Curated OER
Animal Signs
Students discuss the many different types of animal signs that can be used to identify and track animals. They participate in an hands-on activity in which they examine tracks, trails, homes, territory markings, and even "scat" left by...
Curated OER
Neat Feet
Students view a video and discuss different kinds of feet found in the animal kingdom. They make prints using paint, rubber stamps and their own feet and then measure and compare the tracks.
Curated OER
How Big Is A Humpback Whale?
Students explore humpback whales. In this humpback whale instructional activity, students determine the actual size of humpback whales and use diagrams to identify the major features of the humpback whale.
Curated OER
Animal Tracks
Young scholars are introduced to the topic of area. In groups, they share various techniques to help them identify different shapes and work together to calculate the area. They use this same knowledge to determine the area of animal...
Curated OER
Tracking in Wisconsin
Students examine how to identify the tracks and track patterns of some common Wisconsin animals. They examine how the footprints of these animals reveal how different feet help different animals navigate the winter snow or survive in...
Curated OER
Animals and Humans
Students identify the functions of various body parts. They participate in the "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes" song, draw a picture of themselves and other mammals, and create a traced outline of their body that they add features to....
University of Southern California
What Lives In The Ocean?
One of the most diverse environments on Earth is the ocean. Young scientists explore the living things found in the ocean during an exciting seven-lesson unit. Their study includes organisms from plankton to invertebrates...
Curated OER
Monstrous Mutations
Students investigate mutations and simulate their mutation while trying to collect food. In this mutations lesson plan, students pick an identified mutation out of a paper bag. They simulate their mutation while trying to collect food...
Curated OER
Discovering Owls
Students are introduced to different types of owls and owl pellets. They list several adaptations that benefit the owls. Students identify the various species of owl that live in Wisconsin. Students discuss owl pellets and identify the...
Curated OER
Using a Dichotomous Key for Invertebrate Phyla
Students use a key to determine the phyla of invertebrates. They are broken into groups and each group gets a stack of pictures and uses the key to determine which phyla the animal belongs to. There are also individual questions for...
Curated OER
Bug's Eye View
Students explore biology by writing fictitious stories in class. In this insect life lesson, students identify many different types of insects in the animal kingdom and the classifications they fall into. Students collect insects on a...
Curated OER
Classification of Animals
Third graders practice classiyfying items and identify three major characteristics scientists use to classify animals. They describe the differences between ectothermic and endothermic animals.
Curated OER
Skates
Students gain understanding of structure, characteristics, and basic needs of living things and their role in world, identify parts of skate, observe details of skate's body and skate egg case, and identify unique characteristics of skates.
Curated OER
Animals Piece by Piece
Students sort organisms and objects into groups according to their parts and describe how the groups are formed.They identify body parts of animals from puzzle pieces, assemble the puzzle, and name the animal.
Curated OER
Animals, Piece by Piece
Students receive teacher prepared puzzles of animals. They try to name the animal by looking at only one piece. Students work in groups to assemble the puzzle pieces and name the animal. They draw their own pictures of the animals in...
Curated OER
Taxonomy
Students work together to identify groups of endangered animals. Using a pamphlet, they group the pictures according to specific criteria and cut the pictures out and color them. They place the animals in the correct habitat and share...
Cornell University
Bridge Building
Bridge the gaps in your knowledge of bridges. Individuals learn about bridge types by building models. The activity introduces beam bridges, arch bridges, truss bridges, and suspension bridges.
Curated OER
Beaver Ecology
Learners investigate beaver adaptations, life cycle, and the effects of beaver behavior on ecosystems. They compare and contrast how beavers influence the ecology of both forest and aquatic ecosystems.
Curated OER
Compost Cake
Learners examine the decomposition process. They create their own class compost pile and record their observations. They discover which materials decompose at a different rate.
Curated OER
Population Dynamics
Students watch a video on population dynamics. They conduct an experiment where they fill up a designated space with students. They recreate multiplying rabbits using beans.
Curated OER
Lotic Environment
Students assemble a classroom river model as an example of a lotic system. They control and measure biotic and abiotic information for the in-class system and compare data with a lotic system in a natural environment.
Curated OER
Lotic Environment Lesson Plans
Students create and conduct experiments on a "classroom river habitat." They manipulate the biotic and abiotic factors so that they are able to compare an artificially prepared river model to a naturally occurring lotic ecosystem.