Mixing metaphors into science. To begin, the instructor leads a discussion about estuaries to determine what the class already knows. Working in small groups, pupils determine how a selected object is similar to an estuary, how it...

Students research butterflies and their life cycle, record facts about butterflies such as what they eat, where they rest, and how long they live, gather information about how to attract butterflies to their yards and gardens, and create...

Students research leaves and their life cycle as well as their importance to the environment. After discussing photosynthesis, habitats, and nutrients for the soil, students collect and identify fallen leaves. Students use their...

Students discover how coffee is processed from a plant, to a drink. In this life cycle instructional activity, students study that cells and organisms go through a cycle of growth and change. Students organize picture cards,...

The sound a frog makes lets people know what it's up to. A two-part lesson begins by discussing the life cycle of a frog and the individual stages with drawings. The second part has learners listen to the frogs' different sounds and what...

Journaling is a great tool for processing information. Budding scientists build their own butterfly journals from their observations in a butterfly garden. The lesson challenges them to identify different stages of the life of the...

Explore the amazing power of glaciers with a hands-on earth science experiment! After first learning basic background information, learners go on to create their very own chunks of frozen water and gravel in order to...

How are third graders like rabbits? They both live in habitats and require food, water, and shelter to survive! An educational science lesson encourages your learners to think about their own habitats and survival needs, before comparing...

Stop the raindrops from getting into the house! Eager engineers learn about roofing history and waterproofing by nanotechnology. They get into groups and work on designing a waterproof roof for a small model house. The accompanying...

Energize an environmental science unit on natural resources with this collection of instructional materials. From simple coloring sheets for primary grade children, to guiding questions for a high school research...

The circle of life is all around us, from the black bears in the nearby mountains to the pile of dead leaves in the backyard. Encourage young scientists to take a critical look at the world around them with a set of lessons...

Out of sight out of mind can be a dangerous habit. Learners investigate the life of food waste after it leaves people's homes and its impact on the environment. They complete a series of three activities that involve building a mini...

The centerpiece of this lesson plan is a predator-prey simulation in which colored paperclips represent different species of animals camouflaged against a colored background. Relevant follow-up questions are provided. The activity is...

Play the game, Who Wants to be a Millionaire? to review plant parts, life cycle, and pollination. There are 10 questions that get kids thinking about seeds, seed dispersal, pollination, and plant parts. This game is has audio and looks...

Written for Washington state students in life science, this lesson provides an opportunity to examine the residents of local freshwater habitats. You or the class collects a water sample, and learners try to examine what organisms live...

Here is a brief outline of facts on various Chesapeake Bay fish species. Use it as an example of what kind of information you want your life science learners to collect when you assign them a specific species to research. Another way to...

Students describe what it means for a marine animal or fish to be threatened or endangered after playing game simulating extinction.

Fourth graders examine how the different organisms living in an ecosystem affect one another. In groups, they research a specific ecosystem and present their findings to the class based on the type of organisms found in it. To end the...

In this fruit tree life cycle worksheet, students will write in the 5 different stages found in the life cycle of a fruit tree.

In this life cycle worksheet, students will complete a Venn diagram by comparing and contrasting the life cycle of a flowering plant and a rabbit.

Students explore fish anatomy. In this fish anatomy and adaptation instructional activity, 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...

The blue whale is the focus of this life science worksheet. Students read an excellent selection on the blue whale, and answer ten comprehension questions. Then, students are divided into two groups. Each group has to estimate how big 85...

In these life cycle worksheets, students write true or false for the statements about the life cycles of butterflies, cockroaches, and mosquitoes. Students name 3 examples of animals with life cycles similar to butterflies and...

In this life cycle of a plant learning exercise, students draw a diagram to show the life cycle of a plant from seed, as well as a diagram to show the life cycle of a plant from bulb.