Matter & Energy in Ecosystems Activities for Middle School Science

The Kesler Science Biotic and Abiotic Factors 5E Lesson provides an engaging and comprehensive middle school science unit aligned with NGSS standards. It uses the research-based 5E model—Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration, and Evaluation—to explore how organisms depend on and compete for biotic and abiotic factors in ecosystems.

This student-led lesson includes differentiated and multimodal materials such as editable PowerPoints, interactive notebooks, worksheets, choice projects, and assessments to meet diverse learner needs. In the Exploration phase, students engage in a differentiated station lab with hands-on experiments, readings, research, videos, and interactive tasks to deepen their understanding. The lesson also supports bilingual learners with resources available in both English and Spanish.

Flexible formatting allows for easy adaptation for classroom or virtual use, requiring minimal preparation. Additionally, students extend their learning through choice projects, while assessments aligned with STAAR 2.0 standards effectively evaluate student mastery.

This middle school unit on food webs and energy flow through ecosystems includes presentations, worksheets, choice projects, and assessments. It is fully editable and requires minimal prep, offering differentiated, student-led learning that promotes engagement. Students will explore essential questions about energy flow in living systems and food webs in different ecosystems.

The unit follows the 5E Model, covering Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration, and Evaluation. Engagement activities include vocabulary cards and a teacher file with class discussion ideas. Exploration features differentiated, student-led stations that allow for multimodal learning, including hands-on demos, readings, research tasks, videos, and interactive activities. Output stations let students demonstrate their understanding through activities like sorting, writing, illustrating, and assessments. A bonus “Challenge It!” station offers extension activities for early finishers.

Explanation includes editable PowerPoints, interactive notebooks, and note-taking templates. Elaboration provides student-choice projects to extend learning, and Evaluation includes updated STAAR 2.0 assessment questions and review materials. This unit is flexible for both classroom and virtual learning environments.

The Kesler Science Energy Pyramids unit is a comprehensive middle school lesson focused on understanding energy flow in ecosystems. It includes editable PowerPoints, worksheets, choice projects, and assessments. Designed for minimal prep, the lesson fosters differentiated, student-led learning, allowing teachers to focus on student success.

The lesson is aligned with NGSS MS LS1-6 and MS LS2-3 standards. It features a 5E model structure with engaging activities across all phases: engagement, exploration, explanation, elaboration, and evaluation. Students explore energy pyramids through nine differentiated exploration stations, including hands-on experiments, reading passages, research tasks, and videos. Output stations allow students to demonstrate their understanding through sorting, writing, illustrating, and assessment activities. 

The unit also includes editable PowerPoints, interactive notebooks (available in English and Spanish), and student-choice projects. For virtual learning, all materials, including the exploration stations and PowerPoints, are designed for flexible online or in-person use. Assessments are updated for STAAR 2.0, and bonus stations provide enrichment for early finishers.

Engage your middle school students with this modular, student-led station lab aligned with NGSS standards, exploring biotic and abiotic factors in ecosystems. Students independently identify, compare, and apply concepts through nine differentiated stations featuring multimodal activities such as hands-on tasks, interactive research, reading passages in English and Spanish, and videos.

Input stations like Explore It!, Research It!, Read It!, and Watch It! introduce foundational concepts through interactive tasks, digital manipulation of images and text, and guided readings. Output stations, including Organize It!, Illustrate It!, Write It!, and Assess It!, allow students to demonstrate understanding through models, writing, manipulatives, and assessments. An additional Challenge It! station provides extension activities such as crosswords, games, and mini-projects for early finishers.

Designed for both classroom and virtual settings, this student-centered resource promotes personalized learning, active engagement, and critical thinking.

This student-led Food Webs Station Lab keeps middle school students engaged while teaching them about ecosystems. The lab features eight differentiated stations and a bonus challenge station for early finishers, allowing students to direct their own learning. Each station includes signage, resources, and task cards, with some requiring minimal lab materials.

The stations include hands-on activities like Explore It!, where students apply their knowledge, and Research It!, which uses a website for further learning. Students also read and answer questions at the Read It! station, watch videos at Watch It!, and create models or illustrations at the Organize It! and Illustrate It! stations. Additionally, they respond to prompts at Write It! and demonstrate their understanding with Assess It! task cards. The Challenge It! station offers extra activities for advanced learners.

This modular resource works in both in-person and virtual settings, offering a flexible and low-prep solution for food webs learning.

Engage your middle school students with this student-led Energy Pyramids Station Lab, designed to promote active learning and critical thinking. Through this hands-on, modular activity, students explore the characteristics of energy pyramids while taking charge of their own learning. With eight differentiated stations and an additional challenge station for early finishers, this lab provides multiple ways for students to engage with the content, ensuring accessibility for different learning styles.

Students interact with energy pyramids through various input and output stations. They investigate concepts by conducting hands-on demonstrations, researching online, reading informational texts, and watching videos. Then, they demonstrate their understanding by organizing information, illustrating models, writing responses, and completing assessments. The stations include all necessary materials, and a digital version allows for seamless integration into virtual learning.

