What characterizes a living thing? Scholars explore the concept during a differentiated instruction unit on living things. They perform lab experiments to determine how animals adapt to stimuli, watch videos and learn about...

Exploring the backyard, the school yard, the gardens, and the Internet, small children discover the world around them. The bugs, animals, and plants are alive, but is the lawn mower? An engaging activity that will help them understand...

Help build young scholars' understanding of living things with the tools provided in this comprehensive life science resource. Including a total of nine lessons that cover topics ranging from plant and animal life cycles to heredity and...

Through two investigations, life science learners determine whether or not yeast is alive. They perform tests for metabolism by providing sugar and observing if gas is produced as a byproduct. They incubate some of the sample for at...

What happens at the end of a plant's life cycle? Show kids the natural way that plants show that they're decomposing, as well as the importance of compost, with a lesson about living organisms. After reading Log Cabin by Anne Schreiber,...

Over five days, super scientists complete activities in preparation for building an ecosystem. Pupils read and answer questions, classify living, and non-living things in the classroom, view an engaging video, and complete a worksheet....

Super scientists explore the cycle of photosynthesis starting with a discussion about living things. After viewing an engaging video, class members create an anchor chart that showcases important vocabulary terms. Small groups complete a...

How do we interact with Earth? Scholars learn about the sun, Earth, and moon, forces, gravity, and heat sources by reading a text and performing hands-on demonstrations. They also differentiate between living and non-living things using...

Over the course of 10 days, scholars take a pre-assessment to place them in one of three leveled groups. Whole-class and in small groups, pupils take part in read-alouds, field trips, hands-on activities, and complete learning contracts...

Accompany a reading of Dr. Seuss' tale, The Lorax, with a five-item instructional activity. Questions challenge scholars to list characters' names, use text details to answer inquiries, and describe the moral of the story. 

When did biology become a proper science? Travel back in time to the evolution of natural history during part 19 in an ongoing History of Science series. Pupils discover early pioneers in the study of plants and animals, the birth of...

Medieval medicine is a mash-up of multicultural ideas! How did early doctors learn to do no harm? The ninth video in a 15-part series about the History of Medicine uncovers the fundamental teachings that sparked intense anatomical study...

Harness the power of bacteria. Scholars see how using organisms that exist in nature can help solve human problems in the process known as bioremediation. They research and discuss several successful examples, such as using oil-eating...

Seems like a fairly simple question—until you begin asking your class! Get pupils acquainted with the characteristics of life through pairs classification, discussion, and scientific reading. The lesson plan, part of the K20 series, also...

Twenty questions make up an assessment designed to test super scientists' knowledge of ecosystems. Scholars answer multiple-choice and short-answer questions about organisms, food chains, energy flow, and more.

Get your hands dirty with an interactive lesson that showcases the process of decomposing and returning nutrients back into the soil. After building a compost pile, pupils regularly observe the ways worms help with changes to the soil...

How can you tell if a microorganism is helpful or detrimental to an ecosystem? Learners inspect slides or pictures of microorganisms and record their observations to identify those that are beneficial or harmful. They then pretend to...

Instill the concept of adaptation with the help of Blubber Gloves—ziplock bags, shortening, and duct tape. Scholars discuss how animals and plants keep warm in polar regions, record their predictions, and try on their Blubber Gloves to...

Two teams—the environmentalists and herons—play four rounds of the game, Oh Heron. Using hand symbols to represent food, shelter, and water, players locate their match to produce more herons while those unmatched decompose.