Alabama Wildlife Federation
Itsy Bitsy Spider
Bring the outside in to make observations in a controlled environment. Pupils learn about predator-prey relationships with spiders firsthand. They first construct a spider habitat and then feed the spider insects to make observations...
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Mesh Bag Collector
Who knew bugs could be so informative? A hands-on activity has pupils assess the sustainability of a water ecosystem based on the presence of invertebrates. The class places a homemade trap in a local pond, and after several weeks,...
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Big Fish, Little Fish
Tag, you're eaten! A lesson on predator-prey relationships uses the game freeze tag as a model. Learners become either a predator or prey and play a game of tag as the prey tries to reach areas that house food and shelter. During the...
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Butterflies without Borders
Some living things go to extreme measures to avoid the cold. A three-part activity guides learners through the migration of the monarch butterfly. After studying the life cycle of the monarch butterfly, pupils learn the process of...
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Birding Lane
Birdwatching is a popular hobby. Young scientists test their knowledge of bird characteristics on their own bird-watching expedition. They take their journals on a walk and sketch the key characteristics of the birds they find while...
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Forest Floor Investigation
Most living things go unnoticed. Change that using a fun activity about the nutrient cycle. Pupils use hula hoops to mark areas of study and then make observations about the living things they see. They first make surface observations,...
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Water Words
Water is an interesting substance that all living things need to survive. Learners focus on the characteristics of water as they create a list of words related to water and then incorporate them into descriptive paragraphs. They then use...
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Adapt-A-Bird
Not every animal has the best features for its environment. Learners study the characteristics of birds and the implications of these characteristics as related to their environments. They use what they learn to create their own new...
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Leaf Chromatography
Pigmentation of leaves is important in plant processes. Scholars use chromatography to create a better picture of the pigmentation in an assortment of leaves. They share their results to make comparisons between different plant species.
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Songbird Survey
Serenade your classes with a selection of bird songs. Scholars learn to identify birds by their songs with practice and then take their skills to the outdoors. They identify mating pairs while on a nature walk and repeat their walk over...
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Fill the Bill
A hummingbird isn't the only bird with a unique beak. After a discussion about the specific characteristics of bird beaks, pupils complete a station rotation and use different tools to simulate the function of different beaks. They...
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Leaf Creatures
The structure of a leaf reveals a lot about the plant it comes from. Young scholars collect and prepare leaves for comparison. After pressing the leaves, they identify the different parts and then use the leaves to complete an art project.
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Life in a Pond
What living things call an aquatic habitat home? Young learners consider the question after they discuss the characteristics of a typical pond habitat. They identify an animal and then determine if a pond would have all the components to...
Alabama Wildlife Federation
How Many Butterflies
Learners become butterflies to complete an activity that has them collect tokens that represent food, water, and shelter. They must collect their necessities while in competition with other butterflies in the same area. Once the...
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Pasta Butterfly
From an egg to an adult and the stages in between, the butterfly leads a very active life. A hands-on activity has learners act out the different life cycle stages of the butterfly before venturing on an identification expedition. During...
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Birds are Everywhere
Wildlife includes all animals that have not been domesticated, both big and small. Young scientists search for all types of wildlife and more importantly for evidence that wildlife is present. As they venture in an outdoor space, they...
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Colors to Dye for!
Nature provides a rainbow of colors at one's fingertips. A hands-on activity uses natural plant materials to create all-natural dyes. Plants range from fruits and vegetables to flowers and greens. After extracting the pigments, eager...
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Seed Necklace
Seeds come in many colors, shapes, and sizes—and that variety makes for a great necklace! Young learners collect a variety of seeds during their search in a nature area. An adult then prepares the seeds to better thread them onto a cord,...
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Butterfly Gardening
Build a place for butterflies to call home. After identifying the needs of butterflies in terms of water, food, shelter, and reproduction, learners create a scale model of their ideal butterfly garden. Once the model is complete, they...
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Bloomin' Butterflies
Get an up close and personal look at the metamorphosis of the butterfly. Pupils take ownership of their learning by collecting butterfly eggs, building a cage, and raising them to adulthood. The lesson resource provides instructions for...
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Butterfly Book
Journaling is a great tool for processing information. Budding scientists build their own butterfly journals from their observations in a butterfly garden. The lesson challenges them to identify different stages of the life of the...
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Watch the Birdie
Many birds look alike until you focus on their specific characteristics—so let's do a little bird watching! Young scientists build their own binoculars to take on a hike. They then use them to locate and identify different species of birds.
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Wildlife Habitat Checklist
Take a walk on the wild side with a project about animal habitats. After kids observe a chosen animal in its home, they describe the animal's food and water sources, shelter, and how it raises its young. They then write a short fictional...