all picks
Worksheets and details of practical work to illustrate many aspects of rocks, weathering, rock cycle and carbon cycle.
OPAL surveys and activities in your area, identification guides and Kids Zone with activities and quizes. Survey you can join, such as earthworms, bugs, trees.
Many different resources on adaptation, biodiversity and habitat loss, invasive species, variation and classification. Video clips, photos, teachers notes, worksheets, games. Covers plants and animals.
A factsheet about Alfred Russel Wallace on his expeditions and developing a theory of evolution.
Bitesize revision on different aspects of food chains. Information, an activity and a test.
This Bitesize site includes a simple flash activity, revision and quiz on a woodland habitat. Would be a good starter for this unit/topic
A role play game that helps pupils understand the relationship between fungi and trees and the cycling of nutrients.
A role play activity looking at the relationships between plants and fungi - identifying defence mechanisms of plants and fungi.
Fact sheets free to download that discuss the impacts of fungi on their environments
An activity to first select living things from a woodland habitat, then learn more about them and place them in a food web and a key.
Simple quiz activity in which pupils decide whether an animal is suited to a particular habitat. Gives some good background information on animals and their habitats.
An extensive animated website in which pupils can find out about ecosystems and the impact human activities have on the environment. Message designed for 6-9 year olds, so a bit basic for this age group
Three drag and drop activities - useful as a starter or plenary- in which pupils have to put organisms into their correct positions in a food web.
Contains a quiz and information on two animals and how they relate to their environment.
Click on the Food Chains link to reach an interactive activity in which pupils can find out about food chains in 3 different habitats: woodland, seashore and river.
Living things need energy. Follow the energy from the Sun to build 2 food chains.
An interactive resource modelling population fluctuations within a community (rabbits / foxes and microorganisms / antibiotics). Teachers notes and worksheets available.
An interactive activity in which you can find out about four ecosystems in Florida.
An activity in which pupils can find out about food webs and pyramids and energy transfer.
Interactive exercise to keep a Sand Lizard alive for a day.
Novel investigation into how cows align themselves in fields. Includes using quadrats and repeating readings. Lesson plan, video clips and worksheets provided.
This activity has been designed for pupils to explore the growth of a population of rabbits over a fixed period of time.
Experiments to investigate how colour affects a creature's chance of survival. Online resources include a short video, the I'm a Worm game and downloadable resources, including kit notes for teachers, students and technicians
Games and worksheets about animals and different habitats.
On this page, there is a UK map, and using the slider bar you can find out where and when a number of species first appear. Also many other resources available.
This virtual pond dip introduces some of the commoner organisms to be found. Each organism's relative size is to scale in the image; actual sizes are given in the factfiles. See also the Pond Life Identification Kit pages.
A virtual rocky shore to explore. Shows the different organisms living in different parts of the shore.
Some good information on food chains and food webs. There is a drag and drop flash exercise to test knowledge.
Useful fact sheet for collecting and identifying minibeasts
Information on energy transfer through a food chain.
Good pages from BBC bitesize on energy transfer in food chains. There is a good animation showing the amount of energy transferred at each stage of a food chain.
Extensive information on the mangroves of Singapore ecosystem and the factors that affect it.
Extensive backgoround information on the dynamics of various types of ecosystem.
Single page on energy transfer in food chains, with a flow diagram showing the energy 'losses' at each level.
Single clear page on food chains and webs. There is a linked activity in which pupils can construct their own food web.
Podcasts, articles, interviews, answers to your questions on a wide variety of topics.
Research activity - could ask students to find 10 facts that interest them and give a presentation to the class
How do animals and plants adapt to survive winter conditions? Printable cards with info for pupils to tabulate.
Gives some good information on how organisms are adapted to various environments and how man is making an impact on natural environment. Should have made clear why humans were not involved in dinosaur extinction!
Outstanding website dealing with deforestation and conservation. A wonderful resource with stunning photography. Material can be used with ages 10-14
Using random sampling to measure the abundance (the amount) of different species on an area of grassland.
This resource is designed to give students an opportunity to see how systematic sampling can be used to: •investigate changes in species richness across a footpath •the distribution of species across a footpath
Animated sequence on food chains and food webs. There is a gap-fill exercise to complete at the end.
Notes on how energy is transferred between organisms in a deciduous forest. Illustrated with an energy pyramid and links to a page showing the forest food web.
A web site detailing how compost is generated by decomposers. It contains links to some good pages on the role Earthworms play in recycling nutrients. The reference to “vitamins” in compost is woolly and not rigorous. Effects of compost on soil structure and moisture retention could be better emphasised.
Illustrated web pages that explains what decomposers are with hyperlinks to explainations of other terms used in ecology.