No two lessons feel the same in this comprehensive science unit. Students investigate, build, play, experiment, create, and solve real-world problems through a wide variety of purposeful activities that keep learning fresh from beginning to end. Geared for ages 9-12. 

Water covers more than 70% of Earth's surface and supports an incredible variety of life. In this unit, students explore the freshwater and saltwater ecosystems that make our planet unique. Along the way, they'll discover how living things survive underwater, how energy moves through aquatic food chains, why some species are more important than others, and how human decisions can shape the future of our waterways.

This comprehensive unit takes students from ponds and wetlands to the deepest parts of the ocean while building an understanding of the connections between organisms, habitats, and people. Lessons are written directly to students using engaging, age-appropriate language, making them easy to use in both classrooms and homeschool settings.

Each lesson is paired with thoughtfully designed activities that encourage students to think, create, investigate, and apply what they've learned. Students build models, play games, analyze real-world problems, conduct simple investigations, create poetry, and develop their own conservation policies.

Topics Covered

• Ecosystems: biotic and abiotic factors

• Freshwater ecosystems, habitats, and lake zones

• Saltwater ecosystems and ocean conditions

• Ocean classifications by distance from shore and depth

• Aquatic plants and algae

• Aquatic animal adaptations

• Food chains and food webs

• Keystone species

• Invasive species

• Life beneath the ice

• Freshwater vs. saltwater

• People, water, and conservation

This Unit Includes

• Student-friendly informational lessons

• Original illustrations, diagrams, and photographs

• Hands-on investigations

• Interactive games and review activities

• Creative cross-curricular projects

• Foldables and cut-and-assemble activities

• Layered clam anatomy model

• Conservation policy challenge

• Reflection pages

• Answer key

Digital PDF. No refunds as links are sent immediately at purchase.