Curated OER
Animal Signs
Students discuss the many different types of animal signs that can be used to identify and track animals. They participate in an hands-on activity in which they examine tracks, trails, homes, territory markings, and even "scat" left by...
Curated OER
Ecology Lessons
Students examine the relationship between animal adaptations, habitats and community interactions. In this ecology instructional activity students complete a skull detective worksheet then use their knowledge to analyze a skull.
Desert Discoveries
Keepers of the Prairie
Young ecologists examine the case of the prairie dog, and their near extinction. They read a terrific student handout embedded in the plan, and engage in a class discussion that's based on what they read. Learners perform research on...
Curated OER
A Wild Chain Reaction
Students explore habitats. In this habitat lesson, students break into groups and are labeled as a part of a habitat. Students then do an activity with yarn that shows how all of the parts are connected and depend on each...
Curated OER
Zoo Habitat Design
Students design a zoo habitat for an animals. In this zoo habitat lesson, students develop an idea for a zoo habitat that would meet the needs of a specific animal. They solve problems that might be encountered by using their knowledge...
Curated OER
Our Zoo Friends
First graders plan and create a model zoo depicting the natural habitats of animals. Their models include animals and a display of written factual information about the animals. Students present their project by conductig a tour of...
Curated OER
Explore Your Natural Habitat
Students identify habitats and understand why they are important to our environment. In this environmental lesson plan students design their own habitat, observe and record data on the impact their habitat has on the environment.
Curated OER
Seaworthy Presentations
First graders research ocean animals and plants on the web. In this ocean habitat lesson, 1st graders prepare a multimedia presentation. Students will work on their presentations in pairs and every group should have its own...
Curated OER
A Hungry Cat Searches
Students listen to story Panther: Shadow of the Swamp, and examine how loss of habitat impacts panthers in the Everglades; students alphabetize names of plants and animals found in the Everglades by initial and second letter.
Curated OER
These Maps are for the Birds
Students identify and study New York State Breeding Bird Atlas maps to learn where different bird species nest and how their distributions have changed over time. They also identify how maps serve as representations of a geographic...
Curated OER
Teaching Kids about the Environment
Fifth graders identify the species of plants and animals found in an environment. They compare these findings to plant and animal species found in an unlike environment. Students acquire and compare soil samples from the two sites chosen.
Curated OER
Layers of the Forest
Students explore rain forests. For this rain forest ecosystems lesson, students identify and describe the layers of the rain forest. Students paint and decorate a large rain forest mural. Students write riddles about animals that...
Curated OER
Ecosystem Interactions in Refuges
Seventh graders, using national parks as models, illustrate the energy flow in ecosystems. Working in groups, they use murals, flow charts, or other visual displays to record their findings. Students represent the food chains and webs...
Curated OER
"ART ZOO 'Blacks in the Westward Movement', 'What Can You Do with a Portrait', and 'Of Beetles, Worms, and Leaves of Grass'"
Students study black history, examine portraits and portrait making and create their own portraits, and investigate their natural environment. This humanities lesson provides a text that can be used to teach lessons in black...
Curated OER
Causal Patterns in Ecosystems Section 3
Students design and create a worm and worm free compost tanks for observation of decay in ecosystems. They make predictions, care, and revist tanks using their journals for observation and data collection.
California Academy of Science
Coral Reef Habitat Match
Different animals live in different habitats, and each animal has specifically adaptive traits that make them tailor-made for their environments. This is true on land and in the ocean. Little ones examine how various marine animals have...
Curated OER
School Forest
Sixth graders explore the concept of biodiversity. In this biodiversity activity, 6th graders discover a variety of planets and animals that live in forests, and how a rotting log benefits that environment. Students also...
Curated OER
Desert Plant Detectives
Learners examine and categorize plants in their own schoolyard desert garden and then observe other plant areas of their schoolyard.
Curated OER
Week 7: Animal Adaptations - Bird Beaks
Young scholars use tools to represent bird beaks and pick up different types of food with them in order to discover which beak would help the bird survive depending on their food type.
Curated OER
Roxaboxen
Third graders discuss the story "Roxaboxen." In this reading comprehension lesson, 3rd graders discover new vocabulary words, discuss the story using story mapping, and take a reading test. Students investigate safety in the desert and...
Curated OER
Science: Teddy Bear Nation
Students sort teddy bears according to types and then graph the results. They each bring a bear to class and then discuss their similarities and differences. Once the bears have been sorted into groups according to size and color,...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Lesson 2: Gorongosa National Park
How has Gorongosa National Park changed over time? Discover the park's rich history, dating back to primitive human times, through an interactive timeline and scientific reading. The second installment in an eight-part series explores...
Curated OER
I'm Not Home Alone
Students view species of plants and animals in their native habitats. They design a classroom habitat and create a plan for raising the necessary funds to accomplish their project.
Curated OER
DID YOU HELP CREATE THIS
Students examine whether their actions are positively or negatively affecting organisms and their habitats. They choose an animal to study then create a multimedia presentation including charts and graphs of data logger information and...