Classroom
Use this site as one of multiple sources for researching biomes or a particular biome. Since the pages are very text heavy you may want to use a tool like SMMRY, reviewed here, Show students how to take Cornell (two column) notes and summarize using this information. Use a tool like Cornell Notes, reviewed here, to help explain Cornell Notes to students. Pair weak readers with strong readers for this activity.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Ecosystem Explorer - PBS LearningMedia
Grades
4 to 9This site includes advertising.
tag(s): animal homes (55), animals (285), ecology (101), ecosystems (73), habitats (86)
In the Classroom
Use this as an introductory activity into ecology. Students can work together on the same animals or have a group work together at exploring all three. Identify some similarities or differences between the needs and environments of all three animals. Use an online tool such as Interactive Three-Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, to help with the comparison. Identify some common issues with conservation, interaction with humans, and other issues facing these animals today. Extend the discussion with a student project, researching other organisms found within any of these three environments.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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EarthEcho Water Challenge - World Water Monitoring Challenge (WWMC)
Grades
5 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): earth day (60), environment (239), water (101)
In the Classroom
Sign up your classroom or science club to participate in the World Water Monitoring Challenge. Follow directions on the site for how to collect and submit data. Take advantage of lesson plans found on the site in both English and Spanish. Use the lessons and resources as part of an environmental or Earth Day unit. Challenge students to create a presentation using Slides, reviewed here, sharing their findings.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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National Environmental Education Week - National Environmental Education Foundation
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): animals (285), citizen science (27), climate change (93), earth (186), earth day (60), ecology (101), environment (239), national parks (27), resources (88), water (101)
In the Classroom
Use this resource to plan great activities, lessons, and events for students leading up to Earth Day. For example, use the search function locateed under the menu symbol in the upper left corner and search Greening, STEM, video, for videos and information about water shortages, drought, climate change, and resources. Use the articles and reports to pique student interest, use short videos in the classroom, and find great websites and programs linked from the page. Use these resources not only for a greater understanding of issues but to create awareness campaigns for change in the home, school, or community. Exchange pen and paper and enhance learning by asking students to keep a digital journal sharing their learning and understanding using Telegra.ph, reviewed here. With Telegra.ph you just click on an icon to upload images from your computer, add a YouTube or Vimeo, or Twitter links. This blog creator requires no registration. If you are teaching younger students and looking for an easy way to integrate technology and check for understanding, replace pencil and paper and challenge your students to create a blog using Seesaw, reviewed here. Partner with local groups (conservation or not) to create action plans and events, and provide opportunities for change in the community. Enhance and transform student learning by challenging them to create interactive brochures, magazines, or posters of information learned using Lucidpress, reviewed here, or Genially, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Cool Earth - Mark Ellingham
Grades
K to 12tag(s): carbon (17), climate (83), ecology (101), environment (239), sustainability (43)
In the Classroom
Introduce this site by sharing photos on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Then have students explore this site independently or in small groups. Include this site on a list of hotlinks for students to access when researching the Rainforest, climate change, sustainability, or carbon footprints. Save this site in your favorites on classroom computers for students to view rainforest maps, ask questions, or read magazine articles. Enhance learning by asking students to visit the site and create an interactive multimedia presentation from the information they learn there using Sway, reviewed here. Register your school with Cool Earth and take advantage of the free lesson plans and resources they offer. The ultimate experience would be to personalize student learning and sponsor a tree or organize a fundraiser to purchase an acre of land. Ask students to research their tree, or the biome biodiversity characteristic of their acre. Include a link to this site on your class web page for students to access both in and out of class.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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A Student's Guide to Global Climate Change - US EPA
Grades
5 to 8tag(s): ecology (101), fossil fuels (10)
In the Classroom
Have cooperative learning groups research the many links and activities at this site. Challenge groups to create a multi-media presentation: blog entry, wiki, PowerPoint, web page, or video. Some tool suggestions are (click on the tool name to access the review): PBWorks (wiki), Site123 (blog), Renderforest (newscast video), and Genially (poster/bulletin board/slides).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Galapagos Islands - Adaptions - Kyrene
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): ecology (101)
In the Classroom
Introduce this activity with a projector or on an interactive whiteboard to show students how to navigate the site. Then, in your flipped or blended classroom (or at a computer center), have students explore on their own. Have students take notes on the material and write down questions they still have and topics that confuse them. They can do this with pen and paper or online. If you want the assignment online, explain to students they need to open a new tab in their browser window and take notes with a tool such as Webnote, reviewed here; tell students to be sure to save the URL to share their notes and questions with you and their peers. As a final assessment and to transform student learning, have small groups choose to make an interactive website using Webnode, reviewed here, or an interactive infographic using Canva Inforgraphic Maker, reviewed here, as if they are updating this site with a current look and using newer technologies.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Kids Do Ecology - Univ. of California Santa Barbara
Grades
4 to 8In the Classroom
Though this site is no longer maintained, the links work and there is plenty of material to use in your classroom. This site is a great science find for both teachers and students! Teachers, there is an entire section of free lesson plans and activities that can be easily recreated in your classroom. For students, use this site as learning center or station. Allow students to use the site in cooperative learning groups, for any science unit on biomes, ecology, mammals, or data collection. This site would be a great supplement to book materials.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Ecological Regions of North America - Commission for Environmental Cooperation
Grades
4 to 12In the Classroom
Share this site on your interactive whiteboard or with a projector to show students how to navigate to the Tools and Resources and what is there. Then allow students to choose an area to investigate individually, with a partner, or in small groups on classroom computers. Ask students to take notes using Simplenote, reviewed here; tell students to be sure to save the URL to share their notes and questions with you and their peers. Simplenote updates across all devices. Next challenge students to share their findings with their peers by creating online posters on paper or do it together as a class using a tool such as Web Poster Wizard, reviewed here, or PicLits, reviewed here. Take this a step further with technology and make the posters interactive using Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Earthwatch - Earthwatch Worldwide
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): earth (186), environment (239)
In the Classroom
Select "Global Classroom" for a summary of planned and on-going scientific field trip explorations. Some explorations include classroom resources. Topics pertain to oceans, ecology, and endangered species.You will find there are lesson plans relating to: Oceans, Ecosystem Services, Cultural Heritage, Climate Change, and Taking Action.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Biology4Kids
Grades
6 to 12In the Classroom
This site will compliment your study of cells. Use it as an introduction or review. Share this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Have students explore this site independently or in pairs. If used independently put the site on a classroom computer and use as a center. To use in pairs, bring students to the lab or use a classroom set of laptops. This site would also be a good one to add to your class webpage or blog for use at home. Have students create a simple infographic sharing their findings using Visme, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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