Lesson Plan
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It's a Jungle Out There: How Species Survive in the Jungle

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate the different adaptation and skills of jungle species. In this ecology lesson, students play an interactive online game where they match species with their adaptation. They research about a specific adaptation and...
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Ecology Lessons

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students 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?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars examine how cattle have evolved through natural selection and selective breeding.  For this natural selection lesson students compare and contrast natural and artificial selection.
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Awesome Adaptations!

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders explore biology by researching animal characteristics. In this adaptation instructional activity, 2nd graders identify the history of several animals and research the changes that have occurred to their anatomy over...
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Creepers and Climbers

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students compare vines. In this vines activity, 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...
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The Amazing Octopus

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students design imaginary animals that are able to blend into their backgrounds. For this biology lesson plan, students will learn the importance of camouflage in protecting animals from predators. Students will select a peer to act as...
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Wolves At Our Door

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students 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

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners 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

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore marine animal adaptation. In this introductory ocean life biology lesson, students access prior knowledge by participating in a whole class "thought swap." Students form two lines, respond to a prompt from the teacher...
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Fish Fashion 101

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students explore fish anatomy. In this fish anatomy and adaptation lesson plan, 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...
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Ocean Exploration

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students explore whales. In this animal adaptation and whale activity, 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

For Teachers 5th
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

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
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

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students determine how animals and people adapt to the desert environment. In this desert lesson, 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

For Teachers 6th
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

For Teachers K - 6th
Young scholars 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...
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Plant Lifecycles

For Teachers 1st - 6th
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

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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

For Teachers 1st - 6th
Students compare and contrast algae and land plants. In this plant instructional activity students discover what algae and land plants require for growth. The students discuss experimental design. The students experiment with different...
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The American Prairie

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students design an animal.  In this prairie lesson, 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 prairie. ...
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Niches and Adaptations

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students 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

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Learners discover that the Earth supports many different animal habitats. In this habitat lesson students research different habitats of the world. Learners show how the animals in their habitat are adapted.
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Design a Plankton

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore animal and plant adaptation.  In this ecosystems science lesson, students view websites to gain information about plankton and its  interdependence within ecosystems. Students identify ways in which plankton...
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Zoo Habitat Design

For Teachers 4th - 5th
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...