It's About Time
Adaptations
Congratulations! You exist, thanks to the wonders of biology and adaptations. The focus of the lesson explains many adaptations of plants and animals and how the environment has influenced the process. A hands-on activity demonstrates...
Science Matters
Blubber Gloves: It’s All About Insulation
Instill the concept of adaptation with the help of Blubber Gloves—ziplock bags, shortening, and duct tape. Scholars discuss how animals and plants keep warm in polar regions, record their predictions, and try on their Blubber Gloves to...
Curated OER
Illinois Wild
Sixth graders identify different animals native to Illinois. They research a specific animal to study more about its characteristics, examine what makes a habitat, and recognize the difference between a food web and food chain.
Curated OER
Insect Food Chain & Camouflage
Students use art work to demonstrate their understanding of the insect food chain and their ability to camouflage themselves. In this insect food chain and camouflage lesson plan, students determine what type of animals feed on insects....
Curated OER
Animals Multiple Choice Definitions Worksheet
In this animal vocabulary worksheet, students complete multiple choice questions where they define the animal terms given to them. Students complete 7 questions.
Curated OER
The Big Hideout
Middle schoolers identify the types of camouflage used by animals in the desert. They work together to create their own animal creating their own type of camouflage. They determine how well the camouflage works.
Curated OER
Blending Butterflies
Students create camouflage butterflies. In this camouflage lesson plan, students read about the different types of camouflage. Each student in the class chooses a spot in the classroom and creates a camouflaged butterfly. They hang up...
Curated OER
Animal Hide and Seek
Students examine how animals use their colors to their advantage. They read the book, "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?," participate in a toothpick camouflaging demonstration, explore the Camouflage Field Book website,...
Curated OER
Why are Polar Bears White
Young scholars explore camouflage as they study polar bears and their habitat. They study how color can help animals in the wild.
Curated OER
Whose Skin
In this animal skin types worksheet, students complete a chart using names of animals, description of animal's skin, where it can be found and illustrating a picture of the animal's skin.
Curated OER
U-G-L-Y? I've Got a Great Alibi
Young scholars create a survey to explore people's perception of beauty. In this biology lesson, students explain how an animal's appearance helps it survive. They analyze survey results and present findings in class.
Curated OER
The Great Barracuda
Students explore oceanography by researching the great barracuda. In this animal life lesson, students read several vocabulary terms dealing with ocean life and examine a drawing of a barracuda. Students examine the many...
Curated OER
How Organisms Live Successfully in Their Environments
Young scholars compare the climate and organisms found in different environments, then give examples of how plants and animals adapt to their environment. They design an animal who adapts using camouflage to a made-up environment.
Curated OER
Sunken Lesson: Animal Adaptation
This animal adaptation PowerPoint provides definitions and photographs of vocabulary related to how the animals that live in particular biomes protect themselves. It also explains the cause/effect relationship between the inability of...
Curated OER
Rainforest Animals – Camouflage and Coloring for Protection
Young scholars explain why animals need to blend in with their surrounding. In this environmental science lesson, students create moth paper models to simulate animals hidden in the rainforests. They make a bulletin board display about...
Curated OER
Caterpillar Camouflage
Students list animals, plant parts, and reasons for caterpillars to camouflage themselves. In this animal and plant adaptations lesson plan, students also play a game where they use colors as camouflage.
Curated OER
Butterfly Camouflage
Fifth graders discuss camouflage and warnings by butterflies as a class. Students design and color their own butterflies that they are to place somewhere in the classroom. Students explain why their butterfly is colored the way that it...
American Museum of Natural History
What's This? Staying Safe
Amaze the class with the creative adaptations species employ to trick predators. An online interactive lesson introduces learners to six different species with unique adaptations. Each species highlights a different adaptation and its...
Curated OER
Wildlife
The centerpiece of this lesson plan is a predator-prey simulation in which colored paperclips represent different species of animals camouflaged against a colored background. Relevant follow-up questions are provided. The activity is...
Curated OER
Prairie Predator and Prey
Fifth graders brainstorm a list of animals that live on the prairie, and classify them as predators and prey. They conduct interviews where they ask the animals what they need to look out for to sustain life on the prairie.
Curated OER
Who Lives with Mallard?
Students color a picture of the habitat featuring mallard and other creatures, some of whom might be camouflaged or half-hidden. They discuss other forms of animal adaptation.
Curated OER
Color Crazy
First graders create their own brightly colored animals. In this animal adaptations lesson, 1st graders create an animal that is brightly colored but can blend into it's environment.
Curated OER
Weather and Seasons: Mt. Seymour Winter Fieldtrip
Students explore winter adaptations and glare. In this winter weather lesson, students discuss the season of winter and how animals and plants adapt to the changing weather. Students discuss the glare off snow and make goggles for their...
Curated OER
Glacier Bay Pacific Halibut
The National Park Service has produced a high-quality presentation on the halibut population of Glacier Bay, Alaska. It takes the viewpoint of the marine biologists or rather, ichthyologists, who have been studying the adaptations,...