Whether you study a pond in winter or summer, a pond unit study makes for a great hands-on science project. You can add many different nature topics. Also, look at my other Best Homeschool Unit Studies and Lapbook Ideas.
There are just as many things that grow above a pond as there are that live below in a pond.
Too, look at the free minibooks included in this download which are our subtopics.
- Define limnology
- How to define a pond
- Types of pond
- 3 characteristics of water
- Types of pond plants
- Other pond & shore plants
- Major groups of pond animals
- Plants and animals on the food chain
- Woody plants
Look at these resources that I gathered up for a pond unit study and then I have a nifty lapbook for you too.
Like most all of my unit studies, I give you ideas for Prek to High school.
Also, you’ll love some of these books about ponds.
11 Fun Pond Life Resources for Kids
Add one or two of these resources to you learning day or to a pond unit study.
In Over and Under the Pond, readers will discover the plants and animals that make up the rich, interconnected ecosystem of a mountain pond. Over the pond, the water is a mirror, reflecting the sky. But under the water is a hidden world of creatures—minnows darting, beavers diving, and tadpoles growing.
These secrets and many others are waiting to be discovered over and under the pond in this sweet children’s book from Kate Messner and Christopher Silas Neal, the latest in their beloved series that offers kids a peek into hidden ecosystems.
This set of 48 cards features a colorful illustration on one side and informational facts on the other side. CARD SIZE: 4.5 x 6 inches. Each card is double-sided and durable.
Have you ever wondered:
- How to find life in a puddle?
- What lives in your local river?
- How to make a micro zoo?
- How pond snails breathe?
Now you can become an expert nature explorer and learn fantastic facts to impress your friends and family!
You'll love that these hands-on books contain straightforward and safe step-by-step projects, allowing you to help your children discover the natural world. They are ideal supplements to school science projects and the perfect activities for weekends and vacations.
This guide describes and illustrates, in full color, the plants and animals that live in or near ponds, lakes, streams, and wetlands. It includes surface-dwelling creatures as well as those of open water, the bottom, and the shore and tells how various animals and plants live together in a community.Plus suggestions for:Where and when to lookObserving and collecting specimensMaking exciting discoveries
Using Peaceful Ponds, you’ll have so much fun learning about pond plants and animals, as well as earth science topics as they relate to ponds.
Imagine the smooth, glasslike surface of a pond, the water mirroring a bright moon or a crystal blue sky. The water appears perfectly calm and still. What’s going on underneath the surface?
Lakes and Ponds! With 25 Science Projects for Kids invites kids ages 7 though 10 to investigate the bodies of water that might look calm from the shore but which are teeming with life and activity! Through fun facts and engaging content, readers explore the plants and animals living in lakes and ponds, from fish darting about to dragonfly nymphs gestating in the shallows to algae and aquatic plants converting sunlight into energy through photosynthesis. Discover fun facts about the duckweed, water lilies, and cattails growing in and around the waters of lakes and ponds. It’s a busy place!
The same thing is true in nature. Certain species of animals and plants are so important to their ecosystems, that if they disappear, the whole system may collapse. They are called keystone species.
What's the difference between a frog and a toad? The natural world comes alive for young readers (Ages 6-7) with Rookie Read-About "RM" Science! With striking, full-color photos and just the right amount of text, this series immediately involves young readers as they discover intriguing facts about the fascinating world around them.This book discusses the likenesses and differences between frogs and toads.
Frogs, toads, newts, salamanders, and the rare caecilians come in a stunning array of colors, shapes, sizes, and habitats. They live both in water and on land and move in a variety of ways from swimming to hopping and even flying. With a series of specially commissioned photographs, DK Eyewitness Books: Amphibian takes a close look at the fascinating natural history of these creatures from the bright green, red-eyed tree frogs to dull, burrowing, wormlike caecilians; from startling black and yellow fire salamanders to tiny transparent glass frogs.
So many people get their start in nature study by exploring ponds. These small bodies of calm, standing water are fascinating living laboratories of plant and animal life at all scales, from microscopic algae to iconic birds like Great Blue Herons or ecosystem engineers like Beavers. To better understand how a pond ecosystems functions, it helps to get familiar with its living parts, namely its flora and fauna. The portable reference Pond Life is an excellent tool to bring on your next pond study, as it includes beautiful illustrations of 140 common and familiar birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, insects, and other invertebrates as well as trees, shrubs, and wildflowers. Laminated for durability, this lightweight, waterproof, 12-panel folding pocket guide is the perfect tool for educators, learners, naturalists, botanists, and wildlife enthusiasts to use the next time they go searching for minnows, tadpoles, or dragonfly nymphs at their local pond.
