Open-and-go lessons that inspire kids to love science.

Science curriculum for K—5th grades.

90 sec
  • Hands-on — lead students in the doing of science and engineering.
  • NGSS-aligned and Common Core — make the transition to the Next Generation Science Standards and support Common Core.
  • Less prep, more learning — prep in minutes not hours. Captivate your students with short videos and discussion questions.

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Web of Life

Ecosystems & the Food Web

4th Grade, 5th Grade

NGSS Standards covered: 5-LS2-1 , 5-LS1-1 , 5-PS3-1
This unit on ecology helps students develop the idea that plants, animals, and fungi form a system of interdependent parts, with each part dependent on the other parts for its material nourishment. By the end of the unit, teachers will be able to guide their students to the conclusion that organic matter is cycling through the living world. Less
  1. Lessons
  2. Activity Prep
  3. Assessments

Mystery 1: Food Chains, Predators, Herbivores & Carnivores

Exploration (20 min)
Activity: Eat or Be Eaten (30 min)
Extras (2.8 hrs)

Mystery 2: Matter Cycle, Food Chain

Exploration (20 min)
Activity: Weighing Air (30 min)
Extras (2.3 hrs)

Mystery 3: Decomposers & Matter Cycle

Exploration (15 min)
Activity: Mold Terrarium (30 min)
Extras (2.3 hrs)

Mystery 4: Decomposers, Nutrients, & Matter Cycle

Exploration (20 min)
Activity: Ask a Worm (45 min)
Extras (2.3 hrs)

Mystery 5: Ecosystems & Matter Cycle

Exploration (25 min)
Activity: Pond Ecosystem Game (45 min)
Extras (2.5 hrs)

Mystery 6: Flow of Energy

Exploration (20 min)
Activity: Create a Dinosaur Food Web (30 min)
Extras (3 hrs)