Lesson plan introducing and exploring via hands-on lab the idea that raising acidity in the world's oceans is reducing the availability of carbonate, which impacts calcifying organisms such as oysters and sea urchins.

This lesson is intended to review 6th-grade content on watersheds, estuaries, and wetlands.  It also introduces abiotic and biotic factors of ecosystems found in VA's Watershed.  Students investigate the Chesapeake Bay using several resources with a pre-assessment, video clips, current article links, post-assessment, final evaluation, and rubric. A student sheet, teacher key, and google slide were created to use for face-to-face teaching or virtual learning. Click on the attached to access the folder.

Students will create an informational poster, collage, slide show, cartoon, or video clip of a specific ecosystem in our watershed. Requirements are as follows:pick a specific tributary, estuary, or wetland. show at least 4 abiotic and 4 biotic factors plus the location that you choseinclude 4 or more pictures to help show the parts of the ecosystem.  cite the sources with the website, title of the site, author, and publishing dateA rubric is included

Students are introduced to the concept of an environment and the interactions within it through written and hands-on webbing activities. They also learn about environmental engineering careers and the roles of these engineers in our society.

This article discuss basic ecological concepts such as food chains and webs within the context of the tundra.

NASA eClips Our World:  Where Do We Find Extremophiles?Video Description:  Where do we find extremophiles? We look for environments that push the limits for ordinary living organisms. NASA conducts analog testing in these extreme environments to better understand life on Earth and identify the potential for life in the universe.  Video Length:  3:25. NASA eClipsTM is a suite of online student-centered, standards-based resources that support instruction by increasing STEM literacy in formal and nonformal settings.  These free digital and downloadable resources inform and engage students through NASA-inspired, real-world connections.NASA eClips Our World videos (grades 3-5) help students understand the differences between science (the natural world) and engineering (the designed world).  These video segments supplement elementary learning objectives not only in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, but also in reading, writing, visual and performing arts.

Echolocation is the ability to orient by transmitting sound and receiving echoes from objects in the environment. As a result of a Marco-Polo type activity and subsequent lesson, students learn basic concepts of echolocation. They use these concepts to understand how dolphins use echolocation to locate prey, escape predators, navigate their environment, such as avoiding gillnets set by commercial fishing vessels. Students will also learn that dolphin sounds are vibrations created by vocal organs, and that sound is a type of wave or signal that carries energy and information especially in the dolphin's case. Students will learn that a dolphin's sense of hearing is highly enhanced and better than that of human hearing. Students will also be introduced to the concept of by-catch Students will learn what happens to animals caught through by-catch and why.