Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reptile and Amphibian Defense Strategies

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students study the stages of the Eastern newt either by collecting a live specimen or from pictures. They note the colors of the eft stage before reading the "Eastern Newt Species Account" that shows the newt's life stages, migration,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Desert Tortoise Adaptations

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students observe the Desert Tortoise in its natural surroundings. In this adaptations instructional activity, students study and take pictures of an animal in its habitat, then design a PowerPoint which addresses adaptations,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Can You Learn About Dinosaurs by Watching an Ostrich?

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students collect a variety of drawings of dinosaurs and maps of a zoo. Students observe an animal in motion during a field trip to a zoo from reproducible worksheets. Students study about the process by which scientists and film...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Frog's Life Story

For Teachers K - 8th
Students investigate the lives of frogs by completing several worksheets.  In this biology lesson plan, students discover the life cycle of a frog from tadpole to death.  Students complete frog life cycle puzzle as well as...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Home Sweet Home

For Teachers K - 4th
Students examine the animals that live in trees. They identify their sounds, footprints and droppings. They draw pictures of the animals as well.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Predator Prey Population Links

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders relate population of animals to its available food supply. They participate in an experiment and gather information. They use the data to draw conclusions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Habitats: Cactus Hotel

For Teachers K - 2nd
A reading of Brenda Z. Guiberson’s, Cactus Hotel, launches a study of animal habitats. Working with parent volunteers or teacher aides, groups travel outside the classroom to select a habitat, take digital pictures, and incorporate the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mealworm Metamorphosis

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students observe offspring (mealworms) that do not initially resemble their parent organism (darkling beetles) throughout complete metamorphosis. They also create and maintain an appropriate habitat for the mealworms.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's Up at the Rim?

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students are sent on a scavenger hunt to find as many plants as they can in nature.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

It Takes All Kinds!

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students view video clips and observe similarities and differences between animals. They sort animals into groups for a zoo. They make a graph of their observations and review scientific classifications.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Classification of Animals

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders practice classiyfying items and identify three major characteristics scientists use to classify animals. They describe the differences between ectothermic and endothermic animals.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Spy on a Spider

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students view slides or live specimens to name and describe the distinguishing features of groups of arthropods, especially spiders and insects. They complete worksheets, observe webs and then search for and record where spiders can be...