Curated OER
Weather and Seasons: Mt. Seymour Winter Fieldtrip
Students explore winter adaptations and glare. In this winter weather lesson, students discuss the season of winter and how animals and plants adapt to the changing weather. Students discuss the glare off snow and make goggles for their...
Prince William Network
Migration Headache
During this game, kids become migratory shorebirds and fly among wintering, nesting, and stopover habitats. If they do not arrive at a suitable habitat on time, they do not survive. Catastrophic events are periodically introduced that...
Curated OER
Life in the Arctic
Students create a model of an arctic animal. In this animal adaptation lesson plan, students research an arctic animal, create a 3-D model of their animal, and explain the physical characteristics animals in the arctic need to survive.
Curated OER
Get Ready to Hibernate! Migrate! or Get Fat!
Young scholars explore the different ways which animals survive the winter months, and sort animals into correct categories using a Venn diagram.
Curated OER
Winter Survival
Students examine what animals need in order to survive. In this investigative lesson students play a "role" of an animal in winter.
Curated OER
Dull Duck, Dashing Duck
Students learn about animal camouflage. For 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
Responses to Changes in the Environment
Fourth graders study ecosystems, and see how plants and animals must adapt to changes in their environment in order to survive. Pictures of the snow shoe hare in the winter and summer are shown. Learners determine that the change in...
Curated OER
Reading Research!
Young scholars observe the pictures in non-fiction books that focus on animals in the winter. In addition, they also listed to some read aloud books about hibernation, migration, adaptation and dormancy. Students draw pictures and write...
Curated OER
Snug in the Snow
Students explore how snow helps animals survive in the wild. In this animal science lesson, students review key vocabulary words and discuss types of animal adaptations. Students construct shoebox to simulate the snowy environment where...
Curated OER
Night Hike
Learners explore Upham Woods at night and investigate about the special adaptations of nocturnal animals. They identify three nocturnal animals and how they are adapted to the night. Students explain what night vision is and how it works.
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
Habitat Basics
First graders get out and explore two different habitats to examine how each one meets the needs of the plants and animals that dwell there. They discuss what they've learned about animal habitats as they explore the outdoor environment....
Curated OER
Hawaii's Migratory Animals
Students act as travel agents to plan a trip for a migratory animal. They conduct research and design a travel brochure that includes a migratory route, illustrations of planned stopovers and special tourist attractions the animal might...
Curated OER
Keeping Warm
Students create a collage investigating different strategies animals use for keeping warm. This lesson is part of a multi-segmented unit on animal survival.
Curated OER
Keeping Warm When it is Cold: How does a polar bear keep warm?
Students make a model of a polar bear and discuss why fur/skin color is important. They also perform a simple experiment using black and white socks to determine how color affects temperature.
ARKive
Seasons in the Woods
Winter in the cold Northwoods of Wisconsin can be hard on animals that aren't adapted to the climate. Investigate the animals that are out and about even in the coldest winter temperatures as you and your class examine animal...
Curated OER
Praire Biome Models
Fifth graders, in groups, list the physical characteristics of a biome and think of ways in which animals might have to adapt to live there and make a biome mobile ball that show the different types of habitats that shape the praire biome.
California Academy of Science
A Day inthe Life of a San Francisco Native Animal
Although the lesson is specifically about the San Francisco Bay area, it's good enough to be adapted to any local region. Children research what the landscape in San Francisco was like prior to settlement, they consider the types of...
Curated OER
Animal Instincts
Students compare animal adaptations to human behavior. In this science lesson, students discuss animal instincts vs. learned behavior. Options for student writing, drawing and research are incorporated into this lesson plan
Curated OER
Snow Lovers or Haters
Learners explain the three classifications that define how wildlife species react to winter; and name at least four examples each of chionophobes, chioneuphores, and chionophiles.
Curated OER
Birds and Coffee
Fifth graders identify the changing seasons with how they affect animal and human behavior. They explain what migration is and why many birds migrate south for the winter. They then trace the coffee sold in their neighborhood and in...
Curated OER
How Animals Prepare for Winter
Second graders study which animal hibernate and which migrate. They observe the weather conditions related to each and complete the associated worksheets and web activity.
Prince William Network
The Incredible Journey
Divide your school gym into breeding grounds and non-breeding grounds so that your zoologists can play a game simulating the seasonal migration of shorebirds. Players pick one of the included game cards and follow its directions, which...
Curated OER
Winer Survival
Students study how animals need water, food, shelter, and space to survive. They also study what animals need to survive in the winter. They play the part of animals and winter "threats" in a game of tag to reinforce concepts.