The materials in this educational packet are designed for use with students in grades 4 through 7. They consist of an overview, three lesson plans and student data sheets, and a poster. The overview describes how the freshwater marsh is an important natural resource for plant, animal, and human populations and how the destruction of marshes causes a wide network of ecological problems (from decline in water quality to loss of plant and animal species). A glossary and list of reference materials are included. The lesson plans provide a list of learning outcomes, instructional strategies, a list of materials needed, and a quiz (with answers). The activities in the lessons involve: (1) studying marsh organisms and succession in marshes; (2) playing the role of early settlers (while learning about food webs); and (3) building a model of a marsh. The poster highlights many animals and plants found in a freshwater marsh and marsh succession. A puzzle dealing with a simple food web is also included. (JN)