Ninth Grade, Environmental Science Projects, Lessons, Activities (Page 2)

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow: Saving Migratory Animals

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Extinct might be a word you associate with animals that lived long ago, like the dinosaurs, but did you know that over 18,000 species are classified as "threatened" (susceptible to extinction) today? Scientists involved in wildlife conservation have a tough job; they are in charge of determining what needs to be done to prevent a species from becoming extinct. Habitat, food supply, and impacts of local human populations are just a few of the factors these scientists take into account. It is a… Read more

How Does the Tilt of Earth's Axis Affect the Seasons?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Many people are surprised to learn that the season's we experience—winter, spring, summer and fall—have nothing to do with the distance of Earth from the Sun. In this science fair project, you will investigate how the temperature on Earth actually depends on the tilt of Earth's axis of rotation. Read more

Using Daphnia to Monitor Water Toxicity

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

One way to test for the presence of toxic compounds in a water sample is a bioassay. In a bioassay, a living organism serves as a detector for toxins—the same way canaries were used in coal mines to detect invisible toxic gases. In this project, water fleas (Daphnia magna), a freshwater crustacean, are used in a bioassay to monitor water quality. Many variations of this experiment are possible. Read more

Can Machine Learning Forecast Future Sea Levels?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Global sea levels are rising, but modeling and predicting them can be challenging with more and more extreme weather events. Can we use machine learning to track and predict sea level changes? In this science project, you will use previously collected data and machine learning to see if you can predict future relative sea level changes. Read more

Deforestation

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

The conversion of forested to unforested areas has been occurring since humans began to impact and change their environments during the agricultural revolution. Recently deforestation has become a global problem, particularly for developing industrial countries and countries with very large populations. You can use satellite mapping resources to investigate the connection between urbanization, population growth and deforestation. You can also investigate the connection between deforestation… Read more

Household Water Usage

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

How much water do you use? Conserving water can do more than save your parents' money, it can also save freshwater ecosystems, wetlands, and watersheds. Some companies are trying to help fix the problem by making low flow faucets and showerheads. How well do they work? How much water can you save? Go to the hardware store to buy a few of the water saving products. Compare the amount of water that you run over a period of time to determine how much water you can save. Which water saving… Read more

How Stable is Your Food Web?

Lesson Plan Grade: 5th-9th

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"Giant Kelp Forest" © 2010 Tom Thai Could you describe the kelp forest food web as a system? Your students will design and use a simple model to test cause and effect relationships or interactions concerning the functioning of a marine food web, ranking their hypothetical ecosystems according to their stability when faced with a natural or man-made disturbance. Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

5-LS2-1. Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.
MS-LS2-3. Develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem.
MS-LS2-4. Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.
HS-LS2-6. Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem.

Invasive Species

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Invasive species are organisms (either plant or animal) that have been introduced into a new, non-native area and spread rapidly in the new environment due to a lack of regulation by predators. Frequently, invasive species will out-compete native species for resources which can put native species at risk. This is an especially big problem for threatened habitat and endangered species, which are already at risk. Survey your area to document cases of invasive species invading a local… Read more

Looking Downstream: Could Nanosilver in Consumer Products Affect Pond Life?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Do you know that many consumer products, such as sports clothes, cosmetics, and even food containers contain tiny silver particles? These so-called nanoparticles—usually 1–100 nanometers (a billionth of a meter) in size—are toxic to bacteria and fungi and therefore, are used to prevent them from growing on everyday items you use. But what happens if the silver nanoparticles get into the water; for example, when you wash off your makeup or clean your clothes? Do they affect… Read more

Macroinvertebrates as Indicators of Pollution

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

In this science project, you will collect macroinvertebrate samples from multiple points along a body of water, ideally a small creek or stream, and test the pollution burden and biodiversity of small organisms or insects to see if pollution impacts biodiversity. Read more

Ninth Grade, Environmental Science Projects, Lessons, Activities (39 results)

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