Curated OER
Rainforest Animals – Camouflage and Coloring for Protection
Learners explain why animals need to blend in with their surrounding. In this environmental science lesson, students create moth paper models to simulate animals hidden in the rainforests. They make a bulletin board display about what...
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Adaptations – Designs for Survival
What's the difference between behavioral adaptations and physical adaptations? Learn about the various ways that organisms adapt to their environment with a worksheet about the creatures of the Hudson River.
American Museum of Natural History
Make Your Own Creatures of Light
Bioluminescent animals are the focus of a hands-on craft in which scholars create a scene of either a land or sea bioluminescent creature.
Curated OER
Spiders Catch Prey
Students see that spiders catch and eat their prey and are also caught and eaten by their enemies. They sort the pictures into animals that spiders eat, those they do not eat, and those that are spiders.
K12 Reader
Hide and Seek
Why do certain animals look the way they do? It could be because they have developed camouflage. Kids can read up on camouflage and mimicry and then respond to five questions related to the content of the passage.
Curated OER
Color Crazy
First graders create their own brightly colored animals. In this animal adaptations instructional activity, 1st graders create an animal that is brightly colored but can blend into it's environment.
Curated OER
Finding Caterpillars
Students examine how animals protect themselves from predators and camouflage themselves. They participate in a simulation in which they locate red and green yarn "caterpillars," organize their data, and generate a bar graph using...
Curated OER
Animals Multiple Choice Definitions Worksheet
In this animal vocabulary worksheet, students complete multiple choice questions where they define the animal terms given to them. Students complete 7 questions.
Curated OER
Habitats and All That
First graders read books, complete online explorations and discuss the ways in which animals adapt to their habitats in order to survive. They create accordion books, play matching games and dramatize animal adaptations.
Curated OER
Coqui Frog Camouflage
Students investigate the concept of the coqui frog of Puerto Rico. They conduct research using a variety of resources. Students explain in oral or written form some of the characteristics to that identify the frog. The lesson includes...
Curated OER
Introduce Vocabulary: I See Animals Hiding
Students are introduced to the story " I See Animals Hiding" and define key vocabulary words from the story. In this instructional activity aimed at reinforcing vocabulary, students listen to the usage of vocabulary words in the story....
Desert Discoveries
Sonoran Desert Predators and Prey
Here is a fabulous lesson the animals found in the Sonoran Desert. Learners classify these animals as predators, prey, or both! They take a look at the many adaptations that these animals utilize to help them find food, and avoid...
Curated OER
Chalkboard Challenge
Here's a terrific Jeopardy-style game that's designed for 3rd and 4th grade students of science. The topics include living things, animals, plants, matter, and "hodge-podge." The questions are all age appropriate, and there is an...
Curated OER
Feeding Frenzy
Young biologists take a look at the myriad of ways that animals increase their chances of surviving in the wild. The adaptations help animals hide, hunt, and attract a mate. This lesson specifically explores how insect mouth parts are...
Curated OER
Awesome Adaptations!
Second graders explore biology by researching animal characteristics. In this adaptation lesson, 2nd graders identify the history of several animals and research the changes that have occurred to their anatomy over thousands of years....
Curated OER
Locating Echo
Students read the book The Adventure of Echo the Bat. In this animal science lesson, students read the book and create a chart labeled "Land Feature," "Habitat," and "Food." Students fill in the table according to where the character...
It's About Time
Adaptations
Congratulations! You exist, thanks to the wonders of biology and adaptations. The focus of the lesson explains many adaptations of plants and animals and how the environment has influenced the process. A hands-on activity demonstrates...
Curated OER
Ocean Zones
Students create a mural showing ocean zones and the diversity of ocean life. They use reference books to create a list of plants and animals that would live in each zone.
Curated OER
Coral Reefs
Students examine the animals that live in a coral reef and how they adapt to their environment. In this coral lesson plan students write a short book on how animals inhabit the coral reefs.
Curated OER
Mimics Survive -- Camouflaged Reptiles
Students examine mimicry as a survival strategy in repiles. They examine examples of the Mexican milksnake and the coralsnake in attempt to distinguish the differences in them. They discuss other species that use mimicry.
Curated OER
The Great Jellybean Hunt
Learners explore natural selection and its influence on the populations to fine tune traits and characteristics. The acquisition of traits developed out of need is examined through a game played in class.
Curated OER
Dull Duck, Dashing Duck
Learners learn about animal camouflage. In this animal adaptations lesson, students discuss the patterns and adaptations animals use to help them survive, discuss the uses of camouflage, visit a local wetland if possible, and design...
Curated OER
Disguise for the Eyes
Young scientists discover how many, many animals use color as a way of helping them to survive in the wild. They understand how animals use color in their everyday lives. Pupils engage in hands-on activities, watch videos, access...
ARKive
Adaptation: Design a Species
Adapt is what an animal does to ensure it will survive in a specific environment; maybe it's more complicated than that. Your young animal experts can view this handy presentation to better understand animal adaptations and also complete...