Curated OER
Responses to Changes in the Environment
Fourth graders study ecosystems, and see how plants and animals must adapt to changes in their environment in order to survive. Pictures of the snow shoe hare in the winter and summer are shown. Learners determine that the change in...
California Academy of Science
A Day in the Life of a San Francisco Native Animal
Before Google, before Sillicon Valley, before the Gold Rush, the San Francisco landscape was a biome filled with grizzly bears, mule deer, tule elk, coyotes, gray fox, gophers, and moles. To explore the early days of yesteryear, kids...
California Academy of Science
A Day inthe Life of a San Francisco Native Animal
Although the lesson is specifically about the San Francisco Bay area, it's good enough to be adapted to any local region. Children research what the landscape in San Francisco was like prior to settlement, they consider the types of...
Curated OER
Lesson Plans for Winter
Students participate in several winter-themed lessons. In this seasonal lesson, students study penguins and polar bears by animal masks for dramatic play. Additionally, students construct winter calendars and celebrate the season of...
Curated OER
Habitat Basics
First graders get out and explore two different habitats to examine how each one meets the needs of the plants and animals that dwell there. They discuss what they've learned about animal habitats as they explore the outdoor environment....
Curated OER
Exploring Animal Habitats: Winter Changes
Students explore animals during the winter months. They discuss the changes that animals make during winter in order to survive. Students discuss migration, hibernation, and staying active during winter months. Students create various...
Curated OER
Winter Survival
Students examine what animals need in order to survive. In this investigative lesson students play a "role" of an animal in winter.
Prince William Network
Migration Math Madness
A great way to incorporate math into life science, this instructional activity has learners measure migratory routes on a map and calculate the actual distance that shorebirds on the routes would cover. Learners compute the distance...
Curated OER
Modernizing a Traditional Irish Folktale
Learners write their own folktales based on "Cathal O'Cruachan and the Cowherd." In discussions they examine the animal symbolism in the story, as well as the characters, events, problems, and solution. With partners, they select...
Curated OER
In Arctic Waters
In this reading comprehension and following directions worksheet, students read facts about Arctic waters, the Inuit, Arctic animal adaptations, polar bears, walruses, seals, narwhal, Beluga whales and create a mix-and-match animal...
Biology Junction
Amphibians
Biologists know of more than 2,300 living species of amphibians. Learn more about the four orders of amphibians with an interesting presentation. It explains the similarities and differences between the thousands of species of...
Curated OER
A Day in the Life of a San Francisco Native Animal
Learners write from an animal's perspective. In this writing lesson plan students explore the landscape of San Francisco prior to the arrival of the explorers. Learners research animals indigenous to the area.
Curated OER
Habitat Crossword Puzzle
In this science learning exercise, students will read the clues to identify the various habitats of living creatures. Using the 18 clues, students will complete the crossword puzzle of horizontal and vertical answers.
Curated OER
Academic Raceway 500
This PowerPoint provides a raceway game in which students compete by answering animal questions correctly to advance their racecar. The main animal themes covered are adaptation, survival, endangered and extinct animals, and ways to...
Curated OER
The Sharp Adaptations of Porcupines
In this porcupine instructional activity, students learn about how porcupines adapt to their lives in the woods and how they use their quills. After reading a short text and analyzing the labeled pictures, students answer 3 short answer...
Curated OER
Get Ready, Get Set, Hibernate
Students match each body part or idea from a work bank about methods of animal adaptations for winter survival. They observe as the first one, food is covered with the whole class before completing the rest of the diagram. They discuss...
Curated OER
In My Backyard
In this backyard wildlife activity, students read and complete activities on 6 pages. Students make a mini book to read that pertains to common backyard wildlife. Students read about signs of animal life and learn about wildlife...
Curated OER
Hawaii's Migratory Animals
Students act as travel agents to plan a trip for a migratory animal. They conduct research and design a travel brochure that includes a migratory route, illustrations of planned stopovers and special tourist attractions the animal might...
Curated OER
Polar Bear Adaptations
Students explore the adaptations that are made by polar bears. They discuss the color of polar bears as well as the dominant color that is found in the arctic. Students create a polar bear puppet.
Curated OER
Blue Planet: Frozen Seas
Students study the animals from the Arctic and how they have adapted. In this ocean lesson students create a poster about their given animal and present it to the class.
Curated OER
Focus Story: The Mitten
Students explore language arts by analyzing a story with their classmates. In this poetry identification lesson, students read the book The Mittens and identify the characters, plot and settings in the story. Students recite poems about...
Curated OER
They Don't Just Eat Grass
Students consider the USDA daily recommendations to create a "feed" product for middle schoolers. In this Health lesson, students learn about the ingredients in feed that is fed to livestock and apply the method to creating feed rations...
Curated OER
The Five Classes of Vertebrates
In this vertebrates classification worksheet, 5th graders unscramble 15 words to find answers to clues. Each clue gives information about the characteristics of vertebrates.
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...