Curated OER
Butterfly Round-Up
Learners classify the characteristics of butterflies and moths moths. In this life cycle instructional activity, students identify butterflies and moths common in the state of Iowa as well as their characteristics. Learners then learn...
Curated OER
Macroinvertebrate Mix and Match
Students are introduced to macroinvertebrates (primarily insects), the major segments of aquatic insects (the head, thorax and abdomen) and also differentiate between larval, nymph and adult stages. They investigate the head, thorax and...
Curated OER
Insects
Students study the characteristics and basic needs of insects. They compare and describe similarities among insects. They examine the body structure, covering, and movement of insects and also, examine insect life cycles in this unit of...
Curated OER
The Insect Files
Students are provided with a physical description of the insect, in words and graphics, including body parts, special adaptations, color, and so on. They explore and report on all four elements of an insect's habitat: food, water,...
Curated OER
Seed Bugs; Stage 2
Students examine nature by participating in an environmental art activity. In this imaginary creature lesson, students discuss the importance of a habitat when pertaining to wild animals or bugs. Students utilize tree parts which they...
Curated OER
Building a Pill Bug Palace
Learners make "pets" of isopods (potato bugs) to determine their preferred environment and food sources. They record their results on a bar graph and in a scientific report.
Curated OER
Bug's Eye View
Students explore biology by writing fictitious stories in class. In this insect life instructional activity, students identify many different types of insects in the animal kingdom and the classifications they fall into. Students collect...
Curated OER
Life Science Investigation
Learners work to investigate an aspect of life science of interest to them from a list. Using the Internet, they research information and take notes on what to include in their presentation. They share their findings with the class and...
Cornell University
Let’s Raise Lacewings
Young entomologists explored beneficial insects and how they help control pests in the first lesson of the series. Now class members take a close look at the lacewing, which is a beneficial insect.
Curated OER
Food Labels
Students study Nutrition Facts labels. In this life science lesson, students explore Nutrition Facts labels, then determine and analyze the nutrients found in a variety of foods. Additionally students construct bug boxes used to collect...
Curated OER
Writing Bug - Inquiring Minds Want to Know - #5
In this journal writing activity, students are given four headlines for news stories published in tabloid newspapers. Students write the story that might have matched one of the headlines.
Curated OER
What Do You See at the Pond?
With What Do You See at the Pond?, young readers explore pond life and practice reading strategies. Learners first make predictions and then read the simple story independently. After a second read-through with a partner, kids come...
SurfScore
Kodable
Prepare young scholars for life in the twenty-first century with this introduction to computer coding formatted as a fun problem solving game, this resource is a great way to develop children's sequential thinking skills.
Curated OER
Plants 'n' Bugs
Second graders experiment to find if pollinators have color preferences. In this plant and bug lesson, 2nd graders gather information about how flowers pollinate. Students participate in a pollination experiment using the scientific...
Curated OER
Classifying Plants and Insects
Art and science come together in a lesson based on Flower Still Life by Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder. Learners classify plants and insects in the painting by color, leaf shape, size, reproduction, and season of bloom.
Curated OER
Julie and the Bug Boys
In this literacy worksheet, students unscramble the words and create a new one. The spellings are written on the 20 lines given. The answers are accessed by clicking the button on the bottom of the life.
American Physiological Society
Sticky Adaptations A Lesson on Natural Selection
Now you see it, now you don't! The stick bug exhibits the ability to disappear into a wooded environment. Why does this adaptation manifest in some species, but not in others? Life science students explore animal adaptations in nature...
Arts & Humanities
Let's Go Buggie!
To celebrate art youth month, little ones get out the magnifying glasses and get close-up with bugs. They make scientific observations of bugs you bring into the classroom. Then, they use markers, clay, paint, or crayons to make artistic...
Lakeshore Learning
Story Sequencing Activity
Pollywogs, tadpoles, and frogs. Here's a sequencing exercise that combines story telling and science. Kids paste illustrations of the life cycles of frogs in order on a story sheet.
Desert Museum
Daisy Ecology
Here's a fine lesson plan that combines poetry with life sciences. Learners carefully listen to a poem that's all about a food chain. As the poem is read, learners name the producer, the herbivore, the carnivore, and the omnivore. Lots...
Curated OER
Egg Carton Buggy Mobile
Craft paper, string, and clean egg cartons are used to create super cute bug mobiles. Included are instructions and images to assist you in guiding your class through the process of making these very cool mobiles. The project would be a...
Curated OER
Story Totems
Students write and illustrate a story to describe the habitat and life cycle of a selected animal. They write and publish their story, and create a picture of the animal on a wooden board.
WK Kellogg Biological Station
Sounds of Selection
Do you want a creative and fun way to teach about natural selection? Hop to it by turning your middle school princes and princesses into frogs trying to catch as many bugs as possible in a Hungry Hungry Hippos style game. For high...
Curated OER
Glacier Bay - The Kelp Forest
Few people get to visit Alaska's Glacier Bay, and fewer yet go underwater to explore its kelp forest. Through this presentation, viewers get to do just that! In the process, they learn about the simple structure of kelp and the diverse...