Biotic & Abiotic Factors Complete Lesson Plan - MS

Everything you need for an engaging, ready-to-teach ecosystems unit is included in this resource! Students will explore the biotic (living) and abiotic (nonliving) components of ecosystems and discover how organisms and populations depend on and compete for these essential factors. With editable presentations, worksheets, student-choice projects, and assessments, this multiday lesson is comprehensive, flexible, and low-prep.

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

Essential Questions

1. What are the biotic and abiotic parts of an ecosystem?

2. How do organisms and populations in an ecosystem depend on and compete for biotic and abiotic factors?

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

Why Teachers Love This Lesson

• Differentiated materials for learners who need more support

• Multimodal learning to keep students actively engaged

• Maximum flexibility—printable and digital formats included

• Editable PowerPoints for easy classroom customization

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

Built on the 5E Instructional Model (Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration, Evaluation), this lesson gives you a proven, research-based framework for meaningful science instruction.

What’s Included

Engagement

• Objectives and Word Wall Cards (English & Spanish)

• Teacher file with engaging discussion prompts, classroom activities, and common misconceptions

Exploration – Student-Led Station Lab
Nine differentiated stations let students explore biotic and abiotic factors in multiple ways:

Input Stations (build understanding)

• Explore It! – Hands-on demo or experiment

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

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

• Watch It! – Short video with discussion prompts

Output Stations (show understanding)

• Organize It! – Printable or digital card sorts

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

• Illustrate It! – Student sketches or diagrams of ecosystem relationships

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

Bonus Station – Challenge It!
Fun enrichment activities 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 biotic and abiotic factors 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 resource is designed 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.