Learn about the Great Lakes by reading detailed facts and data about each of the five lakes. Presents information about management plans, environmental issues, and physical features.
This pathway explores the importance of biodiversity and human impact on the environment.
Are all coral reefs the same? Each regional ecosystem has its own assemblage of species and each contributes uniquely to global biodiversity. Explore why ecosystem diversity is important for conservation decisions. [4:13]
Khan Academy learning modules include a Community space where users can ask questions and seek help from community members. Educators should consult with their Technology administrators to determine the use of Khan Academy learning modules in their classroom. Please review materials from external sites before sharing with students.
Discover the hidden treasures in the different habitats on the earth! The earth is filled with many biomes. Examples of different biomes are listed and include hyperlinks to additional information such as the animals found there.
This video segment, adapted from NOVA, describes the energy flow in a coral reef, including its food web. [3:48]
Students explore the biosphere and its associated environments and ecosystems in the context of creating a model ecosystem, learning along the way about the animals and resources. Students investigate different types of ecosystems, learn new vocabulary, and consider why a solid understanding of one's environment and the interdependence of an ecosystem can inform the choices we make and the way we engineer our communities. This lesson is part of 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.
Learn about estuaries, where the fresh water rivers meet the salt water of the oceans. The unique features of estuaries are explained, followed by a look into estuarine food webs. Next find out about the different plants and animals that call estuaries home. A list of resources completes the fact sheet.
This lesson introduces students to the factors that contribute to desertification and solutions that have been implemented in the Sahel region of West Africa. A 21-page teaching guide is also provided. [4:39]
Meet FTW alumni educator Jeff Jostpille as he takes us on a journey to hunt for macroinvertebrates and assess the water health of the Auglaize river in Northwest Ohio. Learn how to kick seine, collect, and identify macroinvertebrates that live in the river. Then use this knowledge to determine water quality.
Students learn about energy flow in food webs, including the roles of the sun, producers, consumers and decomposers in the energy cycle. They model a food web and create diagrams of food webs using their own drawings and/or images from nature or wildlife magazines. Students investigate the links between the sun, plants and animals, building their understanding of the web of nutrient dependency and energy transfer.
Students learn about energy and nutrient flow in various biosphere climates and environments. They learn about herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, food chains and food webs, seeing the interdependence between producers, consumers and decomposers. Students are introduced to the roles of the hydrologic (water), carbon, and nitrogen cycles in sustaining the worlds' ecosystems so living organisms survive. This lesson is part of 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.
Students are introduced to innovative stormwater management strategies that are being used to restore the hydrology and water quality of urbanized areas to pre-development conditions. Collectively called green infrastructure (GI) and low-impact development (LID) technologies, they include green roofs and vegetative walls, bioretention or rain gardens, bioswales, planter boxes, permeable pavement, urban tree canopy, rainwater harvesting, downspout disconnection, green streets and alleys, and green parking. These approaches differ from the traditional centralized stormwater collection system with the idea of handling stormwater at its sources, resulting in many environmental, economic and societal benefits. A PowerPoint® presentation provides photographic examples, and a companion file gives students the opportunity to sketch in their ideas for using the technologies to make improvements to 10 real-world design scenarios.
What do you think of when you hear the word “soil”? Soil is the foundation of a farming operation, large or small. What are the components of soil? How do those components interact to support plant health? This course will help to uncover some of these answers. Learning objectives: At the end of this course, you will be able to identify: The important services soil provides as an ecosystem, The influences on soil types and formation, How farmers preserve soil structure and soil health
Daisy is learning all about the animals and plants that live in her beautiful garden. Join her and learn about habitats, too.
This activity is an inquiry and field study based. Students will be trying to observe, document, compare, contrast, and communicate what information they were able to gather. The will use this information to make in inference about the organisms they have found and classify them as either an insect or not an insect.
How do inhabitants on islands alter the ecosystem over time? An archaeologist will identify specific changes over many years that occurred as a result of human arrival on islands. [29:16]
A tutorial podcast providing an overview of the interdependence of organisms in their environment. [1:05]
This resource is a place for exploring, asking questions, finding information, meeting scientists, and learning about marine ecosystems.
Take this ten question quiz on abiotic and biotic environments. The quiz is multiple choice.
Take this ten question quiz on human impacts on ecosystems. The quiz is multiple choice.