Curated OER
Learning About Mammals
Young scholars study the mammal classification and forms of them living in the United States. In this mammal study lesson, students read through orders of mammals that exist in the United States. Young scholars also study the taxonomy of...
American Museum of Natural History
What's This? Breathing
Crazy fact: Some animals can survive months without oxygen. An online resource describes some unique ways animals collect oxygen and even live without it for an extended time. Learners read about these special animals and use pop-up...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
WildCam Gorongosa
After years of war and unrest, how quickly will nature recover? Started as a project to track lion populations, WildCam Gorongosa now tracks many species. Through hidden camera evidence, scientists know species are returning to the area....
Polar Trec
Arctic Smorgasbord!
Two blooms of phytoplankton, instead of just one, now occur in the Arctic due to declining sea ice, which will have widespread effects on the marine life and climate. In small groups, participants build an Arctic food web with given...
Curated OER
Animals and the Food Webs that Love Them
Students study the animals that Lewis and Clark would have encountered. In this animals lesson students study the food web and how human populations have affected them.
Curated OER
A Little Horse Sense
How have horses evolved over time? How do horse skulls reveal this evolution? How have the roles horses play changed over time? What kind of social structure do horse herds have? How should wild horse populations be managed? To find the...
Curated OER
Classified Information - Part 1: Shapes
Third graders investigate how and why scientists use classification. They discuss classification strategies using animals, and as a class fill in a flowchart with their responses. Next, in small groups they cut out a variety of shapes...
Curated OER
Invertebrate Phyla
Students explore the invertebrate phyla. They discuss the characteristics of the invertebrate Phyla in the Kingdom Animal. Students classify organisms into Phyla based on their characteristics. They distinguish radial symmetry, bilateral...
Curated OER
Animal Communication
Students understand that all species have some capacity for communication. Students are exposed to the fact that all species have a capacity for communication. They are enlighten to the fact that communication abilities range from very...
Curated OER
Who Says Plants Can't Move?
Students discover how plants spread their seeds using other plants and animals. In this plant lesson, students role play different plants and how their seeds travel. Students then have a class discussion to ensure their understanding.
Curated OER
Animal Classification
Young scholars classify animals. In this animal classification lesson, students identify characteristics from each of the 5 categories of vertebrates. Young scholars group animals by categories.
ARKive
Species Discovery
How many of your students know that even today new species are being found all over the globe? Introduce them to the amazing diversity our planet houses with a creative activity about animal variation and classification. They'll use a...
Captain Planet Foundation
Which Plant Is Which?
Learn about dichotomous keys, plant identification, and how to care for the planet with a lesson that includes several hands-on and innovative activities. Kids go on a plant scavenger hunt and classify the plants that they find...
Curated OER
Animals Galore
Third graders use structural characteristics to sort and classify animals into groups.
Curated OER
Classify That!
Students explore diverse forms of life by using modern biological classification systems to group animals that are related. Students then study basic scientific groupings like genus, species, mammals, fish, birds, amphibians, and...
Curated OER
Classification
Students investigate how to classify items based on similar characteristics. They study the scientific system of classification.
Curated OER
Classifying Living Things
Students identify how to classify living things. They classify various concepts including family members, kinds of clothing, numbers, shapes, and vocabulary words. They discuss how to classify various concepts and classify pictures of...
Curated OER
Botany
In this botany learning exercise, students read a 2 page article on botany, choose the multiple choice answer to 3 questions, determine if 3 statements are true of false and fill in the blanks in 5 facts about botany.
Curated OER
Rain Forest Birds
Fifth graders look at the levels of the rain forest. In this rain forest lesson, 5th graders choose a rain forest animal and explain which of the four levels of the rain forest they think that animal lives in. They also complete a word...
Curated OER
Invertebrates and Vertebrate Evolution
Students explore the major characteristics of the major animal phyla. They describe adaptive features that have contributed to the success of animals on land. Students explain how primate evolution provides a context for understanding...
Curated OER
The World of Insects and Spiders
Learners identify numerous insects and their body parts. In this insect life lesson, students practice using scientific vocabulary while comparing the different parts of spiders and insects. Learners view several videos...
Curated OER
Name that plant!
What is a dichotomous key? When your kids ask, hand them a learning exercise like this one, to explain it. They use the key to identify four different trees, based on the budding twigs they've produced. Tip: Have learners extend this...
Curated OER
Seed Sensations!
First graders examine seeds. For this Science lesson, 1st graders classify and dissect seeds. Students sprout their own seeds in the classroom.
Curated OER
What's the Difference?
Young scholars analyze the similarities in different species. This instructional activity is part of a multi-segmented unit on the diversity of life. In this segment, students classify shoes to mimic the scientific categories of the...