What a great way to present this topic! While a little difficult to follow, this instructional activity provides great ideas for a second grade instructional activity involving butterfly lifecycles. Learners make drawings of butterflies,...

A well-designed, comprehensive, and attractive slide show supports direct instruction on how sonar and echolocation work. Contained within the slides are links to interactive websites and instructions for using apps on a mobile device to...

Students hike a local mountain and examine its life zones. They measure various components at each zone and collect leaf litter at the sites. At the mountain top, students make descriptive observations and complete a handout about the...

Young scholars recognize the importance of plants as they perform an experiment involving photosynthesis. Students determine the optimum wavelength of light for photosynthesis by exposing plants to different colors of light, collecting...

Young scientists develop their observation and writing skills as they craft and then post a detailed description of a plant or animal they have spotted and photographed.

Create a creature using some of the characteristics of a real animal. Second graders will read a book from the "Froggy," series by Johnathan London to learn about the characteristics of frogs. After discussing and recording various...

Individuals in your class research the origin of an animal and present their discoveries to the class. The first appearance of the animal and its date of extinction are indicated on a class time line. 

Explore the concept of evolution and cell biology; your class can work in groups to use the internet to view websites on evolution, take a quiz, and complete a lab activity.

You are what you eat, as they say! Are you more starch or more protein? Young scholars use their knowledge of each component to test different foods for their content. Using multiple indicators, individuals describe the protein and...

Students study the characteristics of wetlands. They are introduced to terms and different examples of wetlands. The hands-on activity reinforces the different parts of the wetlands, and provides a working model of a wetland.

Young historians take a look at how the Indian tribes of California promoted a mindful relationship between people and the land. They begin to understand how the Indians were champions of conservation, and at preserving the natural...

Study everything about plants! The 12-part series of lessons continues with an examination of many aspects of plants. Components of the laboratory activity address the growth and structure of plants by evaluating familiar plants. The...

Test scholars' knowledge of ecosystems with a 20-question pre-assessment. Assessment challenges learners to answer multiple choice questions, read diagrams, and complete charts.

Fifth graders use modern technologies which allow them to gain a new, dynamic, and intersting understanding of themselves, their community, and the world. They focus on environmental education and the effect of the environment on plant...

Students examine organisms that are composed of tissues, organs, and systems. They dissect a fetal pig and explore the assigned organs systems such as the skeletal, muscular, and circulatory organs. Students identify and explain their...

How does nature's hierarchy relate to our local human environment? Answer this question, along with others, as the class visually depicts the natural hierarchy provided by nature. Pupils discuss each piece of the pyramid and its energy...

Students create animal print casts from molds in the classroom. They use the cast patterns to identify animal prints on a field trip in which they locate animal tracks, identify the location with GPS and create field casts of the...

Fifth graders research life in Alaska and compare life there to their lives in this activity. They read "Julie of the Wolves." They research through the novel and other reference books facts about the Alaskan climate and geography. ...

Using computers, Students work in small groups and progress through the roles of Explorer, Researcher, Designer, and Evaluator as they study the life cycle of plants, insects, butterflies and frogs.

Students investigate living organisms and define the properties of a living species.  In this life characteristic instructional activity, students examine plants in their class and discuss whether or not they are alive....

Learners photograph living organisms. In this plan for a field trip, students go to a local park or pond and photograph themselves with various living organisms on their scavenger hunt list. The photographs taken are compiled into a...

Second graders study the life cycle of a butterfly by observing metamorphosis taking place in a butterfly pavilion. Students illustrate their understandings of the body parts of a caterpillar and butterfly, as well as the life cycle,...

Students explore biology by listening to an in-class lecture. In this plant science instructional activity, students sing songs with their classmates regarding anatomical parts of a plant and create plants from arts and crafts materials....