Get ready to take a leap into the water in this exciting exploration of pond habitats. This volume examines different kinds of pond habitats, and the creatures that are found both in the water and on its edge, from bass to grass snakes to herons. Readers will learn about life cycles, ecosystems, and conservation, which are important curricula-based science topics. This volume pairs compelling text with vivid color photographs to bring readers on a nature walk they won’t soon forget. Diagrams, activities, and quizzes provide greater opportunities for exploration. This book is perfect for nature-enthused readers to get their feet wet identifying creatures and understanding the wonder of pond wildlife!
Pond Unit Study and Lapbook
- Ron’s pond scum. Neat site with pictures taken through a microscope.
- Earth’s Kids – ponds and wetlands science.
- A virtual pond dip.
- Missouri pond handbook. Neat resource with lots of information.
- Pond ecology.
- Pond Theme Activities – Stem – Free Printables
- What’s in this water.
- Pond life theme for Prek.
Pond Hands-on Ideas
More Pond Resources
Above and Below in the Pond
- Cattail – this edible plant is also an excellent source of weaving material, tinder, and insect repellent.
- Macroinvertebrate Match-Up Cards.
- Wetlands Ecosystem teacher’s guide.
When we did our unit study, I used one book that we had and one book that we wanted.
One book I have because it has easy hands-on activities.
It’s the book Rivers, Ponds, and Lakes (Collins Nature Explorers) and the one I had to have is Pond Life: Revised and Updated (A Golden Guide from St. Martin’s Press) because it’s packed with so much information about pond life.
Together these two books made for a great pond study.I was SO pleased with this tiny little guide packed with a HUGE amount of information.
Literally, this guide could fit in a shirt pocket. It’s the perfect size to take to study a pond, stream, or other wetland area.
Besides having colorful illustrations which are not goofy looking but perfect for the science-minded, it is chock-full of facts about plants and animals of the pond.
The chapters like Characteristics of Water, Habitats, Food Webs, Observing and Collecting, and then Plants and Animals.
The plants and animals sections are divided into groups along with pictures of each group.
I’m really pleased with this little guide Pond Life: Revised and Updated (A Golden Guide from St. Martin’s Press).
Then the second book, Rivers, Ponds, and Lakes (Collins Nature Explorers) is one I have and we used it to because it has fun outdoor activities.
A few of the activities are build your own backyard pond, use light to catch fish, and race snails.
The chapters in this book are Freshwater habitats, Puddles, Ponds and Lakes, Rivers and Streams and Boggy, soggy swamps.
We love the one above about collecting skins and mud tracking.
How to Test Pond Water – Older Kid Outdoor Science Lab
We loved reading and studying about pond life.
There are many fun things to do for younger kids/
But one thing we did for an older kid to make it more of a lab is to use a water testing kit.
The water testing kit came with a mini notebook, a cool TDS meter, vials and test strips.
It’s a great way of learning about the water in your area and to do a lab with an older learner.
You’ll want to find 4 different water sources.
We used the ditch in the back of our house, the creek from the local park on our walk, bottled water, and tap water.
The instructions are on the chart and it gives you an order in which to do the tests.
We checked each sample for chlorine/copper/nitrate/nitrite, then alkalinity/pH/hardness, and lastly the iron.
And another resource we love for nature studies are the NaturExplorers. Look at this one about ponds.
I think you’ll love this next free lapbook in my nature series which is about ponds.
How to Get the Free Pond Lapbook
Now, how to grab the free lapbook. It’s a subscriber freebie.
That means when you sign up to follow me, you get my emails in your inbox and you get this freebie.
1) CLICK HERE ON THIS LINK TO SIGN UP ON MY EMAIL LIST & TO GET THIS FREEBIE.
2) Grab the freebie now.
3) Last, look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me!
Look at these other links:
Pond Life Printable Pack from Emily at Table Life Blog
Aquatic Science Studies: 10 Activities for Teens from Eva at Eva Varga
Online Book Study about water cycle from Dachelle at Hide the Chocolate
You’ll love these other resources:
