Science Matters
Blubber Gloves: It’s All About Insulation
Instill the concept of adaptation with the help of Blubber Gloves—ziplock bags, shortening, and duct tape. Scholars discuss how animals and plants keep warm in polar regions, record their predictions, and try on their Blubber Gloves to...
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
Insulation and Buoyancy
Students predict whether their hands be warmer in ice water with or without a blubber mitten. They construct a blubber mitten using plastic, Crisco and compare their results with a control group. They observe how this affects buoyancy too.
Curated OER
Animals of the Cold
Students access the Internet to research information about animals found in the coldest parts of the world. They gather data for collaborative exchange and research answers to teacher designed questions. They create original works of art...
Curated OER
The Amazing Octopus
Students design imaginary animals that are able to blend into their backgrounds. In this biology lesson plan, students will learn the importance of camouflage in protecting animals from predators. Students will select a peer to act as...
Curated OER
Bearly Any Ice
Students participate in a prey-predator game. After reading background information, they discover the impact from the changes global warming presents to the polar bears and ringed seals. They role play the role of either the seal or...
Curated OER
In Arctic Waters
In this reading comprehension and following directions worksheet, students read facts about Arctic waters, the Inuit, Arctic animal adaptations, polar bears, walruses, seals, narwhal, Beluga whales and create a mix-and-match animal...
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A Day in a Life of an Arctic/Antarctic Animal
Pupils, through video segments, explore what types of animals live in the Arctic and Antarctica. They also clear up any misconceptions they have about penguins or polar bears.
Curated OER
Polar Food Web Comparison
Seventh graders practice the evaluation component of the scientific method while comparing and contrasting the similarities and differences of the food chains and webs of polar animal life. They study about classification and ecology...
NOAA
Climate Is Our Friend…Isn’t It?: Make an Extinction Polyhedron
Climate affects populations in different ways. Scholars research extinct organisms and mass extinctions in part three of the 10-installment Discover Your Changing World series. They create graphic organizers, then fill in the information...
Curated OER
Frozen Seas
Students research animal life in the frozen seas. In this researched based lesson, students use the Internet to create a poster about an animal that lives in an Arctic or Antarctic environment. Students will focus on the behavioral and...
Curated OER
For Creative Minds: What Makes an Animal a Mammal?
Students read about categories of mammals and their features. Students then construct a marine animal, using given print outs in the lesson. Students then create adaptations for their mammal, using a web site reference for guidance.
Curated OER
Caterpillar Camouflage
Students list animals, plant parts, and reasons for caterpillars to camouflage themselves. In this animal and plant adaptations lesson plan, students also play a game where they use colors as camouflage.
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Spring into Poetry
How many different types of poetry are there? Let me count them; list poems, haiku, and makes-me-think poems are only a few. Learners create their own poems accompanied by artistic projects such as haiku poems written on kites.
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Playing Hot and Cold
Learners read about homeothermy. Through research and poster projects, they gain insight into the diversity among mammals and the ways specific mammals survive in their native climates.
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Natural Selection
Kids act as scientists and preditors in this short natural selection activity; they collect and analyze data, then apply their new knowledge to real-world examples of natural selection. The layout of the worksheet is easy enough to use...
American Museum of Natural History
What's the Big Deal About Water?
It may seem simple, but water is one of the most unique substances on Earth. An interactive online lesson describes its properties and importance in so many different situations. Learners interact with the lesson to learn the role water...
Deliberating in a Democracy
Global Climate Change
Students examine an environmental issue. In this global studies lesson plan, students read an article entitled, "Global Climate Change," and respond to the discussion questions that accompany it.
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Ecosystems
With a variety of multiple choice and short answer questions, the handout found here could be used in many ways in the classroom: pretest/posttest, study guide, reading guide, or entry/exit questions. There is not a lot of space for...
Curated OER
Managing Heat
Third graders perform various experiments to show the flow of energy that causes heat. In this heat instructional activity, 3rd graders understand how heat is transferred or trapped. Students use the scientific method and critical...
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Sea and Ice Salinity
Students conduct an experiment. In this salinity lesson, students learn about sea ice, why it is important and how changing amounts can affect the sea. Students conduct an experiment to find out the effects of salinity on the formation...
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Life-Cycle Sleuth
Students analyze an animal's life cycle and behaviors, and examine what animals need to stay alive and reproduce. They develop theories and hypotheses about the reasons for migrations, using the Journey North online project.
Curated OER
Happy Habitats
Students explore different habitats. In this habitat lesson, students investigate four different habitats through participating in a WebQuest. Students create an animal web using Kidspiration or a video documentary upon completing the...
Curated OER
Quiz
In this quiz worksheet, students, after researching and discussing different types of world-wide animals, determine the answers to ten key true and false questions.