Science — Grade 6

Resources on the web

Eavesdropping plants

In this Science Update, from Science NetLinks, students hear how some plants eavesdrop on their neighbors to find out how they're doing. (Learn more)

Format: activity/lesson plan (grade 6 Science)

Provided by: American Association for the Advancement of Science

Disappearing fish

In this Science Update, from Science NetLinks, students hear about why the world's biggest fish are in serious jeopardy. Commercial fishing has decimated the numbers and sizes of big fish like marlin, tuna, cod, and grouper, which in turn has changed the nature... (Learn more)

Format: activity/lesson plan (grade 6 Science)

Provided by: American Association for the Advancement of Science

Coral bleaching: Making our oceans whiter

Students learn what coral reefs are and about the different types of reefs, the ecology surrounding these biological playgrounds, and the human impact on them. This lesson will provide an opportunity for students to debate whether human contact should be impeded... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 and 8 Science)

Provided by: National Geographic

Conservation

This seventh lesson in the Remote Sensing and Coral Reefs curriculum from NOAA's Coral Reef Watch Program, which is written by Margaret “Peggy” Koenig, illustrates the ways that our actions can affect the health of coral reefs, directly and... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 Science and Social Studies)

Provided by: NOAA Coral Reef Watch

Brine Shrimp Survival

Students raise brine shrimp, designing an artificial environment in which they can survive. This lesson relates to the idea that in any particular environment, the growth and survival of organisms depend on the physical conditions. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 Science)

Provided by: American Association for the Advancement of Science

Brine shrimp 1: Hatching brine shrimp

Students design a test to determine the optimum salinity for hatching brine shrimp. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 Science)

Provided by: American Association for the Advancement of Science

Are hammerheads a keystone species?

In this lesson, from Xpeditions, students learn what a keystone species is and then draw a simple food chain that helps illustrate why tiger sharks are considered a keystone species in Shark Bay. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 and 8 Science)

Provided by: National Geographic

Aquatic invaders

Students explore the ways that native species interact in a healthy Chesapeake Bay. They will then learn about some of the ways that exotic or invasive species can threaten the balance of the ecosystem. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 Science)

Provided by: National Geographic

Antibacterial pollution

In this Science Update, from Science NetLinks, students hear about the potential environmental effects of common household products. (Learn more)

Format: activity/lesson plan (grade 6 Science)

Provided by: American Association for the Advancement of Science

The Antarctic ecosystem: Where would it be without krill?

This Xpeditions lesson asks students to investigate the importance of krill, a thumb-sized, shrimplike animal, to the Antarctic ecosystem by researching the animals that depend on it and drawing a food web. They will conclude by writing paragraphs explaining... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 and 8 Science)

Provided by: National Geographic