Ecological Succession Complete Lesson Plan - MS

Everything you need for an engaging, low-prep middle school science unit on ecological succession is included in this resource! Students will explore how ecosystems change over time by observing, recording, and describing the role of ecological succession in different habitats.

This multiday, fully editable lesson includes presentations, worksheets, choice projects, and assessments. Designed for student-led learning, it keeps students engaged and frees you up to focus on meaningful instruction and differentiation.

Your Students Will Explore:

• How to observe, record, and describe the stages of ecological succession

• The differences between primary and secondary succession

• How species interactions and environmental changes shape habitats over time

Why Teachers Love This Lesson

• Differentiated materials to support all learners

• Multimodal activities that keep students motivated and on task

• Maximum flexibility – fully digital, printable, and editable

• Spanish translations for vocabulary, readings, and notebook pages

5E Model Breakdown

Engagement

• Objectives and Word Wall Cards (English & Spanish)

• Discussion prompts and interactive activities for class engagement

• Address common misconceptions and spark curiosity

Exploration
The student-led station lab encourages independent and collaborative learning with nine differentiated stations:

Input Stations

• Explore It! – Hands-on demo or lab investigation

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

• Research It! – Website-based activities and guiding questions

• Watch It! – Video learning with student reflections

Output Stations

• Organize It! – Printable or digital card sorts for sequencing stages of succession

• Write It! – Short-answer prompts for clear communication

• Illustrate It! – Creative sketches or models of succession stages

• Assess It! – Task cards and vocabulary-in-context assessment

Bonus Station – Challenge It!
Extension games, crosswords, and mini-projects for early finishers and advanced learners

Explanation

• Editable PowerPoints (standard and interactive)

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

• Note-taking guides for student accountability

Elaboration

• Student-choice projects on ecological succession – perfect for in-class or at-home extension

Evaluation

• STAAR 2.0–aligned assessments (standard & modified)

• Review questions and discussion-based worksheets for mastery checks

Perfect for In-Class or Virtual Learning

All resources are compatible with Google Slides and PowerPoint, making it easy to deliver engaging, student-led instruction whether your students are in the classroom or learning remotely.

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.