Symbiosis Activities for Middle School Science

The Kesler Science Symbiosis Complete 5E Lesson makes teaching about symbiotic relationships easy and engaging. This multi-day lesson is designed for 6th-8th grade students, providing all the materials needed to explore essential questions like: What is a symbiotic relationship? What is the difference between mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism? Through differentiated, student-led activities, students will deepen their understanding with minimal prep for the teacher.

The lesson follows the 5E Model, covering Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration, and Evaluation. In the Exploration phase, students work through nine differentiated stations, where they engage with multimedia resources, such as hands-on demos, readings, and videos. Output stations allow students to demonstrate their understanding through creative tasks like sorting, sketching, and writing.

The lesson also includes editable PowerPoints, interactive notebooks, and assessment tools to ensure students can showcase their learning in various formats. With options for both in-person and virtual learning, this resource supports all learners and provides enrichment activities like the "Challenge It!" station for advanced students.

The Kesler Science Symbiosis Station Lab offers a modular, student-led approach to learning about symbiotic relationships in ecosystems. Middle school students explore the different types of symbiosis through eight differentiated stations, allowing for independent or small group work. With minimal prep, teachers facilitate the learning process while students take charge of their exploration.

The stations are divided into input and output activities. At input stations like "Explore It!" and "Watch It!" students engage with hands-on demos, readings, and videos. Output stations like "Organize It!" and "Write It!" give students the opportunity to apply their understanding through creative projects, written responses, and task cards.

The station lab also features a "Challenge It!" bonus station for advanced learners and early finishers, offering enrichment activities to deepen their understanding. Suitable for both in-person and virtual learning, this resource includes all necessary materials, including signage and task cards, ensuring a seamless learning experience across different environments.

The Kesler Science Symbiosis Student Choice Projects allow middle school students to select a project that suits their preferred output style. With nine project options and a “design your own” choice, students can showcase their learning in creative ways. The grading rubric is flexible, allowing teachers, peers, or students themselves to assess the projects.

These dynamic, multimodal projects offer flexibility for teachers and students, with the option to modify the rubric as needed. Whether for remediation or challenge, the projects cater to various student needs and encourage personalized learning. Differentiated versions of the project page ensure that every student can succeed.

The projects require standard classroom supplies such as paper, markers, and scissors, with some projects allowing for digital completion. For hands-on activities, crafting supplies may be useful. This resource is designed to support a range of learners and project preferences.

The Kesler Science Ecosystems Interactive Notebook Bundle provides an engaging and interactive way for students to explore key ecosystems concepts. Designed for flexibility, the resource includes both print and digital versions, making it suitable for traditional classrooms, 1:1 environments, and distance learning settings.

The bundle covers a wide range of topics, including biotic and abiotic factors, biomes, food webs, symbiosis, and the nitrogen and carbon cycles. Digital features include a unique interactive notebook PowerPoint, editable Google Slides compatibility, reflection pages, and modified versions for students with accommodations. The paper version includes blank and pre-filled templates, complete with color examples to guide students and teachers.

This resource supports differentiated instruction and accommodates all learners with thoughtfully designed templates and modifications. Whether in person or online, the Ecosystems Interactive Notebook promotes active learning, critical thinking, and scientific literacy.