Pace University
Grade 6-8 Living Things
What characterizes a living thing? Scholars explore the concept during a differentiated instruction unit on living things. They perform lab experiments to determine how animals adapt to stimuli, watch videos and learn about...
Curated OER
Basic Needs of Living Things - Lesson Two
Fourth graders study and identify the basic needs of a variety of organisms. Terrariums and aquariums are used to demonstrate what plants, animals, and fish need to stay alive. These two classic models are used to effectively convey what...
Curated OER
Basic Needs of Living Things - Lesson One
An interesting way of teaching about basic needs of different organisms awaits your fourth graders. Pupils take part in class discussions and demonstrations which should lead to a greater understanding of how to determine basic needs. As...
NASA
Consumers Get Energy From Other Living Things
How do plants and animals get their food? Learn about where energy comes from, how animals store energy, and aerobic respiration, in a lesson that allows scholars to diagram energy flows.
NASA
Decomposers Get Energy From Dead Things
When life gives you mold, make penicillin. Scholars design an inquiry experiment to determine what causes rotting and mold growth. It also covers decomposers and the important role they play for other living things.
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Characteristics of Living Things
Students discuss the criteria for living things with their groups. They come to a consensus on at least five or more characteristics of a living thing. They determine if the lab samples are living, non-living, or other.
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Basic Needs of Living Things-Lesson One
Fourth graders explore the basic needs of living things. They observe a variety of living things and identify the basic needs of each living item. Students create food balls of peanut butter and nuts to feed animals. They hang their food...
Serendip
Is Yeast Alive?
Through two investigations, life science learners determine whether or not yeast is alive. They perform tests for metabolism by providing sugar and observing if gas is produced as a byproduct. They incubate some of the sample for at...
Curated OER
Living vs. Non-Living Things
Fourth graders describe the characteristics that determine if something is living, dead, or non-living. They determine the difference between living and non-living things. Students determine if an object is living or non-living and...
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What's the Matter? (Living and Non-Living Things)
Understand how chemical reactions recombine atoms to create the "chemicals of life". An experiment, showing the basic chemical reactions of an iron nail or a match, helps young children start their understanding of permanent changes.
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What is a Living Thing, and How Does a Living Thing Respond to Its Environment?
Students investigate how living things interact with their environment. In this living things lesson plan, students complete lessons for science investigations on what living things have in common. Students study cells, complete...
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Draw an Alien in Natural Habitat
Students apply prior knowledge of living things, structures of living things and how living things sense and respond to their environment. In this habitat lesson, students review the basic needs of organisms to survive. Students create...
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Bats About Stellaluna
Students, after listening to Janelle Cannon's picture book Stellaluna, explore a variety of living things through three distinct activities. They make a list of what they know and want to know about birds and bats. Orally and in writing...
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Variations in Living Things
Biology beginners observe traits in a collection of plant parts to realize the tremendous amount of genetic variation within a species. They consider rules of nature and discuss what would happen if they changed. They also examine data...
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Using Living Organisms to Explain Evolution
Students investigate evolution in its most fundamental form: the observation of living organisms. By comparing variations that exist among living animals, students formulate their own hypotheses and conclusions about the evolution of...
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Living Organisms as Indicators of Pollutants in Fresh Water Ecosystems
Students observe the effects of pollution on living organisms. In this pollution lesson plan, students observe fresh water Hydra and look at their structures and movement. They place samples of pond and lake water on the Hydra and...
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Living Organisms
Third graders examine pond water samples using hand lenses while working in small groups. They find specimens of living organisms in the water samples. Finally, the draw a picture of the organisms and label them using descriptive...
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Living Organisms
First graders investigate living things that are part of a class aquarium. They make observations and answer guided questions about each organism. Students read a Science textbook and engage in a class discussion about the content. Then...
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The Environment and Interactions of Living Organisms
Students study the environment and interactions of living organisms. They identify abiotic and biotic factors and create a foldable and vocabulary cards. They create a poster illustrating soil and watch a video to study symbiosis.
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Biology: Humans as Organisms
Students examine body systems. In this biology lesson, students explore the roles of different body systems and discover the effects of smoking, drugs, alcohol, exercise, and good nutrition on human body systems.
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Investigate Science Using Crayfish
Young scientists discover the importance of scientific investigation by observing live crayfish. They carefully observe the patterns of crayfish in different environments. Then they discuss their conclusions and define what all living...
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C.M. Beg
First graders are introduced to a pretend boy named C.M. Beg. The initials of the boy be a mnemonic device to help students explain the basic characteristics of living things.
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Animated Video Productions - Life Cycles
Seventh graders compare/contrast the life cycles of free-living organisms to that of parasites. They conduct Internet research, illustrate the stages of a specific organisms's life cycle, and direct and produce a mini-video production.
Curated OER
What is Life? Demonstrations & Discussion
Display seven items for your biologists to consider. Are they living or non-living? How can you tell? This is a simple outline of what you can display and questions that can be discussed as this topic is explored. One way to use this...