Curated OER
Biodiversity in an Estuary
High schoolers investigate the biodiversity in estuaries. In this estuary lesson plan, students use Google Earth to explore the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. They produce a biodiversity concept map and portray the life...
Curated OER
Nature Superfish
Students study the behavior or ocean animals called billfish. In this life science lesson, students create their own documentary about a local animal. They share their videos with the entire school.
National Park Service
Subalpine Web
The theory of keystone species in an ecosystem was first established in 1969 by Robert T. Paine. Pupils open the final lesson in a five-part series with a game guessing which member of the alpine ecosystem they are based on clues. After...
Michigan State University
Friend or Foe?
What one person thinks is a pest may not be a pest to someone else. Here, scholars examine the characteristics of living things and pests through grand conversation and a variety of activities. Class members play a game of pest or not a...
Curated OER
Winter
Students examine how animals adapt to the harsh New England winter. They discuss articles they have read on the subject.
Curated OER
Natural Selection And Evolution
Middle schoolers investigate the concept of evolution and how natural selection is used as an indicator that evolution has happened. They recognize the three effects it has on diversity and how adaptations can develop. Diversity is...
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Goals of the Diversity of Life Unit
Students are introduced to the unit on the importance of diversity of life and the role that interdependence plays in our worlds. this is part of a multi-lesson unit on the diversity of life.
Curated OER
The Plant and Animal Walk
Students draw pictures and write words to describe objects and experiences. They observe outside and draw at least three animals and three plants. Students observe plants and animals describing how they are alike and how they are...
Curated OER
I Will Survive!
The students will be given approximately five minutes to individually brainstorm general plant and animals adaptations that they already know about. The class will use these as a starting point to develop a KWL chart specific to desert...
Curated OER
Beaver Ecology
Students explore the lives of bgeahvers. They identify the physical and behavioral adaptations that help beavers survive in their environment. Students compare and contrast how beavers influence the ecology of both forest and aquatic...
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Ecosystems and Climate
Students examine climatic effects on ecosystems. They plant tomatoes and observe the differences in plant growth with differences in light. They create picture collages of plants, animals, and insects found in each climate of the U.S.
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Wild Animal Science
Learners discover how environmental factors impact the survival of a population. In this landscape design lesson, students create a new animal and discuss the relationship between the animal and its environment before creating a habitat...
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Habitat Mural
Young scholars 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...
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Habitats and Deep Sea Environments
Young scholars examine and identify the characteristics of the four zones of the ocean. They discover the amount of diversity in marine habitats. They also explore the adaptations organisms have that have allowed them to survive.
Curated OER
Our Lives and the Four Seasons
Students compare and contrast the four seasons. Using this information, they determine the plant, animal and environmental activities that can be enjoyed in each season. They discuss why the seasons must change and how humans adapt to them.
Curated OER
Color Crazy
First graders create their own brightly colored animals. In this animal adaptations lesson, 1st graders create an animal that is brightly colored but can blend into it's environment.
Curated OER
Rain Reasons
Students explore how climatic factors influence the growth of plants. They create an experiment to find how variations in water, light, and temperature affect plant growth and describe how precipitation and geography can affect the...
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Critter Museum
Students act as directors of a new science museum where they have decided to set up a display of animals without backbones that are found in the area. To organize their display, they need to sort and classify a collection of animals and...
Curated OER
Edible Soil
Students model the soils layers using Oreo's. In this lesson students use their favorite food items to create a model of soil layers. A discovery lesson from a youth camp is adapted for classroom modeling and discussion of soil...
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Hot Foot
Students investigate temperature and its possible effect on living things. They predict, measure, record and compare air and sand at different beach locations. They examine plant and animal adaptations in the same habitat.
Curated OER
Natural Inquirer
Students interview wildlife experts to gain information needed to research and write a report about an aquatic plant or animal affected by climate change.
Curated OER
Amazing Aussie Animals
Fourth graders are introduced to Australian animals through a PowerPoint presentation. They choose an animal of interest and conduct in-depth research using several websites. They design a presentation with their findings.
Curated OER
Design a Pollinator
Pupils make a scientific drawing of a pollinator with at least five traits that make them well adapted to a given plant(s). They describe in their science notebook the adaptations that make their pollinator well suited to a given plant.
Curated OER
Pond Exploration
Pupils take a hands-on approach to explore the world beneath the water in this activity. They examine the creatures they catch to study about the adaptations these animals have that allow them to survive in this harsh environment. They...