EnLiST
Trap Your Own Insects: What’s in Your Backyard?
Young entomologists construct three types of insect traps—pitfall, pollinator, and panel—before setting their traps out and observing what they caught. They then observe what types of insects the different traps attract.
Curated OER
Ghostbusting in the Chesapeake
Ghost pots, fishing gear lost during crabbing expeditions, continue to trap crabs that are never collected. Increase your budding ecologists' awareness of human impact on the environment as well as conservation efforts using this...
Curated OER
Carnivorous Plants
Students examine how carnivorous plants get their nutrients from animals. In this food web lesson students examine how the plants attract their prey and are given many onilne sources to research.
Curated OER
Whale Is Stuck
Students engage in the process of problem solving with the help of children's literature story of how the whale was trapped and then freed. The story illustrates the power of teamwork and commitment. The students practice the skill of...
Curated OER
Plants and Animals: Partners in Pollination
Students identify the plant parts and bee structures that are involved in pollination. They simulate pollination in a group activity and process the information.
Curated OER
Animal Characteristics
Allow your students to review what they learned about animal characteristics with this PowerPoint. This slideshow includes 9 multiple choice questions and an answer key at the end. Tip: You can use this as an assessment by having your...
Michigan State University
All About Rodents
Get to the know the common house mouse and the Norway rat with an activity that reinforces reading comprehension skills. Scholars read a three-page document detailing key information about mammals, specifically rodents, and use their...
Curated OER
Furbearers of Illinois
Students study fur bearing animals of Illinois. They research a specific furbearer (it's habitat, diet, current hunting regulations regarding the animal, conservation organizations that help the animal, etc.) and give a presentation on...
Curated OER
Washing Germs Away
Students investigate germs. In this cross curriculum health and biology lesson, students listen to Old Black Fly by Jim Aylesworth and identify ways in which flies spread germs. Students discuss hand washing during a visit by the school...
Curated OER
The Effects of Pesticides on the Food Chain
Fourth graders generalize that all animals, including people, depend on plants as a food source. In this science lesson plan, 4th graders describe and construct a food chain, tell how pesticides enter the food chain, and discuss possible...
Curated OER
Martian Earth Tours
Students study a variety of global wetland habitats, their similarities and differences. They examine the variety of life that such wetlands support and determine that many animals and plants are adapted to life in wetlands, that...
Curated OER
Beaver, or not?
Students study the role of the beaver in Illinois during the 1800's and how overtrapping cause the near extinction of the beaver colonies in Illinois by 1900. Students role play various people in 1945 who have an opinion about the...
Curated OER
Jewel of the Earth
Students investigate several organisms, set sticky traps to collect them, and attempt to identify and classify them using a variety of sources. The origins of the organisms are traced and their adaptive features examined.
Curated OER
Lake Ice Out Lessons
Students explore the greenhouse effect. In this environment lesson, students describe how "ice out" affects animals and plants who live in a Maine lake. Students graph "ice out" data and make predictions about the upcoming weather.
Curated OER
Too Many Otters
Second graders investigate the habitat of otters. In this animal science lesson, 2nd graders role play the job of wildlife biologists and try to manage the otter population. Students use a map to track their specific otter population.
Curated OER
Cranes, Crosswalks, and Big Gulps
Young scholars watch a video and answer questions based on wildlife jobs. In this wildlife lesson plan, students learn that biologists don't just play with animals but that there is a lot of study involved.
Curated OER
Desert Habitat
Students examine how desert plants and animals are adapted to life in the desert. They listen to the book, "Seasons of Saguaro," conduct experiments to demonstrate plant succulence, and create and draw an animal or plant that...
Curated OER
Keeping Warm When it is Cold: How does a polar bear keep warm?
Young scholars make a model of a polar bear and discuss why fur/skin color is important. They also perform a simple experiment using black and white socks to determine how color affects temperature.
Curated OER
Carnivorous Plants: A Bugs Nightmare!
Young scholars research carnivorous plants and how they trap insects. They role play as botanists to write a research field guide about a newly discovered imaginary carnivorous plant.
Curated OER
STAND-UP, SIT DOWN
Students read a story in which ten animals play a role. Ten students represent these animals by either having the name of the animal on a card round their necks, or a sticky yellow paper on the chest, or by being dressed up as this animal.
Curated OER
Charlotte and Her Relatives Visit the Classroom: Spider Activities, Experiments and Projects
Students compare and contrast different spider species that they capture and maintain in the classroom for several days. They identify and research the species characteristics and living requirements then conduct an experiment on spider...
Curated OER
Pocumtucks in Deerfield
As part of a study of colonial and Native American history, class members focus on the beliefs and land use of the Pocumtucks, who settled near Deerfield, Massachusetts. Students examine their beliefs about land use and ownership, the...
SeaWorld
Bird Biology
Here you will find two good activities designed for young learners. In the first one, pupils explore the fact that all birds have feathers, and they discover what two uses those feathers have. After the discussion, the kids color in a...
Virginia Department of Education
Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration
Provide high schoolers with their own indoor gardens! Emerging scientists discuss the process of photosynthesis and germinate seeds before growing plants in multiple lighting conditions. The hands-on application allows pupils to see...