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Ecology Lessons
Young scholars examine the relationship between animal adaptations, habitats and community interactions. In this ecology lesson students complete a skull detective worksheet then use their knowledge to analyze a skull.
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The Perfect Cow?
Students examine how cattle have evolved through natural selection and selective breeding. In this natural selection lesson students compare and contrast natural and artificial selection.
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Awesome Adaptations!
Second graders explore biology by researching animal characteristics. In this adaptation lesson, 2nd graders identify the history of several animals and research the changes that have occurred to their anatomy over thousands of years....
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Creepers and Climbers
Students compare vines. In this vines lesson, students analyze the adaptations common in vines. Students determine if the vine grows using tendrils, modified roots, or twining stems. Students explore a forest area to flag different vines...
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The Amazing Octopus
Learners design imaginary animals that are able to blend into their backgrounds. In this biology lesson plan, students will learn the importance of camouflage in protecting animals from predators. Learners will select a peer to act as...
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Wolves At Our Door
Young scholars investigate the wolf. In this animal adaptation lesson, students examine the social characteristics of the wolf. They discuss the role of human intervention in reestablishing the wolf population.
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Blue Planet: Frozen Seas
Young scholars study the animals from the Arctic and how they have adapted. For this ocean lesson students create a poster about their given animal and present it to the class.
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What Does it Take to be a Survivor? Part One
Young scholars explore marine animal adaptation. In this introductory ocean life biology lesson, students access prior knowledge by participating in a whole class "thought swap." Young scholars form two lines, respond to a prompt from...
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Fish Fashion 101
Students explore fish anatomy. In this fish anatomy and adaptation lesson, students define and identify the location of fish body parts. Students add these parts of a fish's anatomy to a life-sized fish costume worn by a student. ...
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Ocean Exploration
Students explore whales. In this animal adaptation and whale lesson, students access prior knowledge about whales from previous lessons, then use background knowledge to predict the eating strategies of a baleen whale and a toothed...
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Build a Hawaiian Bird
Fifth graders make a model of a bird. In this animal adaptations lesson, 5th graders examine how birds adapt to their environment, using Hawaiian birds as an example. Students create their own bird using adaptation paper cut outs...
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Hidden Animals
Students predict the safest seashore substrate for animals. In this animal habitat experiment, students predict, test their hypothesis, and record data about how wave shocks affect animals living on either sand, gravel or rock.
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The Desert is Theirs: Adapting to Our Environment
Students determine how animals and people adapt to the desert environment. In this desert lesson plan, students review vocabulary about the desert and how humans have to make changes to accommodate their environments. They listen to and...
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Adaptations
Sixth graders identify plant adaptations. In this adaptations lesson, 6th graders use digital cameras to photograph plants found on their campus. Students describe the adaptations for each plant.
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Dress Like A Frog
Learners recognize amphibian adaptations. In this amphibian lesson students explore amphibian adaptations that provide for successful living in their environments. A volunteer dresses up with all of the adaptations using everyday items...
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Plant Lifecycles
Students examine the life cycle of plants. In this plants lesson, students identify the various stages of plants and their parts. Students compare the life cycle of a plant with that of an animal. Activities suggested can be modified for...
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Mountain Pine Beetles
High schoolers research and develop power point presentations that answer the question, "What is changing our forests?" In this ecology lesson, students research the niche of Pine Beetles and their increased effect on the forests in...
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Land Plants and Algae
Students compare and contrast algae and land plants. In this plant lesson students discover what algae and land plants require for growth. The students discuss experimental design. The students experiment with different treatments of...
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The American Prairie
Students design an animal. In this prairie instructional activity, students learn about physical and behavioral adaptation, locate the Great Plains on a map, and design an animal that would be perfectly adapted for life on the...
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Niches and Adaptations
Young scholars present information about a species, its niche, and adaptations. For this lesson on animal environments, students explore how surroundings can affect a given population resulting in adaptation.
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Habitats of the World
Students discover that the Earth supports many different animal habitats. In this habitat lesson students research different habitats of the world. Students show how the animals in their habitat are adapted.
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Design a Plankton
Young scholars explore animal and plant adaptation. In this ecosystems science lesson, students view websites to gain information about plankton and its interdependence within ecosystems. Young scholars identify ways in which...
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Zoo Habitat Design
Students design a zoo habitat for an animals. In this zoo habitat lesson, students develop an idea for a zoo habitat that would meet the needs of a specific animal. They solve problems that might be encountered by using their knowledge...
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Charles Darwin
Learners produce a newspaper describing the times during which Charles Darwin introduced the theory of natural selection. In this evolution lesson, students make observations and explore the role of observation in Charles Darwin's work....