Curated OER
Garden of Eden
Students view a video clip about animals and their habitats. They work together to discuss how different animals adapt to their environments. They create a new habitat for a specific animal and draw new adaptations for them.
Curated OER
Rainforests: What Are They?
Second graders investigate rain forests by reading a habitat checklist. In this environment lesson, 2nd graders read the book The Great Kapok Tree, and discuss what characteristics make up a rain forest. Students explore a habitat...
Curated OER
Animal Habitat Dioramas
What a better way to have learners show what they know than with a diorama? Kids research an animal, its habitat, ecosystem, and environment in order to create a three-dimensional diorama. Have older children write a short paper on their...
World Wildlife Fund
WWF Together
Animal lovers will enjoy this award-winning picturesque app which educates children and adults about the threats of endangered species.
Curated OER
Learning the Causes of Extinction
Learners are introduced to the five major reasons for extinction. In groups, they read scenarios and divide them into different categories. Using the internet, they identify which reason a certain animal became extinct. To end the...
Curated OER
Nature, Red in Tooth and Claw
Students explore the science and art of taxidermy, and research various biomes that could be depicted in museum displays. They synthesize their knowledge by creating dioramas that depict the diverse life forms typical of these biomes.
Curated OER
Animal Life Histories Derived From Morphology
Students learn the mechanisms of natural selection by deducing information from the physical appearance of the animal.
Curated OER
Forests, Deserts, & Grasslands
Third graders complete activities to become familiar with the content and vocabulary related to biomes and ecosystems in order to mainstream into the classroom.
Curated OER
Marine & Aquatic Habitats -- Journey of a Drop of Water Through a Watershed
Students discuss pollution and the steps in the hydrologic cycle. They follow a drop of water through a watershed simulation. They discover the components of a water cleaning system as well.
Curated OER
Plant and Animal Communities
Second graders discuss the six main classes of animals: insects, birds, fish, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles. They complete a variety of activities about animals. They solve animal riddles, categorize toy animals, create an animal...
Curated OER
You Can Depend on Me
Young scholars identify how they depend on others, and examine and discuss the images on the California Quarter Reverse. They view and discuss images of various habitats, complete a Habitat Research worksheet, and create a habitat diorama.
Curated OER
In the Wild
Third graders examine the concept of ecology and how animals are suited to their habitats. In this animal adaptation lesson, 3rd graders identify a variety of plants and animal species that live in a Beech forest.Students create a food...
Curated OER
Plant And Animal Adaptations
Students examine plant and animal life while looking at the environments the organismisms live in. They determine how form follows function by looking an aquatic turtle and noticing its feature of adaptation features. They work in groups...
Curated OER
Now Hear This!
Students observe the differences between low- and high-frequency sounds. They research and compare the characteristics of various animals that rely on infrasonic sounds to communicate.
Curated OER
Quadrat Studies
Young scholars use quadrats to investigate plants, animals, soils and weather. They answer questions as they fill in each quadrat. They share their information with the class.
Curated OER
Conservation and Environmental Protection
Students brainstorm a list of environments and animals from around the world that need protection. They then design and create a slogan about an animal or environment and an environmental protection poster.
Curated OER
Deserts: How Do You Define One?
Second graders identify what constitutes as a desert by reading a habitat checklist. In this environment lesson, 2nd graders read a nature website to discover facts about the desert and where they are located. Students utilize art...
Curated OER
It's all Interconnected
Students participate in a number of activities to investigate the food web, species extinction, predators and prey, and biological diversity.
Curated OER
Habitat Mural
Students build a collage of an ecosystem. The goal is for them to understand interactions in a community, plant and animal adaptations, and how all life depends on plants. This activity is based on Wump World and students describe what...
Curated OER
The Environments of Big Sur -- Which Do We Protect?
Learners investigate the geological, climatic, and biological features of Big Sur. They watch a video, conduct Internet research, and create a script and images in the form of an outline in a simulation of an environmental group.
Curated OER
The Adventure of Echo the Bat
Students compare different habitats based on satellite imagery. They identify land features in the satellite imagery.
Curated OER
Grounded for Life
Second graders become familiar with the lives of penguins including their life cycles, habitats and basic needs. Students will experience the lives of penguins through stories and video.
Curated OER
Floristic Relay
Fifth graders identify the role succession plays in the adaptation of our environment. Students identify pioneer and climax species and order habitats in succession. They recognize that different characteristics of species make them...
SF Environment
Waste-Less Lunch
Is it possible to have a waste-less lunch? Can your class become leaders in conservation? Discuss the importance of reducing waste during lunch time with a fun instructional activity that can be extended to everyday practices. First the...