Urban Ecology Lesson Plan
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Provided by: Michigan Department of Natural Resources|Published on: February 25, 2026
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Synopsis
- This lesson plan from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources introduces middle school students to urban ecology through three outdoor field investigations focused on animals, trees, and ground plants.
- Over three days, students conduct surveys, record and analyze data, and discuss ecosystem structure, species diversity, and human impacts within their local urban environment.
Subjects: Biology
Authors: Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Region: Global, Southwest Michigan
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- These are wonderful activities for getting students outside and breaking up the classroom routine.
- Students will benefit from getting to know the world around them as a part of nature, especially if they live in urban areas where connections to nature aren’t as obvious.
Prerequisites
- Depending on the size of the class and the outdoor site, teachers may need to arrange to have other staff or volunteers come with them for the fieldwork portions of these activities.
- Teachers will need to gather materials, such as clipboards, field guides, and posterboard, before beginning these outdoor activities.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Teachers can compile the student research papers to create a field guide for the local area.
- This lesson suggests assigning the one-page research paper as an overnight homework assignment for students. Many students will likely need more time than that. Teachers can stretch these activities so that students have one day for field work, one day for research, and one day for writing, before moving on to the next activity.
- When doing the urban forest activity, teachers can discuss the many ways urban trees help a city and the people living in it. This may also be a good time to introduce students to the urban heat island effect. Teachers can use this ebook to introduce students to the concept.
- This video, though it is primarily for older audiences, would pair well with The Lawn Community activity, as it discusses the issues with grass lawns, echoing some of the sentiments described in this lesson’s background information.
- Teachers can use these activities to help students connect SDG 15, Life on Land, to their local context.
This resource guides students through three explorations of urban ecology. The text is exceptionally well-sourced, and all instructions are clear. Throughout, focus is placed on how humans shape urban habitats and how these urban environments impact plant and animal species. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
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