Curated OER
The Unique Rain Forest
Students explore the unique Rain Forest. In this Rain Forest lesson, students watch a video about the dangers the Rain Forest faces. Students create a Rain Forest mobile. Students choose  plants or animals from the...
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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...
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Classification
Students investigate how to classify items based on similar characteristics. They study the scientific system of classification.
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Classified Information - Part 1: Shapes
Third graders investigate how and why scientists use classification.  They discuss classification strategies using animals, and as a class fill in a flowchart with their responses.  Next, in small groups they cut out a variety of shapes...
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Botany
In this botany learning exercise, students read a 2 page article on botany, choose the multiple choice answer to 3 questions, determine if 3 statements are true of false and fill in the blanks in 5 facts about botany.
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Name that plant!
What is a dichotomous key? When your kids ask, hand them a learning exercise like this one, to explain it. They use the key to identify four different trees, based on the budding twigs they've produced. Tip: Have learners extend this...
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Classifying Objects
Fourth graders work in small groups to sort and classify a variety of objects. They develop criteria for sorting and explain the characteristics they chose for classification. Groups record and share their classifications.
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Tic Tac Know Kingdoms
In this PowerPoint, students participate in a variation of tic tac toe in which questions about the animal and plant kingdom are presented and students move to various locations on the game board.
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Biology Trivia
In this biology trivia worksheet, learners write short answers to 101 questions about animal classification, human anatomy, animal facts, and attributes of organisms.
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Tackling Taxonomy
Students study physical characteristics of separate phyla and place them into similar groups. This lesson plan is part of a multi-segmented unit on the diversity of life. students develop a classification system by grouping animals into...
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Species and Specimens: Exploring Local Biodiversity
Students practice skills essential to all scientific investigation: carefully observing and collecting data. They become field biologists in a series of hands-on activities to collect and identify specimens, and survey and calculate the...
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Sorting and Using Materials
Students practice sorting and classifying objects.  In groups, they choose a variety of materials and describe how each one looks and feels.  They must agree on how to classify each object and share their groupings with the class.  They...
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Fruits and Veggies - Yum!
Students use Inspiration to drag pictures of fruits and vegetables into the correct category.  They discuss the name of other fruits and vegetables.  They explain why or why not they like that particular fruit or vegetable.  Students...
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Classifying Critters
In this classifying critters worksheet, learners read a 1 page article on classifying living organisms and then answer 10 true or false, short answer, multiple choice or fill in the blank questions.
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School Yard Park/ Ecosystem
Fifth graders examine ecosystems in their schoolyard. In this nature and ecosystem lesson, 5th graders map their schoolyard into workable plots. They classify plants and animals found in the plot. They revisit their site every two weeks...
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Sunken Millions
This PowerPoint features a game based on the animal life. The interactive slides include 20 questions about animal needs, animal groups, and animal traits. The questions include multiple choice answers and 4 different levels of...
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Farm Products Help Me Grow
Students view a display of empty food containers (or illustrations). They select a food and decide as a class if it has an animal or plant origin. Students view a display of common farm animals that are commonly eaten (cow, pig, chicken,...
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An Automobile Phylogenetic Tree
Students construct a phylogenetic tree for various automobiles and trucks  after considering important characteristics of these "organisms". They work in small groups to construct the trees and complete a set of questions then they...
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Ecosystems
Middle schoolers examine biodiversity in plant life and what an ecosystem is composed of.  For this ecosystem lesson students go around their school and collect specimens and examine the plant species they encounter. 
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Classifying Living Organisms into Kingdoms
Learners create a flip book that describes the basic characteristics of the five main animal kingdoms. They research the animal kingdoms, include examples of organisms for each kingdom and illustrate the finished text.
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Seed Germination
Students germinate a Mung Bean seed. For this seed lesson students conduct an experiment germinating a Mung Bean. They apply three different treatments to the seeds: dry, moist, and underwater incubation.
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Wildlife Around the World
Students examine how plants are able to adapt to their ecosystem and the role that fire plays in changes through the years.  In this ecosystem instructional activity students complete several exercises focussing on plants and their...
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Invent a Plant
Students investigate plant adaptations. In this plant adaptations lesson, students create a model of a plant. Students are given action cards detailing specific environmental situations. Students design their plant to adapt to the...
ARKive
Temperate Rainforest in the Pacific Northwest
Explore the amazing temperate rainforest of the Pacific Northwest. Your class starts by investigating the animals and plants of the Northwest, specifically Washington, and then research an animal population common to the area. In small...