Education Outside
Creature Jeopardy!
After conducting research on a given scientific animal name, group members take a walk around their school and look for the specified animals in that classification. Then, they come back to their worksheets and create five creative clues...
Science 4 Inquiry
The Ups and Downs of Populations
Life has its ups and downs ... especially if you're an animal! Biology scholars engage in a population study through an inquiry-based lesson. Pupils work together to explore the factors that affect deer populations, then examine the...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Niche Partitioning Activity
Dinnertime on the African savanna is a highly choreographed event! Introduce young ecologists to the concept of niche partitioning through a hands-on activity. Pupils research animal behaviors and use data to develop an understanding of...
Cheetah Outreach
Introduction to Cheetah
Transform your classroom into the African savannah, a mountain range, the forest, and an urban environment! Young scientists embark on an imaginary field study observing various cat species in native habitats and recording in field guides.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Scientific Inquiry Using WildCam Gorongosa
How do scientists determine what questions to ask to meet their research goals? Help your class develop an inquiry mindset with a lesson based on studies in the Gorongosa National Park. Partners create their own research questions by...
American Museum of Natural History
Endangered Species Game
Multiple factors affect the survival of endangered species. A hands-on activity has learners explore those factors. They play a board game that highlights factors such as human influence, habitat availability, and new species introduction.
Curated OER
Happy Habitats
Students explore different habitats. In this habitat lesson, students investigate four different habitats through participating in a WebQuest. Students create an animal web using Kidspiration or a video documentary upon completing the...
Curated OER
Animal Signs
Students discuss the many different types of animal signs that can be used to identify and track animals. They participate in an hands-on activity in which they examine tracks, trails, homes, territory markings, and even "scat" left by...
Curated OER
Move it Like An Animal
Students investigate how animals move. In this animals lesson, students use pictures of animals and demonstrate how each of them moves from place to place.
Curated OER
Animal Adaptations
Students focus on the pelts of fur-bearing animals native to Iowa to discover their different adaptations. In this animal adaptation lesson plan, students work in groups and examine various pelts to find information about the animals...
Curated OER
Vacancy: Habitats Available!
Sixth graders pick a native animal and write a classified housing ad to match the animal's habitat requirements, paste it on posterboard and then try to match each habitat with the animal it represents.
Curated OER
Introducing Habitats and Biodiversity
Students identify habitats in Arizona. Theys define and illustrate a food web, and explain the importance fo biodiversity.
ReadWriteThink
Webcams in the Classroom: Animal Inquiry and Observation
Boost observational skills with an inquiry-based lesson that takes scholars on a virtual field trip. With help from webcams, learners observe animals in a zoo or aquarium. Observations go into a journal and a discussion is held to review...
SeaWorld
Design a Fish
Craft some neat refrigerator magnets while studying ocean animals with a lesson about the anatomy of a fish. After kids learn about the different parts and shapes of fish, they use modeling compound to design their own fish.
August House
Anansi and the Tug o' War
Combine art, math, language arts, drama, and delicious Jell-o with a instructional activity based on the African folktale Anansi and the Tug o' War. Kids make predictions and discuss plot points of the story before joining in...
American Museum of Natural History
Calculating a Biodiversity Index
Biodiversity refers to the variety of animal and plant species in a specific habitat. With a collaborative activity, the habitat becomes a page from the white pages, and the species are the surnames in the book. Learners calculate the...
Curated OER
Animal Habitats and Their Management
Students review components present for a quality animal habitat and then explore a goose pond to find out what animals reside there. They learn how wildlife managers work with the land so everything can co-exist together.
Curated OER
Living On Earth
Students discover the many different animals within various habitats and discover how each individual species interacts with its particular environment. Through charting different animals and their distinct habitat and matching animals...
Columbus City Schools
Get Your Organisms Organized
From large to small, show your class how to organize them all! Included within the guide is everything you need to take their knowledge of classification from the cellular to the species level. The worksheets focus on building vocabulary...
Curated OER
Carrying Capacity
Young biologists identify how plants and animals are affected by changes in their ecosystem and environment. The concepts of succession, maintenance of habitats, interrelationships, and adaptation are all discussed. This well-developed...
Curated OER
Burs in Your Furs
Students explore the concept of animal welfare. In this wild animal habitats lesson, students discover the work of wild animals in sustaining their habitats as they participate in a classroom simulation. Students discuss how wildlife...
Curated OER
Marine Animal Tracking
Students engage in a lesson which serves as an introduction to the ideas and implications of animal tracking. They monitor animal foraging behavior on a spatial scale. The students break into groups and track each other's movements as...
Curated OER
Is There Room for Everybody?
Third graders examine the capacity of animals able to live in one habitat. In this habitat lesson plan, 3rd graders play a game that shows the food chain and the interactions between animals in an area. Students discover that food is a...
Curated OER
Have You Seen Me? An Introductory Lesson on the Loss of Biodiversity
Students investigate environmental law and policies involving endangered species as well as discuss human impact on biodiversity through an Internet research project. Students create a milk carton of their "missing" endangered species.