Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl Matilda Lesson Plans
Fifty eye-catching pages contain six lessons about Roald Dahl's novel, Matilda. Each lesson has a theme and covers a different subject—literacy, social-emotional learning, science, and geography. Scholars analyze characters, examine...
University of Minnesota
Mirroring Emotions
Do you ever give your class the "teacher look"? Without saying a word, they become silent and engaged (hopefully). How do they know what you're thinking? Explore the concept of nonverbal communication and how it relates to our mirror...
Curated OER
My Insect Report
Is your class writing a report on insects? If they are, you have to check out this great set of worksheets. It provides a well-scaffolded system they can use to organize their research findings in order to compose a well-structured...
Smithsonian Institution
Trait Tracker
Help mice beat the odds with an exciting activity about traits. Biologists discover the role of diet and other factors on animal traits by participating in a simulation activity. Teams collect and evaluate data to understand how certain...
PBS
Out and About
Field guides are a like a window into an ecosystem. Young scientists collaborate to create their own field guides by recording observations from a local ecosystem. Ideally, they collect information over time to create a more complete...
American Museum of Natural History
Going, Going...Gone?
Young environmentalists consider how scientists are attempting to save endangered species. They read about what causes extinction and steps to take to minimize the threats.
National Wildlife Federation
Bats: Maligned or Malicious?
Most people couldn't name the positive qualities of bats. Learners discover how bats benefit the environment and then create a concept map to summarize the information. After their reading, they identify misconceptions people have about...
National Wildlife Federation
At-Risk Species
Certain behaviors make species vulnerable to extinction and others protect them. By studying species that are currently endangered, learners draw conclusions about these behaviors. They then apply their conclusions to healthy species and...
National Wildlife Federation
Create a Fish
Don't just teach learners to fish, but to create fish. The class discusses fish heads and predicts whether where the fish might live and what it eats. Given an index card with a fish adaptation written on it, pupils construct an...
National Wildlife Federation
Who Is Faster?
Am I going to catch it? Individuals time how long it takes them to walk, jog, and run a given distance and calculate their speed. They then research two animals and find their speeds. Using a chart, pupils compare the speeds of the...
Purdue University
Chirp! Chirp!
If you build it, they will come. Young scholars learn about local birds in an interesting hands-on instructional activity. They begin by identifying birds either from photos or in nature and then build their own bird feeders. The...
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Amazing Birds
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...
Channel Islands Film
Dark Water: Lesson Plan 2 - Grade 3
A discussion of bioluminescence launches an investigation of animal adaptations. After re-watching the opening minutes of Dark Water, class members listen to a reading of What Do You Do with a Tail Like This, and then create a new animal...
Michigan State University
All About Rodents
Get to the know the common house mouse and the Norway rat with an activity that reinforces reading comprehension skills. Scholars read a three-page document detailing key information about mammals, specifically rodents, and use their...
Curated OER
The Gopher Tortoise
Can you believe the gopher tortoise was around when the dinosaurs were walking the Earth. Learn all about this creature that is one of Florida's most popular reptiles. Hands-on-activities and a glossary full of scientific terms make this...
Scholastic
Awesome Adaptations
Engaged learners discover how an owl beak works and how animals adapt to their environment. This task is part one of a three-part series.
Scholastic
Minibeasts
Lead young scientists to discover insects outdoors. After investigating, students will record observations, learn about these fascinating creatures, craft, and role play.
National Wildlife Federation
Penguin Fun Facts
What's black and white and can dive up to 1,800 feet under water? That's right, penguins! Learn this and many other amazing facts about these unique birds with this handy reference sheet.
Consortium for Ocean Science Exploration and Engagement (COSEE)
Fish Morphology
Life comes in all different shapes and sizes, and fish are no exception. Here, young scientists create fish prints as they learn how specific characteristics allow different species to survive in their particular habitats.
Curated OER
Animal Adaptations
Young scientists explore the animal kingdom from the safety of the classroom with this short research project. After first choosing an animal, children use the Internet to discover where it lives, what it eats, and how it has adapted to...
Berkshire Museum
Camouflage!: Collecting Data and Concealing Color
Help young scholars see the important role camouflage plays in the survival of animals with a fun science lesson. Starting with an outdoor activity, children take on the role of hungry birds as they search for worms represented by...
Royal BC Museum
Kids Page - Whales
Read about the physical features of whales and how they are grouped according to their method of eating food. A neat activity is described on the page; consider carrying this out in class. The resource makes a nice addition to a lesson...
California Academy of Science
Coincidental Colonization
The Galápagos Islands are an amazing place of isolated adaptation, colonized by an interesting mix of plants and animals. The class plays a game to help them understand how these organisms came to live on the island through a combination...