Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Natural Selection And Evolution

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate the concept of evolution and how natural selection is used as an indicator that evolution has happened. They recognize the three effects it has on diversity and how adaptations can develop. Diversity is explained as...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Life at Risk

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine the characteristics of the peregrine falcon. They investigate endangered and extinct species, and how the environment affects the process.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Galapagos: Beyond Darwin

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students identify plants and animals endemic in their local area after learning about the plants and animals of the Galapagos Islands. In this plants and animals lesson plan, students create an endemic garden on school grounds.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Working for Water

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Learners examine the ways that government works to help improve aquatic habitats. In this water habitats instructional activity students view a video and plan a school restoration project. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Potato Chip Classification

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students classify specimens by observable characteristics. By classifying potato chips, they are introduced to the dichotomous key for identifying plant and animal specimens.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bears

For Teachers K - 1st
Students complete a variety of bear-related activities. They sort and graph teddy bears, distinguish between real and non-real bears and research bear life cycles and habitats.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Insects and Spiders

For Teachers K - 4th
Students make either and insect or a spider using materials their teacher provides. They then draw of picture of their organism and defend why it is either a spider or an insect.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Biodiversity Bird Hunt

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the influence of biodiversity on human culture through the use of birds. They brainstorm words that come to mind when they think of human cultures. They describe ways that human culture and biodiversity are linked.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Touching Traits

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students describe objects using only their sense of touch. In this lesson plan on describing characteristics, students use only their sense of touch to describe an unseen object in a box. This lesson plan can be used an an introduction...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring Limu Diversity

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore limu diversity. In this ocean ecosystem lesson, students classify limu according to its physical properties. Students work in small groups to generate scientific observations and sort limu by characteristics.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dichotomous Chips

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students create a dichotomous key to different varieties of potato chips. In small groups, they observe and record characteristics of the potato chips to use in the key. They switch keys with another group to see if they can identify an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

SHOW 303: The Channel Island Fox

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Learners explore how archaeologists and other scientists use different clues to piece together a picture of the past. Students perform activities that allow them to conduct three types of scientific research. They discuss their...
Article
Open Curriculum

Open Curriculum: New Kingdoms

For Students 9th - 10th
Between 1866 and 1977, a total of four new kingdoms were added to the original plant and animal kingdoms identified by Linnaeus. The new kingdoms include Protista (protists), Fungi, Monera (eubacteria), and Archaea (archaebacteria)....
eBook
Estrella Mountain Community College

Online Biology Book: The Nature of Science and Biology

For Students 9th - 10th
Use the scientific reasoning and critical thinking to take an in-depth look at the basics of biology.
Handout
Globio

Glossopedia: Species

For Students 3rd - 8th
A species is defined as a single kind of animal, plant or creature. Examples of different species are given and how the many species that exist relate to biodiversity. Scientific naming conventions are introduced.
Handout
The Franklin Institute

The Franklin Institute: Living Things Families

For Students 9th - 10th
What do centipedes and crabs have in common? What's so special about a backbone? Check this site out from The Franklin Institute if you are interested in biology and classification.
Handout
National Institute of Educational Technologies and Teacher Training (Spain)

Ministerio De Educacion: La Clasificacion De Los Organismo

For Students 9th - 10th
This unit will describe the five kingdoms and their main characteristics. It includes 20 interactive activities.
Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Life Science: Organization of Living Things

For Students 6th - 8th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] When you see an organism that you have never seen before, you probably put it into a group without even thinking. If it is green and leafy, you probably call it a...
Handout
Other

The Domains and Kingdoms of Life

For Students 9th - 10th
This site is a description of the history behind the 5 Kingdom system suggested by Robert Whittaker. An extensive list of resources is included.