This flexible and comprehensive resource is designed for both in-class and virtual instruction, making it easy to implement in any learning environment. Whether students are working independently or in small groups, they can move through the stations at their own pace while reinforcing their understanding of energy transfer within ecosystems.

This Biotic and Abiotic Factors Student Choice Projects lesson aligns with NGSS science standards, enabling middle school students to select a project matching their preferred style. A project page offers nine student-led options plus a “design your own” choice, supported by an editable rubric for teacher, peer, or self-assessment.

The projects are flexible, dynamic, and multimodal, allowing students creative ways to demonstrate understanding. Two versions of the project page provide differentiation—one includes modified options for remediation, while challenge opportunities are available through combinations of projects. The rubric assesses vocabulary, concepts, presentation, clarity, and accuracy, and teachers can adjust it to their grading needs.

Projects require common classroom materials such as paper, markers, and scissors, and many can be completed digitally. Some crafting supplies may be helpful for building models.

The Food Webs Student Choice Projects lesson allows middle school students to explore ecosystems in a creative and personalized way. With six structured project options and the ability to design their own, students can demonstrate their understanding of food webs in a format that best suits their learning style. A detailed grading rubric is included, enabling assessment by teachers, peers, or the students themselves.

These projects are designed for flexibility and differentiation. Two versions of the project page offer modified options to support students who need remediation, while advanced learners can be challenged with a combination of projects using the same rubric. This structure ensures that all students can engage with the material at an appropriate level while maintaining clear expectations for assessment.

Students can complete their projects using standard classroom materials like paper, markers, and scissors, with many options also available for digital completion. Some crafting supplies may be useful for model-building projects, but no specialized materials are required. This accessibility allows teachers to implement the lesson with ease while giving students the opportunity to express their understanding in a hands-on or digital format.

The Energy Pyramids Student Choice Projects lesson allows middle school students to select a project that aligns with their preferred output style. The project page presents six different student-led options, plus a “design your own” project. The included grading rubric enables assessments by teachers, peers, or students. 

The Student Choice Projects are flexible and can be modified to meet specific grading needs. The multimodal options offer creative ways for students to demonstrate their understanding. Differentiation is built into the project, with three options designed for students needing remediation, while challenge options are available for advanced learners. 

Classroom supplies like paper, markers, and scissors are typically all that’s needed, with some projects also available for digital completion. Some crafting materials may be helpful for building models.

The Biotic and Abiotic Factors Escape Room is an interactive activity that challenges students to demonstrate their understanding of biotic and abiotic factors, as well as limiting factors, in an engaging way. Aligned with TEKS and NGSS standards, this escape room helps students explore how organisms interact within ecosystems and compete for resources such as food, light, water, temperature, and soil composition.  

Teachers have complete control over the eight independent puzzles, allowing customization to fit different class periods. The activity can be set up using manila envelopes for a simple and cost-effective approach or with locks and a storage box for a more immersive experience. Required materials include printed puzzles, brads for spinning wheels, invisible ink or a UV pen, and red saran wrap.  

For digital learning, a Single Student Digital Version is available in PowerPoint, which can be assigned via email or a learning management system and uploaded to Google Slides. A printable version is also available as a PPT or PDF for home use, with copyright restrictions limiting sharing to individual classrooms.  

This resource includes teacher directions, detailed answer keys, a digital answer sheet via Google Forms, a video challenge, eight unique puzzles with printable props, reward templates, and over 50 prize ideas. Students will be fully immersed in this engaging, standards-aligned experience that they’ll remember for weeks.

The Photosynthesis Escape Room is an immersive, student-centered activity designed to help students demonstrate their knowledge of photosynthesis through interactive, engaging puzzles. Aligned to TEKS standards, as well as NGSS standards, this escape room reinforces concepts such as the transformation of radiant energy into chemical energy, chemical formulas and atomic structures, and the conservation of mass during chemical reactions.

Teachers have full control over selecting and sequencing eight independent puzzles, making the activity adaptable to any class length or setting. The escape room can be implemented simply with printed materials and manila envelopes or enhanced using a lock-and-box setup for added authenticity.

The escape room includes comprehensive teacher directions, detailed answer keys, and an editable teacher version. Digital resources feature a student-friendly PowerPoint version compatible with Google Slides and a printable version for home use. Additional components include a digital answer sheet via Google Forms, engaging video challenges, printable props, reward templates, over 50 prize ideas, and fun signs for memorable classroom photos.

The Food Webs and Energy in an Ecosystem Escape Room is an interactive experience that challenges students to demonstrate their understanding of food webs, food chains, and energy transfer within ecosystems in an engaging way.

Teachers have full control over the eight independent puzzles, allowing customization based on class time and student needs. The escape room can be conducted using manila envelopes and printed materials or with a more immersive setup involving locks and a storage box. A digital version is available for online learning through PowerPoint or Google Slides, and a printable version can be assigned for at-home use.

This resource includes teacher directions, a detailed answer key, digital and printable student versions, an editable teacher version, a Google Forms answer sheet, a video challenge, and eight unique puzzles with printable props. Additional materials such as reward templates, signs for photos, and over 50 prize ideas help create an exciting and memorable learning experience.