In this lesson, students expand their understanding of solid waste management to include the idea of 3RC (reduce, reuse, recycle and compost). They will look at the effects of packaging decisions (reducing) and learn about engineering advancements in packaging materials and solid waste management. Also, they will observe biodegradation in a model landfill (composting).

The true, inspiring story of Beauty, the bald eagle, who was shot, rescued, and received a 3D-printed prosthetic beak. The resource includes a lesson plan/book card, a design challenge, and copy of a design thinking journal that provide guidance on using the book to inspire students' curiosity for design thinking. Maker Challenges: (1) Use paper and pencil to design a prosthetic body part for a human or animal. Then use tinkercad.com to create a prototype. Finally, use a 3D printer to print the prosthetic. (2) Have students research animals who use prosthetics. Then, improve the design in Tinkercad and 3D Print.

A document is included in the resources folder that lists the complete standards-alignment for this book activity.

Objective
SWBAT explain why maintaining biodiversity is important to the health of an ecosystem and develop suggestions for maintaining biodiversity.

Big Idea
Students work to recognize that changes to part of an ecosystem can have positive or negative impacts on the entire ecosystem.

CK-12’s Life Science delivers a full course of study in the life sciences for the middle school student, relating an understanding of the history, disciplines, tools, and modern techniques of science to the exploration of cell biology, molecular biology, genetics, evolution, prokaryotes, protists,fungi, plants, animals, invertebrates, vertebrates, human biology, and ecology. This digital textbook was reviewed for its alignment with California content standards.

CK-12’s Life Science delivers a full course of study in the life sciences for the middle school student, relating an understanding of the history, disciplines, tools, and modern techniques of science to the exploration of cell biology, genetics, evolution, prokaryotes, protists, fungi, plants, the animal kingdom, the human body, and ecology. This digital textbook was reviewed for its alignment with California content standards.

As GIS technicians, students examine dams along the Mersey River Watershed to determine whether there are any locations suitable for the construction of a fishway. Once they identify the best potential location, they will calculate the dam's upstream watershed to help determine how much additional habitat could be made accessible by constructing the fishway.

Students become familiar with threatened and endangered plant and animal species of Michigan. Students learn what it means to be listed as threatened or endangered, common causes for being listed, and the role of government and individuals in protecting biodiversity.

Students first consider what supports all life on Earth
and are then introduced to the levels of environmental
organization (biosphere, biome, ecosystem, community,
population, and organism).

Students take a short field trip into the schoolyard for a scavenger hunt to find examples of nonliving (abiotic) and living (biotic) ecosystem components, including organisms, habitat, population, community, ecosystem, sunlight, water, temperature, nutrients, and wind. This activity can be used as an informal assessment for Lesson 1.

Students are introduced to a series of historical events that
contributed to the development of Michigan’s ecosystems of
today.

Students use a ball of twine to create a forest ecosystem “web of life,” illustrating interdependence within a natural community and the importance of diversity within it.
Students are then introduced to the concept of biodiversity and its importance.

There are many different ways to precisely measure the quality of water in a river. Environmental scientists and volunteers all over the state of Michigan are continuously collecting measurements of the quality of water in rivers, streams, and lakes. Students will look at two of these measures to see how they change with location around the state and along a river. The first measure of water quality is called "water conductance" - that is, how well a water sample can conduct electricity. A higher water conductance generally means lower water quality. The second measure of water quality is "pH." pH is a measure of how acidic or basic water is. Successful students will be able to interpret and analyze data using these two measures to better understand Michigan water quality.

Species extinction is happening at an alarming rate according to scientists. In this lesson, students are asked to consider why extinction is a problem that we should concern us. They are taught that destruction of habitat is the main reason many species are threatened. The lesson explores ways that engineers can help save endangered species.

Objective
SWBAT identify a problem within the environment and brainstorm, develop, and present models that can serve as solutions to the problem.

Big Idea
In this lesson students build models to help prevent frogger from become a hazard in the real world.

Objective
SWBAT utilize criteria and constraints rubrics when working on an engineering project and identify scientific principles of building.

Big Idea
It is great to dream big, but engineers also have to follow guidelines and meet specific criteria. Use this lesson to help your students stay in touch with reality.

Objective
SWBAT explain their engineering choices and ask appropriate questions about their classmates' projects.

Big Idea
In this lesson, students present and explain their final products for the Frogger project and ask thoughtful scientific questions as audience members.

In this 8th grade science lesson, students review the six essential elements of life and discuss how they function in the garden.

Meet savvy scientist and inventor Hedy Lamarr, also known for her career as a glamorous international movie star. Dubbed "The Most Beautiful Woman in the World," Hedy actually preferred spending time creating inventions in her workshop to strutting down the red carpet. Hedy co-invented the technology known as frequency hopping, which turned out to be one of the most important scientific breakthroughs of the twentieth century! Today's cell phone, computers, and other electronic devices would be more vulnerable to hacking without the groundbreaking system discovered by a world-famous actress and gifted inventor. The resource includes a lesson plan/book card, a design challenge, and copy of a design thinking journal that provide guidance on using the book to inspire students' curiosity for design thinking. Maker Challenge: Create small groups. Pass out one of the challenges listed in the lesson plan/book card to each group for them to come up with an invention that will solve the problem at hand.

The Ecology Student Edition book is one of ten volumes making up the Human Biology curriculum, an interdisciplinary and inquiry-based approach to the study of life science.

Objective
SWBAT generate a list of methods used to maintain biodiversity and incorporate the method they feel is best into their final project.

Big Idea
Students gather information on the importance of biodiversity and what we can do to maintain it for the future.