New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Adaptations – Designs for Survival
What's the difference between behavioral adaptations and physical adaptations? Learn about the various ways that organisms adapt to their environment with a worksheet about the creatures of the Hudson River.
Curated OER
Reptile Adaptations
Pupils research animal adaptations. In this adaptations instructional activity, students research the physical and behavioral adaptations of animals. Pupils create a diagram of their animal labeling it's adaptations.
K12 Reader
Adapting to Survive
Life science and language arts come together in a passage about animal adaptation. After kids learn about how organisms adapt to conditions in their environments, they complete five reading comprehension questions based on context clues...
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Adapting to the Dark-Bats and People
Students consider how cavers make adaptations to the cave as do bats.
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Awesome Adaptations!
Second graders explore biology by researching animal characteristics. In this adaptation lesson, 2nd graders identify the history of several animals and research the changes that have occurred to their anatomy over thousands of years....
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Animal Adaptations
Students expand their knowledge of animal features and behaviors that can help or hinder their survival in a particular habitat. They participate in classroom discussions and visit a website to research animals
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Marine Animal and Plant Adaptations
Pupils examine nature by creating their own animals. In this animal adaptation lesson, students define scientific vocabulary terms dealing with adaptation such as sea stars, sea cucumbers and exoskeleton. Pupils utilize their adaptation...
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Religion and Ethics: Living with Special Needs
Students explore human behavior by exploring mental and physical disabilities. In this learning disability lesson plan, students identify the different disabilities students have which prevent them from working at the same pace as the...
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Invent an Insect
Explore biology by researching adaptation. First, learners research and define a list of insect vocabulary terms and discuss the benefits of each insect characteristic. They then utilize a worksheet to create their own insect and share...
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Specialized Structures and Environments
Fifth graders explore biology by completing an Internet activity in class. For this adaptation lesson, 5th graders identify several organisms and mammals that fight for their existence through slow changes to their anatomy over the...
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Creature Features
Students investigate animals and how they adapt to their environment. They design a multimedia presentation that includes information about an animal of their choice. They include a title card, habitats, adaptations, and a predator/ prey...
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Exploring Human Traits
Students explore human behavior by participating in a class science game. In this human characteristics lesson, students identify different human traits that are passed down by each generation and the purpose each of them have. Students...
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Cinderella: an Adaptation
Pupils create a list of characteristics for the heroine of a fairy tale and discuss ways these images affect behavior and self-esteem. In this, The House on Mango Street gender equity lesson, students identify common characteristics of...
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"An American Story"--The Responsibility of Citizenship
Young scholars describe the importance of being a responsible citizen. In this philanthropic actions activity, students view "An American Story" and identify examples from the movie. Young scholars discuss and recognize philanthropic...
K5 Learning
Will the Wolf
How well can a wolf survive without a pack? Third graders read about headstrong Will and his desire to be an independent wolf with a short story and series of comprehension questions.
Curated OER
Academic Raceway: Animals
This animals PowerPoint provides a race car game in which students answer a variety of questions about animals, the majority of which are based on ways in which animals adapt to their surroundings and behave to survive.
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Meet One Picky Bird
Students complete a research project For this endangered species lesson, students use the "Think, Puzzle, Explore" method to learn about endangered species. Students research and write a report on the red-cockaded woodpecker.
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Through the Eyes of an Owl
Learners describe vertebrates in terms of observable body parts and characteristics and describe life cycles of familiar organisms. They identify familiar organisms as part of a food chain or food web and describe their feeding...
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Butterflies Fly!
Chopin was a lovely composer who played the piano masterfully. Third graders are introduced to Chopin, his piano sounds, triple meter, music patterns, movement, and the waltz. They listen to his music while hearing the story Butterflies...
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Search for the Humpback Whale
Students work in teams to research and explore whale adaptations, behavior, migration, habitat, communication, and interactions with humans and present their findings.
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Life's Lessons: Survival of the Fittest
Students analyze Jack London's use of anthropomorphism to identify the importance of adaptability in life. In this literature lesson, students use the novel The Call of the Wild to identify key elements in survival. Students complete...
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Gender Equity--Cinderella: An Adaptation
Students identify characteristics common to heroines in a fairy tale and list ways images affect males and females. For this gender bias lesson, students see an adapted version of "Cinderella" and write a journal response. Students...
Curated OER
Adapting to Animal Behavior for Survival
Second graders explore animal behaviors and adaptations by researching several different animals and their habitats.
Desert Discovery
Saguaro Seasons
Elementary schoolers take a look at how the saguaro cactus adapts to the four seasons of the year. This amazing plant has distinct flowering and fruiting cycles within the summer season, and other cycles during the other seasons. Your...