Lesson Plan
Curated OER

National Park Service: Fossils in Time Unit

For Teachers 5th - 9th
For this lesson, students learn about the earth's past by studying clues that have been left behind, such as fossils and rocks. Students will find the answers to many questions: What is paleontology?, What is geological time?, What can...
Website
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Berkeley Lab: The Fruitful & Inventive Mind of Scientist Luis Alvarez

For Students 9th - 10th
This article, reprinted from the fall 1979 LBL News Magazine, was written about Dr. Luis Alvarez and his part in the study of geological sediments and the great extinctions.
Unit Plan
University of Oxford (UK)

The Learning Zone: Animals

For Students K - 1st
Learn all about the study of animals--zoology through this interactive website. You will learn about the processes that make animals alive, what makes them endangered or extinct, and the tree of life.
Graphic
American Museum of Natural History

American Museum of Natural History: O Logy: What's the Big Idea? Biodiversity

For Students 3rd - 8th
Find information about diversity among genes, species, and ecosystems that helps answer questions about the importance of biodiversity and how we can save species from extinction.
Website
University of California

Ucmp: Georges Cuvier

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from the University of California, Berkeley offers a biography of George Cuvier. Scientific ideas of George Cuvier are presented, such as those related to comparative anatomy, fossils, the idea of extinction, and others....
Unit Plan
Tramline

Tramline: Dinosaurs: A Prehistoric Adventure for Grades 2 5

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
Click "Start Fieldtrip," for a wonderful look at a subject that has been a constant amazement to children of all ages. This dinosaur learning module for grades 1-3 is a "Prehistoric adventure," discussing dinosaur fossils, the size of...
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Being Darwin's Finches

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this biology activity, young scholars will be investigating evolution by "competing" for food like Darwin's finches might have competed. Each student group is given a different type of "beak" to work with and there are also different...
Article
American Institute of Biological Sciences

Action Bioscience: Speciation and Biodiversity

For Students 9th - 10th
As many species are going extinct due to healthy habitats being destroyed humans are depleting the world of its natural resources. Understand the repercussions of environmental destruction on species and biodiversity through this interview.
Article
American Institute of Biological Sciences

Action Bioscience: Pygmy Rabbits in Peril in the u.s.a.

For Students 9th - 10th
What is happening to the population of pygmy rabbits? This article identifies the research being done to understand what is causing the decline in rabbit populations around the world.
Article
American Institute of Biological Sciences

Action Bioscience: Why Do We Need an Amphibian Ark?

For Students 9th - 10th
Amphibians have a challenge to rise above and are unable to succeed without the help of a vision like Amphibian Ark. This program is viewed to be a global effort to protect amphibians from extinction and promote the benefits these life...
Article
American Institute of Biological Sciences

Action Bioscience: How Will the Sixth Extinction Affect Evolution of Species?

For Students 9th - 10th
Explanation of what might happen in the next mass extinction event on Earth.
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: Disappearing Frogs

For Students 9th - 10th
Kerry M. Kriger describes why frogs are on the verge of extinction and how you can help save them. [3:48]
Lesson Plan
SEDL

Sedl: Extinction

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This second activity in a course on dinosaurs is devoted to extinction. There are group activities, discussion of the idea, and a way to assess what the students have learned.
Website
National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, University of California Santa Barbara

Kids Do Ecology: Endangered Species and Conservation Biology

For Students 3rd - 8th
Find out about conservation biology as it relates to endangered and threatened species. Learn about the factors contributing to the loss of species and what efforts have helped bring some animals back form the brink of extinction.
Unit Plan
SEDL

Sedl: Dinosaurs

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
This site provides wonderful lesson plans about dinosaurs. Seven sequenced units cover the following topics: extinction, fossils, types of dinosaurs, and the dinosaur life cycle. The site provides basic lesson and background information...
Handout
Earth Life

Earth Life Web: Extinction in Birds

For Students 9th - 10th
This site, which is provided for by Earth-Life Web, gives a list of extinct birds and provides a brief description and dates of extinction.
Website
Other

Koko: The Gorilla Foundation

For Students 9th - 10th
The Gorilla Foundation promotes the protection, preservation and propagation of gorillas. Learn about gorillas, including basic gorilla life and the politics of extinction, as well as a "biography" of Koko, the signing gorilla.
Website
Other

Canal Kids: Dinossauros (Dinosaurs), a Era Dos Gigantes

For Students Pre-K - 1st
A good introduction to dinosaurs for young Portuguese-speaking children. Uses an engaging writing style, cartoon-style graphics, and animation to teach about the Mesozoic era. Coverage includes types of dinosaurs and their features,...
Website
Other

The Dinosaur Museum

For Students 3rd - 8th
The Dinosaur Museum is located in Blanding, Utah. Use this site to learn all about the exhibits and dinosaur information.
Website
Other

Georgia Perimeter College: The Permian Period

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource provides basic information of the changes that took place during the Permian period as well as the animals that populated the Earth during this time.
Website
Other

Evo Tutor: Evolutionary Processes

For Students 9th - 10th
EvoTutor is your online resource for interactive simulations of evolutionary processes.
Website
Other

Hvpm: Mass Extinctions

For Students 9th - 10th
An overview of the mass extinctions throughout earth history. Each mass extinction has a link to its own page with a list of its possible causes and the species that were most affected.
Handout
University of California

Understanding Evolution: Macroevolution

For Students 9th - 10th
Understand the large-scale processes of evolution.
Handout
Other

Conservation Ecology: Assessing Extinction Risk

For Students 9th - 10th
This site discusses how genetic variability is correlated with the risk of organism extinction. It also discusses how bottlenecks can reduce genetic variability in populations leading to extinctions.