National Wildlife Federation
Massive Migrations
Turn your students into flocks of migratory birds for this fun lesson on animal migration. Prior to the activity, the teacher creates four different migration routes in the classroom or any available open space, labeling nesting...
National Gardening Association
Migration Mishaps
Elementary ecologists pretend to be migratory hummingbirds. They fly between wintering and nesting grounds, trying to reach a habitat haven. In a musical-chair fashion, some birds will miss out, and are removed from the game. To further...
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...
Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey
The Great Peregrine Scavenger Hunt - On the Internet
The story of one bird provides valuable insight into general animal behaviors and interactions. Young researchers investigate the peregrine falcon using a web search. They analyze the behaviors of the raptor including its migration...
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Butterflies without Borders
Some living things go to extreme measures to avoid the cold. A three-part activity guides learners through the migration of the monarch butterfly. After studying the life cycle of the monarch butterfly, pupils learn the process of...
Curated OER
Marine Animal Tracking
Middle schoolers engage in a lesson which serves as an introduction to the ideas and implications of animal tracking. They monitor animal foraging behavior on a spatial scale. The students break into groups and track each other's...
Curated OER
Our Way of Life
Pupils interview Native American Elders about animal migration, traditional food gathering, and subsistence. They research endangered animals, draw a game cycle, and create maps of local migration of animals.
Curated OER
Animals
Students research and study animals. In this animals lesson, students draw pictures of animal movements and create animals books. This activity is meant to be a culminating activity for a unit on animals.
Curated OER
Bats: Need Nectar, Will Travel
Beginning wildlife biologists become adult bats, baby bats, snakes, owls, bobcats, or land-clearing developers in a grand role-playing activity. In a large open space, they play a game in which they move to designated areas based on what...
Advocates for Human Rights
Nativism and Myths about Immigrants
Where do anti-immigrants myths come from, and how can they be refuted? Learners critically analyze media reports and how to identify reliable sources. After studying a timeline that details the history of US nativism, groups research the...
Curated OER
Why Do Geese Fly South For the Winter?
Fifth graders examine migration by tracing animal migration routes on a map. In this animal life lesson, 5th graders observe a map of North America and read about the migration patterns of geese. Students trace the path most geese take...
WindWise Education
What is Wind Power's Risk to Birds?
How is risk determined? Through the use of a reading passage, individuals or groups learn about bird interactions with man made structures along with wind turbines. Pupils use information from the second reading passage to conduct an...
Curated OER
Stunts & Tumbling Unit
Students, through play and use of a Hyperstudio Stack, identify animals and the way they walk, and then imitate their movements through a game. They gain motor skills through stunts and tumbling activities. This is mainly for...
Curated OER
Spatial Characterization of Animal Movement
Learners identify biotic and abiotic factors which may alter the observed patterns in plant communities with different structural characteristics, climate, or environmental constraints.
Curated OER
Nomad Land
Students explore the migratory movements of animals as they monitor their own movements throughout the school day. Climatic and feeding conditions are examined as cues for the movement.
Curated OER
Monarch Migration
Third graders investigate the life cycle of the Monarch butterfly. They experiment with various tools to simulate the mouth parts of insects, conduct research, record their observations of butterflies hatching, write a play, complete...
Curated OER
No Magic Borders: Haleakala Style
Students discuss borders and boundaries. They discuss pollution and the fact that boundaries cannot stop pollution and that pollution affects even protected wildlife and plants. They participate in an activity in which they must place...
Curated OER
Journey of the Salmon
Third graders predict salmon migration routes and explore how dams affect the salmon migration. They explore the cultural significance of salmon to the Nez Perce people and design technology to aid salmon migration.
Curated OER
Desert Views - First Impressions: Travelers on the Gila Trail
Students draw animals and plants that are described to them as they read passages of people who traveled across the Gila Trail in the Southwest. In this Gila Trail lesson plan, students also write a letter describing a plant or animal in...
Curated OER
Cycles of Life in an Urban Habitat: Changes in Biodiversity
Second graders compare and contrast animate and inanimate objects. In this environmental science lesson, 2nd graders create simple food webs. They observe their environment and create a collage about it.
Curated OER
What's the Difference?
Students analyze the similarities in different species. This activity is part of a multi-segmented unit on the diversity of life. In this segment, students classify shoes to mimic the scientific categories of the classification system.
Curated OER
Reptile and Amphibian Defense Strategies
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,...
Curated OER
Wild Animal Science
Students 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...
Curated OER
My Happy Habitat
Students observe and discuss the Idaho state quarter to begin an activity in which they define and draw different types of habitats. They discuss the habitats that the migrating Peregrine falcon, which appears on the Idaho quarter,...