Biomes Complete Lesson Plan - MS

Everything you need for an engaging, ready-to-teach unit on biodiversity is included in this resource! Students will explore how biodiversity contributes to the sustainability of ecosystems, building a deep understanding of how variety in life supports balance and stability. With editable presentations, worksheets, student-choice projects, and assessments, this multiday lesson is both comprehensive and low-prep.

Through differentiated, student-led learning, your middle schoolers will stay engaged while you focus on student success.

Essential Question

• How does biodiversity contribute to the sustainability of an ecosystem?

Texas Teachers: This lesson aligns with the 2017 TEKS (not updated for the 2021 TEKS).

Why Teachers Love This Lesson

• Differentiated materials for students who need extra support

• Multimodal learning to engage all learning styles

• Maximum flexibility—printable and digital formats included

• Editable PowerPoints to adapt to your classroom

• Spanish translations of vocabulary, reading passages, and interactive notebook pages

This lesson follows the 5E Instructional Model (Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration, Evaluation), giving you a proven framework for effective science instruction.

What’s Included

Engagement

• Objectives and Word Wall Cards (English & Spanish)

• Teacher file with discussion prompts, class activities, and common misconceptions

Exploration – Student-Led Station Lab
Nine differentiated stations introduce biodiversity through hands-on, visual, and digital exploration:

Input Stations (build understanding)

• Explore It! – Hands-on demo or experiment

• Read It! – Differentiated passages (English & Spanish) with comprehension questions

• Research It! – Website-based tasks with guided prompts

• Watch It! – Short video with reflection questions

Output Stations (demonstrate understanding)

• Organize It! – Printable or digital card sorts

• Write It! – Open-ended short-answer prompts

• Illustrate It! – Student sketches or diagrams of biodiversity in ecosystems

• Assess It! – Task cards + vocabulary-in-context activity

Bonus Station – Challenge It!
Fun enrichment tasks like crosswords, games, and mini-projects for early finishers

Explanation

• Editable PowerPoints (standard & interactive)

• Interactive notebook templates (digital & print, English & Spanish)

• Guided note-taking templates

Elaboration

• Student-choice projects on biodiversity to extend learning in class or at home

Evaluation

• STAAR 2.0–style assessments (standard & modified versions)

• Review worksheet for test practice, homework, or class discussion

Flexible for Any Classroom

This lesson works seamlessly for both in-person and virtual learning. Station labs, interactive notebooks, and presentations are fully compatible with Google Slides and PowerPoint.

This is a finished product; it will be updated with formatting or corrections as needed. Future improvements and new features will be sold as a separate product.