This is a sixth-grade student science experience tied to SEEd standard 6.4.4. In this experience students construct an argument from evidence for how the stability of populations is affected by changes to an ecosystem.
These experiences were designed to support students in engaging in science investigations with siblings and/or parents at home and then report back about what was discovered. They were created in a way that is easily adaptable for both online and printed formats. They are formatted to help students wonder about and investigate the science phenomena happening in the world around them. These experiences do not describe how students should write up and return work to their teacher. It is up to each teacher to adapt them to best meet student needs. When individualized by the teacher, a student could be asked to engage in one or more of these experiences a week and report back. This format aligns closely to the vision and expectation of the SEEd standards.

This is an interactive, sixth grade Nearpod lesson tied to SEEd standard 6.4.4. It guides students through information and activities about historical changes impacting the stability of Utah Lake.
This resource is a student-ready, three-dimensional SEEd science lesson you can add to your Nearpod library. Many of the phenomena, text, and images come from UEN OER textbooks, Seedstorylines.org, ck12.org, and pixabay.com. Most videos are from youtube.com or pbslearningmedia.org. Many of the simulations were found at phet.colorado.edu, ck12.org, and pbslearningmedia.org. This lesson is unique to Nebo School District but was built with the help of many amazing ideas from teachers throughout Utah.

Toxin Tag illustrates the process of biological magnification by simulating toxins passing up a food chain from phytoplankton, to zooplankton, to bass, to pike, to river otters.

Nearpod version of UT.SEEd.6.4.4 Episode 1 from seedstorylines.org . Students will construct an explanation of how rabbits affect the stability of Australia's ecosystems.

Nearpod version of UT.SEEd.6.4.4 Episode 2 from seedstorylines.org . Students will construct an argument that sea otters are a keystone species and directly affect the stability of the kelp forest ecosystem.

Nearpod version of UT.SEEd.6.4.4 Episode 3 from seedstorylines.org . Students will construct an explanation of how a wolf pack population was affected by human interference.

Nearpod version of UT.SEEd.6.4.4 Episode 4 from seedstorylines.org . Students will construct an argument to explain how the stability of deer population was affected by human actions.

Nearpod version of UT.SEEd.6.4.4 Episode 5 from seedstorylines.org . Students will conduct research on a native Utah species that has become endangered and the factors that have affected that population.

Students will build an energy pyramid model to visualize populations of producers, consumers, and decomposers in this mountain ecosystem and how biotic and abiotic changes may impact those populations.
NHMU Research Quests are phenomena-based, online investigations asynchronously led by museum educators and scientists that are rooted in museum research and collections. Resources include teacher instructional guides, formative and summative assessments, and student notebooks. A free educator acount is required to access the materials.