Curated OER
Rx Rainforest:
Students identify plant diversity in the rainforest and the role that animals and habitats play in scientific research. They differentiate between natural habitat and laboratory research and work collaboratively to produce a video news...
Curated OER
Eyes on the Estuaries
Students study estuaries and compare several ones in the U.S. In this estuary lesson students interpret data and compare the distribution of different species.
Curated OER
Seeing Cells
Sixth graders study living cells and their functioning units. In this cell lesson students color cell diagrams, answer questions and discuss the differences between plant and animal cells.
Curated OER
Blubber Gloves
Fifth graders examine animal adaptations and how they meet their needs in a variety of environments. They discuss how they might adapt to their own environment before discussing how an animal could adapt. Next, they complete an...
Curated OER
This is for the Birds!
Students complete activities to investigate wild birds. In this bird study lesson, students make a wild bird feeder to examine the proper ways to care for wild birds. Students explore organizations in their community that help wild birds...
Curated OER
What's the Difference?
Students analyze the similarities in different species. This lesson is part of a multi-segmented unit on the diversity of life. For this segment, students classify shoes to mimic the scientific categories of the classification system.
Curated OER
What can I do?
Pupils identify feelings and explore positive ways to handle conflict. In this mental health lesson students discuss feelings and how to constructively handle them.
Curated OER
Learning about Animals
Students chose one animal to research. They research the animal using the internet using the sites provided. They also research using books from the library. They conclude the lesson by writing a one page story about their animal...
Curated OER
Goals of the Diversity of Life Unit
Students are introduced to the unit on the importance of diversity of life and the role that interdependence plays in our worlds. this is part of a multi-lesson unit on the diversity of life.
Curated OER
School Forest
Sixth graders explore the concept of biodiversity. In this biodiversity instructional activity, 6th graders discover a variety of planets and animals that live in forests, and how a rotting log benefits that environment. Students also...
Curated OER
How Can Clear of Tress Destroy a Community?
Fifth graders brainstorm the relationship between trees and humans to determine how humans benefit from trees and how they benefit from us. They discuss oxygen/carbon dioxide exchange, soil stablization, animal habitat, shade, medicine...
Curated OER
Exploring Owls
What can young scientists discover from dissecting an owl pellet? Explore the owl food chain, beginning with an introduction to these predatory birds. Suggested strategies here include creating a podcast and purchasing a poster, however...
Project Oceanography
Fish Shape
A fish's size, fins, and shape can tell us a lot about them! Learners explore fish anatomy to see how species use camouflage, scales, shape, and coloration to survive. The lesson includes advanced vocabulary such as fusiform shape,...
Montana State University
One Mountain, Many Cultures
Americans may think of Mount Everest as a region dedicated to adventurous hikers, but many cultures have flourished there! Learners read informative books, watch videos, participate in classroom discussion, analyze folk tales, and...
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education
Exploring Environments
Different animals live in distinct and specialized environments. Learners will discuss organisms and environments, and then create some using their dramatic art skills. They all act like animals in a marine environment. When they are...
Lerner Publishing
Teaching Habitats
What makes up a habitat? Use this resource to engage first graders in the exploration of desert, wetland, forest, and ocean habitats. Youngsters classify plants and animals into the four distinct habitats through drawings and cutting and...
Curated OER
Classifying Organisms within Kingdoms
Students examine animal kingdom classifications. They discuss how animals are placed into kingdom classifications and compare similarities and differences of animals within a kingdom.
Curated OER
Learning About Mammals
Students study the mammal classification and forms of them living in the United States. In this mammal study lesson, students read through orders of mammals that exist in the United States. Students also study the taxonomy of an eastern...
Curated OER
To Cut or Not To Cut
Students examine the pros and cons of animal dissection and discuss various case studies in animal dissection. They research various perspectives of using animals as learning tools and write a position paper which tells their opinion on...
Curated OER
Classy
Students explore the classification system in this seven lessons unit. The diversity of life forms and their characteristics are examined using a microscope. Kingdoms, classes, and families are investigated.
Curated OER
Eco-enrichers
Students discover the importance of plant and animal components within soil. In this soil instructional activity, students test the quality of soil. Students then conduct an experiment adding different components to bags of soil to see...
Curated OER
Introduction to Classification
Fourth graders design a classification system to categorize animate and inanimate objects. They discuss the advantages of grouping things as they classify buttons, leaves, shells.
Curated OER
Mammals
Students gather information from an online database about mammals. Choosing one mammal, they compare its physical characteristics, food habits, behavior and location to the other mammals they were introduced to in this instructional...
Curated OER
Arctic/Antarctic Animals
Fourth graders explore animals of the Arctic and Antarctic and then create a report. They become aware of the great diversity among animals.