National Science Teachers Association
Hop into Action
Young scientists find out what makes amphibians such unique and interesting animals in this simple life science lesson. After looking at pictures and discussing the characteristics of amphibians, learners complete a series of three Venn...
Curated OER
4th Grade Life Science Unit: Animals
Fourth graders classify animals. In this animal kingdom lesson plan, 4th graders research animal habitats and behaviors. Students connect to a zoologist via SKYPE and learn about animal classification. Students blog about preserving...
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Classifying Deep-Sea Organisms
Young scientists access the EARTH Web site in order to engage in this lesson life forms found in the ocean. Student groups of 3 - 4 choose one set of deep-sea organism images. The groups decide how they would classify their organisms and...
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Classification and Identification
Students, after exploring and analyzing diagrammatic and taxonomic keys and their association to marine sciences, identify and classify objects and organisms based on visual attributes/characteristics. They research and create their own...
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Seaside Science
Learners research sea life using laptop computers. In this sea life lesson plan, students participate in a field trip to the beach and enter observations into their laptop computers. Learners classify shells and sea life.
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Classification Practice-Animals
Students use pictures of animals to make a classification system. In this classification lesson plan, students are given pictures of different animals. They create a classification system for the animals and identify what they have in...
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The Life Cycle of the Mealworm
Fourth graders provide a habitat for live mealworms and observe their life cycle. In this animal life cycle and scientific inquiry lesson, 4th graders create a habitat for a live mealworm and observe and record related data as it grows....
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The Game of Life
Young scholars explore the game of life which refers to what happens to a species when most of the population is gone. In this endangered species activity, students describe what it means for a marine animal to be endangered. Young...
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Introduction to Classification
Fourth graders design a classification system to categorize animate and inanimate objects. They discuss the advantages of grouping things as they classify buttons, leaves, shells.
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Sorting Things Out
Written to examine seeds that grow in Kansas, you can adapt this lesson to anywhere you live. Learners sort a mixture of five different seeds to by any characteristic of their choice. When your budding scientists are exploring the life...
National Wildlife Federation
Box Turtle Interview
Imagine life as a box turtle. Learners study the characteristics of box turtles and then assume the role in an interview. They show their understanding of how a box turtle lives by responding to a series of questions.
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The Game of Life
Students describe what it means for a marine animal or fish to be threatened or endangered after playing game simulating extinction.
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The Key To Classifying Animals
Explorers of the environment construct a dichotomous key for a variety of organisms and design a key to classify Galapagos animals based on descriptions and images. The lesson includes a link to an animal gallery and the worksheet for...
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Classification of Intertidal Organisma
Students categorize animals. In this animal classification lesson, students group animals by their characteristics. Students break into groups and work together to classify the animals. Students fill out a graphic organizer with their...
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The Art of Science: Glitter Bottles and Oobleck
After having a class discussion on the three states of matter, young scientists utilize the wonderful substance, Oobleck in order to experience something that changes states of matter. They also create "sparkle jars" which...
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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.
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The Journey of the Pacific Salmon
Learners examine the journey of the Pacific salmon. In this salmon species lesson plan, students review the stages of the salmon life cycle and conduct an experiment to determine how the water and habitat changes during each stage.
Captain Planet Foundation
Which Plant Is Which?
Learn about dichotomous keys, plant identification, and how to care for the planet with a lesson that includes several hands-on and innovative activities. Kids go on a plant scavenger hunt and classify the plants that they find...
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education
Machines
What do science and dance have in common? Simple machines, work, and force! First, children discuss machines, wheels, inclined planes, and wedges. They create inclined planes with their bodies and make up dances about wheels and wedges....
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Animals Galore
A well-designed lesson which covers the characteristics of the animals found in the six animal groups is here for your young biologists. In it, learners divide up into six groups; the amphibians, reptiles, mammals, birds, fish, and...
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Life And Death
Students participate in an interactive game to review how living things are classified.
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Analyzing Intertidal and Deep Sea Vent Communities
Students study how scientists measure diversity. In this diversity lesson students look at marine communities and look at data to calculate diversity in 3 different ways.
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Seed Dispersal
Students determine seed dispersal methods. In this life science activity, students make predictions about how seeds might move, then look at seeds under micrographs or microscopes to analyze the seed coat and how this helps dispersal. ...
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SORTING ALL SORTS
Learners examine how the method of classification is used. In this sorting lesson students take a pre-test, classify organisms and complete a crossword puzzle.