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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Changing Planet: Adaptation of Species (Birds and Butterflies)

For Teachers 5th - 9th
A video about the impact of climate change on butterfly populations and a PowerPoint about butterfly and bird adaptations warm science learners up for the activity to follow. Using a variety of tools that reprsent unique styles of bird...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bird Beak Adaptation Lab

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars investigate bird beaks to determine which physical adaptations are necessary based on the types of food the birds eat. They participate in a lab by visiting multiple stations to determine which beaks are most efficient,...
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Unit Plan
Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Amazing Birds

For Teachers K - 4th Standards
What's so amazing about birds? Find out just how amazing birds are with a physics of animal behavior unit created by Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Have learners explore and tap into their observational skills and notice how birds fly, what...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hawaiian Bird Beak Adaptation

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students explore adaptation by participating in a lab activity. In this bird characteristics lesson, students discuss the different purposes birds have for their beaks and conduct an experiment testing which beaks collect food best....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduction to Adaptation

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders observe collections of specimens and discuss their answers to provided questions. They explore common ancestry, homology, analogy, adaptive radiation, and evolution, while formulating creative answers based on their...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Build a Hawaiian Bird

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders make a model of a bird.  In this animal adaptations lesson, 5th graders examine how birds adapt to their environment, using Hawaiian birds as an example. Students create their own bird using adaptation paper cut outs then...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Birds and the Beaks

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Learners explore the adaptations that birds have.  In this adaptations lesson students view a video and create a concept map of birds and their adaptive traits.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Beaks of the Finches

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students become birds and are given "beak-types". After completing the simulation, students relate results to adaptations and natural selection. Extensions of the simulation allow for comparative results and include population genetics.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Taxonomy

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Pupils analyze the complexity of organism classifications based on certain criteria.  In this classifying organisms lesson students study taxonomy and gather information and leaves to do their own experiment on classification.