Curated OER
Mapping Where Animals Live
What type of reptiles live in New York State? This instructional activity gets the class thinking about what factors determine where particular animals live. They analyze the Hudson Valley environment, identify specific reptile and...
National Science Teachers Association
Hop into Action
Young scientists find out what makes amphibians such unique and interesting animals in this simple life science lesson. After looking at pictures and discussing the characteristics of amphibians, learners complete a series of three Venn...
Curated OER
Focus on Food Chains
Third graders collect and analyze data about food chains. They conduct Internet research about the habitat of a selected organism, write a narrative, and create a computer slideshow using Kid Pix computer software that illustrates the...
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
Earth's Dramatic History
Students create a timeline. In this Earth's History lesson, students research the history of life on Earth and use the information collected to create a timeline. Students also answers the provided discussion questions.
Curated OER
Chameleons Are Cool!
Have your learners review what they know about camouflage using this lesson. Learners fill out a graphic organizer listing what they know or have questions about. This could be enhanced with the addition of a writing assignment in which...
Curated OER
Investigating Evolutionary Questions: Bats, Whales, Reptiles, Birds, Animal Classification
Students are guided through a process in which three questions are addressed by retrieving beta hemoglobin sequences from online databases, and using online tools to compare those sequences in student-selected animals.
Curated OER
Dinosaur Scavenger Hunt
Students conduct research on dinosaurs and graph the information gathered using a spreadsheet program. In pairs they complete an Internet scavenger hunt, and record five facts about dinosaurs in their science journal.
Curated OER
What Can You Learn About Dinosaurs by Watching an Ostrich?
Students collect a variety of drawings of dinosaurs and maps of a zoo. Students observe an animal in motion during a field trip to a zoo from reproducible worksheets. Students study about the process by which scientists and film...
Curated OER
The Census of Marine Life
Young scholars explain diversity and abundance in marine life. In this oceanic biology lesson plan, students collect information for various geographical areas to collect a census of marine life.
Curated OER
The Key To Classifying Animals
Explorers of the environment construct a dichotomous key for a variety of organisms and design a key to classify Galapagos animals based on descriptions and images. The lesson includes a link to an animal gallery and the worksheet for...
Curated OER
Bat Ecology
Students, through hands on games and activities, discover how bats live and how bats benefit ecosystems. They play a game designed to show them how echolocation works and another to show how mother bats locate their young through their...
Curated OER
Animal Alphabet
Second graders identify animals with each letter of the alphabet. In groups, they create a PowerPoint presentation which shows the information they have collected about each one. Using all of this information, they create an animal...
Curated OER
Connecticut Wildlife: Biodiversity and Conservation Status of Our Vertebrate Populations
Students explore the different types of vertebrates found in their area. In this environmental science lesson, students perform a case study on the Common Raven. They analyze data collected from research and create charts and graphs.
Curated OER
A Planet Full of Animals
Students study animals and practice classifying them through observation activities. In this animal classification lesson, students complete a KWL chart about animals. Students then sort pictures of animals into chart categories based on...
Curated OER
Classify That!
Learners get acquainted with diverse forms of life by using modern biological classification systems to group animals that are related. They explore basic scientific groupings like genus, species, mammals, fish, birds, amphibians, and...
Curated OER
A Planet Full of Animals
Students explore a variety of animals that live on our planet. The shapes, sizes, colors, movements, and coverings of the animals are observed. The similarities and differences in the animals are grouped according to common traits.
Curated OER
Classify That!
Students explore diverse forms of life by using modern biological classification systems to group animals that are related. Students then study basic scientific groupings like genus, species, mammals, fish, birds, amphibians, and...
Curated OER
What's Up at the Rim?
Students are sent on a scavenger hunt to find as many plants as they can in nature.
Curated OER
Learning About Animals' Bodies
Students research different animals (mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects, birds, fish) and create books, murals, dioramas, puppets, and sculptures to illustrate the necessity of various body parts for overall survival. In this animal...
Curated OER
Biology and the Digital Atlas
Students participate in a scavenger hunt on the internet. Using a digital atlas, they find answers to specific questions related to plants found in Idaho. To end the lesson, they share their results to the class to discover what happens...
Desert Discoveries
Dinosaur Quiz
Young scientists explore the world of dinosaurs. They engage in a variety of activities designed to help correct misconceptions about dinosaurs, and which help them to determine which animals are dinosaurs and which are not. There is a...
Desert Discoveries
Desert Tortoise: Fact or Fiction?
Here is a good game that will determine which team knows the most about the Sonoran Desert tortoise. There are 16 questions posed, and the answers are printed in bold for the benefit of the teacher. Question # 16 reads, "Desert tortoise...