Free Printables and Unit Studies About Ecosystems

There are many types of ecosystems for your students to explore. These free printables and unit studies about ecosystems can help you learn about the different ecosystems in your homeschool.

What is an ecosystem anyway?

An ecosystem is a community of organisms that interact together and their environment. Living things like humans interact with each other and they interact with other things like soil, air, and water.

Whether it be your backyard or an ocean, ecosystems contain a cycle of life and a community of interacting things. Yes, “things.”

Although we often think about animals when we talk about ecosystems they, in fact, are made up of many living things and non-living things – like air and water.

The major types of ecosystems are grasslands, forests, deserts, tundra, freshwater, and marine. It is good to note that the word “biome” also describes the terrestrial/land-based ecosystems.

Below you will find free printables and unit studies about ecosystems to help you with exploring them at home:

Unit Studies and resources about ecosystems

FREE and Frugal Unit Resources for Types of Biomes | The Frugal Homeschoool Mom

7 Ideas to Teach Ecosystems and Food Webs | The Science Penguin

Ecosystems for Kids Made Easy! | GenerationGenius

Ecosystems Project Based Learning: Museum Project | TarheelState Teacher

10 Activities to Teach Ecosystems | Ashleigh’s Education Journey

Homeschool Unit Studies: Animal Homes Unit Study | Look We’re Learning

What is an ecosystem? | Khan Academy

Ecosystem Information | National Geographic

What is an Ecosystem? | Conserve Energy Future

10 Interesting Things About Ecosystems | Climate Kids

Ecosystem Dioramas | The Inspired Classroom

Biology Unit on the Biosphere: biomes, ecosystems, habitats, feeding relationships, biological interactions | Homeschool Den

Studying the Earth’s Biomes | Peanut Butter Fish Lessons

Ecosystems FREEBIE | Frogs and Cupcakes

Biomes Foldable | Biology Education Ideas

Ecosystems Introduction | Mensa for Kids

Going Wild for Ecosystems | The Owl Teacher

Ecosystem for kids – Science Activities For Kids | Ecosystem for Kids

Picture Books About Habitats and Ecosystems | Imagination Soup

Ecosystems for Kids VIDEO | Homeschool Pop

World Biomes and Ecosystems | Ducksters

ECOSYSTEM – The Dr. Binocs Show VIDEO| Peekaboo Kidz

Facts & Characteristics Ecosystem | Cool Kid Facts

Forests ecosystems

The forest ecosystem consists of terrestrial environment full of trees growing in a closed canopy which includes a community of plants, animals, microbes and other living things.

Cool fact: Half of the world’s species live in tropical rainforests.

FREE Animals of the Forest Notebooking Unit

Animals of the Forest Printables

Information About a Forest Ecosystem | Sciencing

Temperate Forest FREE Download Worksheet | Education.com

Biome Presentation, Coniferous Forest – Taiga | SlideShare

Rainforest Unit Study | SusanEvans

Grasslands ecosystems

The grasslands ecosystem or biome of course is made up of large open spaces of grasses. They are maintained by the animals that graze on them and from fires.

Cool fact: Grasslands are a cross between forests and deserts. This is an interesting one but fire is essential for grassland existence. After fires, grasslands burst back to life even stronger than before.

Animals of the Grasslands Printables

Grassland Biome | National Geographic

FREE Download Grasslands Ecosystem | Education.com

Grasslands Worksheets, Lessons, and Ideas | Worksheet Place

Science Grassland Worksheets | abcteach

Grasslands Worksheet – FREE Science Kids Printable Hidden Words Game | Easy Science for Kids

Deserts ecosystems

The desert ecosystem creates some of the most intense conditions with solar radiation, lashing winds, and very little moisture. Days are hugely hot and nights are very cold.

Fact: Many of the animals who live in deserts only get water from the foods that they eat.

FREE Desert Animals Facts Coloring and Copywork

Animals of the Desert

Desert Ecosystem: Plant And Animal Adaptations In Hot Deserts | Geography and You

Cactus Desert Animals Unit Study and Lapbook | Homeschool Share

Desert Unit Study Resources | Blessed Learners

FREE Desert Pack | 3Dinosaurs

Tundra ecosystems

The tundra ecosystems are treeless regions of land in the Arctic and the ops of mountains. The climate is cold and windy and rainfall is scarce.

Cool fact: The tundra ground is often permanently frozen so trees cannot grow there.

Animals of the Tundra Printables

FREE Animals of the Taiga & Tundra Notebooking Unit

Arctic and Antarctic Unit Study Ideas | Mama of Many Blessings

All About the Arctic Tundra! | MercedesArcticTundra

The Tundra Biome Facts Video | MooMooMath and Science

Freshwater ecosystems

The freshwater ecosystems share resources between different habitats. Freshwater ecosystems begin with the precipitation in the air then eventual rainfall to create lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams.

Cool fact: Freshwater ecosystems are all over the world and have some very rare species of animals like river dolphins, beavers, and platypuses.

FREE Animals of the Everglades Printables

Freshwater Ecosystems: FREE Printables and Science Projects

Freshwater Ecosystem | National Geographic

FREE Pond Ecosystem Activity and Game | Mystery Science

Florida Swamp Unit Study Resources | The Grace-Filled Life

Pond Life Unit Study Ideas | Ellen McHenry’s Basement Workshop

Marine ecosystems

The marine ecosystems are aquatic ecosystems where the water contains high salt content. They provide nearly half of the Earth’s oxygen.

Cool fact: The bottom of the ocean has thriving life-form communities. They contain methane and ammonia from something called hydrothermal vents where creatures like giant tube worms grow over 6 feet long.

FREE Animals of the Deep Ocean Printables

Marine Ecosystem Classification | Sciencing

Coral Reef Unit Study and Lapbook | Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Marine Biology Unit Study Resources | Premeditated Leftovers

Temperate Oceans Ecosystem FREE Worksheet | Education.com

Coral Reef Animal Study & Lapbook | Homeschool Share

Each of these ecosystems can be broken down into even smaller ecosystems. You literally can create a whole science unit to fill up your year on ecosystems alone.

When the balance of ecosystems is disrupted the living things do not thrive and can even die. Some things like human pollution, deforestation, the development of land, and the removal of excess resources all can damage the ecosystems.

Some disruptions are also done by natural causes like new species in an area or natural disasters. Either way, it is important that we share the importance of ecosystems to our children in hopes they do their part in trying to conserve the systems as well.

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Jeannette Tuionetoa

Jeannette is a wife, mother and homeschooling mom. She has been mightily, saved by grace and is grateful for God’s sovereignty throughout her life’s journey. She has a Bachelor in English Education and her MBA. Jeannette is bi-lingual and currently lives in the Tongan Islands of the South Pacific. She posts daily freebies for homeschoolers!