This complete set of instructions for creating your very own butterfly garden and habitat is so cool! With some seeds and the handy resources in this activity, you and your class will be able to determine which type of habitat is best...

Are our oceans really suffering due to the choices humans make? The sixth and final installment in the volume of activities challenges research groups to tackle one of six major topics that impact ocean health. After getting to the...

Students examine the characteristics of the Prairie Creek Habitat in Illinois. In groups, they travel between various stations writing haikus and reading brochures. They identify what occurs in each habitat and identify the animals...

Strict habitat requirements are needed for the survival of fish populations and fish variety in the Great Lakes. Young scientists become experts in the basic needs of fish and understand how survival necessities can vary with different...

Something’s fishy! Assign each of your pupils an individual sea creature and investigate the oceans. Young oceanographers utilize Kidspiration software to research a creature, illustrate an image, and create fact cards about their...

Fifth graders use a real life scenario of the wetlands to gather information on creatures of the habitat.  In this wetlands lesson, 5th graders research the interdependence of organisms in a healthy habitat. Students collected...

Young scholars distinguish between exotic and native plant species. They work in groups in the field to restore a natural habitat. A class map is created to reflect their work in the field.

Second graders identify what constitutes as a desert by reading a habitat checklist.  In this environment lesson, 2nd graders read a nature website to discover facts about the desert and where they are located.  Students...

A reading of Brenda Z. Guiberson’s, Cactus Hotel, launches a study of animal habitats. Working with parent volunteers or teacher aides, groups travel outside the classroom to select a habitat, take digital pictures, and incorporate the...

Fourth graders explore the meaning of the prefixes "bi" and "uni." In groups, 4th graders observe pictures of shells and handle real shells. Students create a chart to classify each shell as a bivalve or univalve. They identify the...

Students discover how wetlands filter out contaminants before they can reach other bodies of water. In groups, they design and build a model of a stormwater wetland. They test the water quality and inform their classmates about the...

Students are introduced to the marine environment of the mussel. The emphasis of the lesson is upon what human factors are present to influence the environment in positive and negative ways. They brainstorm in groups in order to conduct...

Sixth graders explore the nature of habitats on an ABC hike. In groups, they collect items that make up habitats including plants, feathers, and leaves among other materials. Students then classify and organize the collected materials...

Students identify the environmental elements of river and lake mussels. They compare the elements to the time before settlement and during industrialization. They also participate in a field trip to a mussel exhibit.

Students investigate hunters and prey by creating a food web.  For this animal life lesson, students investigate a single organism in preparation for a field trip, discovering its diet and habitat.  Students each discuss their...

Students find similarities and differences between a biotrope habitat and an ecosystem.  In this hardbottom biotrope lesson, students research and respond to inquiry questions about a biotrope.  Students identify three...

Students explore environmental awareness by utilizing computer technology. In this ecosystem conservation lesson, students read assigned text which describes the current ecological conditions of Hawaii. Students collaborate in groups to...

Students look carefully at shells and observe the differences between species and the names of common shells. Then they identify and complete a Mollusk Matching handout included in the lesson and write the letter of each shell in the...

Students discover how environmental factors impact the survival of a population. In this landscape design lesson, students create a new animal and discuss the relationship between the animal and its environment before creating a habitat...

Students plant a garden which will become the habitat for butterflies as they go through their life cycle.  In this life cycle lesson, students grow plants that attract butterflies and feed caterpillars in order to observe the...

Students discover the characteristics of insects. They explore insects through cooperative learning, group projects, hands on activities, and poetry. They gain knowledge of insect life cycles, habitat, and physical characteristics.

Learners explore the beach. In this marine habitat lesson, students inspect sand grains, design beach profiles, classify marine life, and examine natural beach habitats. Learners use spreadsheets to record data from their activities at a...

Second graders go on nature scavenger hunts. In this nature scavenger hunt lesson, 2nd graders explore the natural habitat of their school grounds and make observations regarding the objects and animals they find in the air, on the...

Learners explore a simulated ocean floor. For this environmental lesson plan, students take on roles of an ocean dive team exploring the ocean floor. Dive logs will be created and the learners will explore their sections of simulated...