Oysters are a Keystone Species
In this reading investigation, students figure out the many important roles that oysters have in their ecosystem. Depending on grade level, students may complete a jigsaw read or participate in collaborative sensemaking from a shared text, and build foundational knowledge of oysters and their ecosystem functions.
Grades K-2
Grades 3-5
Grades 6-8
Grades 9-12
Oyster History in New York Harbor
In this interactive history lesson, students review facts from the last 400 years of NY Harbor history, and discuss the decisions of people in the past to consider the impact those choices have on our resources today. Students then make observations and inferences of images to create a timeline of these changes.
Grades K-2
Additional Materials
Grades 3-5
Additional Materials
Grades 6-8
Additional Materials
Grades 9-12
Additional Materials
Oysters are Shoreline Protectors
In this hands-on lesson, students design and build a structure that can break wave energy before it hits land. They collaborate through the engineering design process, figure out that there are many possible ways to solve the problem, and reflect on the role that oysters play as natural breakwaters.
Grades K-2
Grades 3-5
Grades 6-8
Grades 9-12
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Oyster Anatomy and Life Cycle
In this hands-on lesson, students explore oysters’ unique anatomy and life cycle. Students may observe patterns in the oyster’s development and how structures change over time, or dive deeper into different structures’ functions and how they work together as a system
Grades K-2
Additional Materials
Grades 3-5
Additional Materials
Grades 6-8
Additional Materials
Grades 9-12
Additional Materials
Did you use or modify this lesson with your students? We’d love to hear how it went! Email us at educate@billionoysterproject.org.