Curated OER
Wonder Underground
Students classify and record objects they find "underground." In this observation lesson, students dig into bins filled with soil and encounter various objects such as bark, twigs, etc. Students classify their findings.
Curated OER
Classification of Cerealites
Students create a dichotomous key. In this categorizing lesson plan, students create a dichotomous key for different types of cereal. Students classify the cereal into groups such as flakes and cereal with holes. Students discuss their...
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
Forest Food Chains and Webs
Students explore forest ecological systems. In this ecology lesson, students classify forest plants and animals according to their ecological roles. Students play a related vocabulary guessing game. Students choose a card on which...
Curated OER
Making Predictions
Students collect and classify items. In this making predictions lesson, students go outside and collect specimens of plants, insects and minerals. They classify each item and place them in a Venn Diagram. Students compare and contrast...
Curated OER
SORTING ALL SORTS
Students examine how the method of classification is used. In this sorting lesson plan students take a pre-test, classify organisms and complete a crossword puzzle.
Curated OER
Cows, Worms and Compost
Third graders explore agriculture by viewing a PowerPoint presentation in class. In this animal relationship lesson, 3rd graders identify the types of farm animals humans feed on and their dependency on such small insects like worms....
Curated OER
4th Grade Life Science Unit: Animals
Fourth graders classify animals. In this animal kingdom lesson, 4th graders research animal habitats and behaviors. Students connect to a zoologist via SKYPE and learn about animal classification. Students blog about preserving animal...
Curated OER
Mini-Ponds
In this mini pond worksheet, students create a mini-pond ecosystem with soil, water, and plant life. Students let their ecosystem sit for a day and they observe a sample the next day. Students identify all the pond water microorganisms...
Michigan Sea Grant
Fish Identification
Using a dichotomous key, pupils identify characteristics of fish who live in the Great Lakes and explain how these features help them survive. In small groups, class members discover what features scientists consider important and...
Curated OER
Water, Water Everywhere (Pond Animals)
Second graders examine the characteristics of animals who live in a pond environment. In groups, they describe the various stages in the life of a frog and identify the characteristics of other pond animals. Using this information,...
Curated OER
The Circle of Life
Fourth graders examine how the different organisms living in an ecosystem affect one another. In groups, they research a specific ecosystem and present their findings to the class based on the type of organisms found in it. To end the...
Curated OER
Composting and Mulching
Second graders define composting and recognize what can be composted. In this composting and mulching lesson, 2nd graders classify objects or pictures as good or bad for composting. Students write a story about life in the compost...
Curated OER
Red Tail Ridge Wetland Study Project
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...
Curated OER
Color in the Garden
Third graders study color in a garden environment. For this color lesson, 3rd graders explore the colors of living and nonliving elements within a garden environment. Resources are provided.
Cornell University
Classification
Explore the scientific method of classification. An interactive activity asks learners to create a classification system for a group of objects and develop a flow chart to communicate their systems. In addition, individuals use a...
New South Wales Department of Education
Plant Groups
Bryophytes can grow in temperatures just above zero degrees. This 17th installment in a series of 20 introduces learners to the five groups of plants: algae, bryophytes, pteridophytes, gymnosperms, and angiosperms. Classes then explore...
Curated OER
Life Cycle of Trees
Turn your students into young tree-tectives with this fun science investigation into the life of trees. To begin, a class volunteer gets dressed up in a tree costume as the different parts of trees are introduced. Then, the class...
Curated OER
Classification Practice-Animals
Learners use pictures of animals to make a classification system. In this classification lesson plan, students are given pictures of different animals. They create a classification system for the animals and identify what they have in...
Curated OER
Life in a Forest Stream
Students assess macro-invertebrates from a stream. For this science lesson plan, students observe, classify and identify organisms found in a stream. A lab station is constructed at the stream sight and students study the different...
Curated OER
Bat Ecology
Students, through hands on games and activities, discover how bats live and how bats benefit ecosystems. They play a game designed to show them how echolocation works and another to show how mother bats locate their young through their...
Curated OER
Food and Nutrition
Young scholars participate in an after school program that promotes decision making, cooperation, choosing healthy foods, recognizing and naming a variety of foods, state healthy benefits from eating healthy foods and involving oneself...
Curated OER
Photographical Ecology
Students study organisms and the roles they play in nature. In this ecology lesson, students photograph several examples of organisms during a nature walk. Students print out their photos and classify the organisms as plants or animals.
Curated OER
It's not just pretty - it's a survival method!
First graders write explanations for why certain animals can only live in certain environments. In this animal survival lesson plan, 1st graders take pictures of animals and place them into the right environment after a lesson on the...