American Museum of Natural History
Life in the City
Believe it or not, biodiversity exists even in areas of disturbed habitat. An interactive activity challenges learners to look for species with a magnifying lens in an image of a city habitat. Pop-up images and descriptions explain how...
Curated OER
Ugly? Says Who?
Students explore biology by writing animal poetry in class. In this animal characteristics lesson plan, students research the Internet for facts about an "ugly" animal such as a bug or small critter. Students complete worksheets about...
Curated OER
Bugs Lesson Plan
Students complete a unit of lessons on insects. They participate in a bug hunt, construct paper flowers, discuss pollination, create bug paperweights and insect mobiles, play bug charades, and participate in a bug scavenger hunt.
Curated OER
Weather "Why"
Students research weather and explore how to use their research information. In this weather information instructional activity, students visit a given website for weather forecasts. Students graph the weather, sing weather songs and...
Curated OER
The Giant Barrel Sponge
Students study barrel sponges. In this science and art lesson, students discuss what sponges are, create their own sponge, and share what they created with the rest of the class.
Curated OER
Is It Alive?
First graders explore living things and their habitats. They create an original It's Alive! book to demonstrate what they have learned.
Curated OER
Investigating Soil
Fourth graders swap local soil samples with another school and examine the differences. They research soil properties, identify organisms that live in soil, create and maintain a biome of soil decomposition and design a poster to present...
Curated OER
Bug Village
Learners create small "villages" of rock bugs in this cute Art instructional activity using blocks of wood, glue guns, rocks, acorns, and sticks. The instructional activity includes resource links and pictures of the finished product in...
Curated OER
Nouns and Verbs and Proper Nouns, Oh My!
Second graders identify nouns and verbs in written communication. They distinguish between between nouns, proper nouns, and verbs. Students discuss the difference between these parts of speech. In partners, 2nd graders write a sentences...
Curated OER
Couch Potato
Show your class that being active is more fun than being a couch potato! A fun tag game teachers learners about making healthy eating choices. Over 125,000 teachers have reviewed this activity, and many have written comments about how...
Curated OER
Shapes are Everywhere
Second graders gain an understanding of geometric shapes and spatial reasoning. They learn the attributes of solid shapes in everyday activities. Students compare geometric shapes to everday objects, finding things that serve a purpose...
Curated OER
Habitat Happenings
Students examine the characteristics of the Prairie Creek Habitat in Illinois. In groups, they travel between various stations writing haikus and reading brochures. They identify what occurs in each habitat and identify the animals...
Curated OER
Animals and Plants of BC's Rocky Shore
Students fill out a fact sheet and look at diagrams of BC's shore and the animals that live there. In this habitat lesson plan, students discuss the plants and animals and the different zones they live in.
Curated OER
Oh, Baby!
Learners explore one's goals and dreams using a combination of research and imagination. They produce a web site that portrays a vision of one's future. They plan, conduct and write up an informal journalistic interview.
Curated OER
The Magic School Bus Takes a Dive
Learners learn along with Ms. Frizzle's class. In this Magic School Bus lesson plan, students find out how partners can help run a race just as Wanda learns that survival on the coral reef often depends on cooperation.
Curated OER
Soil Treasure Hunt
Students explore the concept of soil and decomposition. In this soil and decomposition lesson, students investigate bags of soil. Students then learn how animals and other organisms help in the decomposition process.
Curated OER
Let's Go to the Zoo!
Make going to the zoo a great learning experience for your students with these engaging lesson plans.
Curated OER
Predators and Prey
Pupils explain how the food chain works. They contrast predators with prey and describe their function in nature. Students discuss how the food chain aids in keeping nature balanced. In small groups, they play a game that simulates the...
Curated OER
Survival Under a Rock
Young scholars investigate ways that animals adapt to their environments through hands-on activities using isopods and an interactive video.
Curated OER
Organisms In Cities
Students explore environments and how organisms adapt to the environment. In this science lesson, students read a story and discuss how animals have adapted to changes in their environment.
Curated OER
Night Hike
Learners explore Upham Woods at night and investigate about the special adaptations of nocturnal animals. They identify three nocturnal animals and how they are adapted to the night. Students explain what night vision is and how it works.
Curated OER
The Magic School Bus Goes to Mussel Beach
Students participate in a hands-on activity where they explore tidal zones. They explore tides and marine life. This is an experiment that can be accomplished in class.
Curated OER
Migration
Learners explore migration using the Internet and several pre-chosen websites. In this animal migration instructional activity students divide into groups and complete a lab activity.