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Life Science: Living Things
Have your class build their vocabulary bank by studying life science terms. Basic terms like organism, cell, unicellular, and vertebrate are included on the definition sheet provided. Demonstrate how to identify different life science...
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The Five Classes of Vertebrates
What a terrific lesson! Learners discuss the animal kingdom, and classify them as vertebrates and invertebrates. They also identify them as fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. There is even a taxonomic breakdown of popular...
NOAA
Understanding Food Chains and Food Webs
Jump into an exploration of marine ecosystems with the first lesson in this four-part series. After first learning about crustaceans, mollusks, and other forms of sea life, young marine biologists view a PowerPoint presentation that...
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A Study of Vertebrates
Fourth graders investigate the characteristics of each vertebrate group. They take notes in a science journal, and in small groups create a HyperStudio slideshow presentation to present information about a specific vertebrate group.
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Week 8 - Sea Life
Using a magnifier, mini marine biologists examine the barbules of a bird feather. They swirl the it into a mixture of oil and water and then re-examine the feather. After the activity, discuss how the oily feathers pose a problem to sea...
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4th Grade Life Science Unit: Animals
Fourth graders classify animals. In this animal kingdom instructional activity, 4th graders research animal habitats and behaviors. Students connect to a zoologist via SKYPE and learn about animal classification. Students blog about...
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So You Think You're Tough
Fourth graders learn how to classify animals. In this invertebrates lesson, 4th graders discuss how we classify thinks into groups and move into a discussion about classifying animals. Students learn about the differences between...
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Through the Eyes of an Owl
Students describe vertebrates in terms of observable body parts and characteristics and describe life cycles of familiar organisms. They identify familiar organisms as part of a food chain or food web and describe their feeding...
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Have a Backone
Students create a visual organizer that describes different groups of vertebrates in this pre-writing activity. They view and discuss a video on descriptive writing and then form small groups to research vertebrate classes using the...
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The Wonderful World of Slugs
Examine a slug? Of course, what else would a 2nd grader do with it? Pupils use clues and go on a slug hunt, read a slug story, or make a cooperative group mural of a slug's habitat. While older learners catalog slugs, go on a slug hunt,...
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Amphibians
Fourth graders Make flashcards for the following words, memorize them and get quizzed by the teacher: Amphibian, Lungs, complete metamorphosis, tadpoles, tail-less, tail, vertebrate, cold-blooded, gills, swamp, pond.
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What is an Animal Reading?
Students read an article out of their science book. In this vertebrates and invertebrates lesson students complete a worksheet and answer questions after reading.
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Where Do I Belong?
Fourth graders work in groups. They are given magazines. Students cut pictures of five mamals, five birds, five reptiles, five amphibians, and five fish. They place the pictures in a plastic bag. Students switch bags. They are explained...
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The Froggy Page
Students investigate the cycle of life by observing tadpoles. In this biology lesson, students utilize the Internet to read stories, observe pictures, and listen to sounds of frogs. Students create a poster board collage using frog...
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Classification Wordsearch
In this science worksheet, pupils examine 20 words in a word bank; all pertain to animal classification. Students locate each word in a word search puzzle.
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Can You Find...on the "Progression of Life" Poster?
Students examine and analyze a poster that presents various types of animals throughout the ages. They determine biological classification with fossils and earth history in a game.
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For Creative Minds: What Makes an Animal a Mammal?
Students read about categories of mammals and their features. Students then construct a marine animal, using given print outs in the lesson. Students then create adaptations for their mammal, using a web site reference for guidance.
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Ocean Creature Classification
Students develop a Taxonomic Key for marine invertebrates from pictures they are given after practicing together with common objects, such as shoes. They then compare their key to a provided Ocean Invertebrates Taxonomic Key.
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Mr. Bones
Students play CD-ROM game My Amazing Human Body, and participate in relay game in Phys. Ed. where they put together skeleton on which body parts are labeled.
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Draw T. rex
Students explore how scientists determine what prehistoric animals looked like based on their bones. They draw a picture of the skull of a Tyrannosaurus Rex by copying an image from an overhead or book.
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Animal Brochures
Fourth graders work in pairs to research an animal. They fill in an animal data form in order to become experts about the animal they choose. They use the listed criteria to design a six sided brochure that includes graphics of the...
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Ride the Tide
Students examine the cause-and-effect relationship between tides and the rocky coast ecosystem. They complete a worksheet that illustrates the intertidal zone.
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Remarkable Reptiles
Learners will develop a KWL chart with the class to assess prior knowledge. The students will be given five-ten minutes to individually fill out the Know and Wonder sections of their individual charts. They will then participate in...
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What is a Fossil?
Students determine what a fossil is and distinguish between body fossils and trace fossils. They examine pictures of fossils and determine which represents a trace or body fossil.