Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Icefish Adaptations
What adaptations exist in order for icefish to survive the subfreezing temperatures of the Antarctic Ocean? Middle and high schoolers can find out through watching a related 13-minute video and performing a simple investigation to...
Baylor College
Needs of Living Things: Pre-Assessment
Determine your class's prior knowledge about the necessities of life with this pre-assessment for a unit on living things. Learners draw pictures of themselves with all the things they need to live, grow, and survive. These drawings will...
Curated OER
Is There Room for Everybody?
Third graders examine the capacity of animals able to live in one habitat. In this habitat lesson, 3rd graders play a game that shows the food chain and the interactions between animals in an area. Students discover that food is a major...
Curated OER
Adaptation Investigation - Extreme Beaks
Find photos of bird beaks or show a prepared four slide PowerPoint, "Extreme Beaks" to introduce your class to this special animal adaptation. Provide them with a data table and supplies to try gathering food with tools that each...
Curated OER
Opportunity Knocks, But It Costs, Too!
Sixth graders write a reflection piece, outlining each of the decision-making steps they have used and what decision they have decided upon, which includes possible solutions, as well as possible outcomes for each solution. They also...
Curated OER
Survival in Antarctica
Explore the harsh climate of Antarctica and its wildlife. Participate in experiments to determine how humans survive in the continent's climate, and address the difficulties faced by scientists.
Curated OER
Survival Experts
Students take on the role of survival experts as they research and produce brochures or guides to educate others about what to do in the event of a natural disaster.
Curated OER
Survival Lesson Plan
Students participate in a survival lesson that teaches four steps to take in the event of dealing with an emergency. The skill of improvising is practiced and its importance is stressed as being resourceful. Students also cover the...
Curated OER
AP: Chapter 52: Population Ecology
For AP biology or ecology classes, here is a worksheet that explores population growth. Carrying capacity, limiting factors, and k-strategies are dealt with using short-answer questions.
Curated OER
Bird Beaks
Fourth graders explore the characteristics of organisms and how these influence their ability to survive in particular habitats. Students perform experiments with types of bird beaks and graph their results. Students explore familiar...
Curated OER
Survivor!
Students play a game in physical education class to examine how a deer survives. Using nature as a guide, they discover how it is constantly changing due to weather, food, water, pollution and predators. They discuss the characteristics...
Curated OER
Internet Scavenger Hunt
Students use a computer and the internet to click on highlighted words to find certain answers. They then write the answer to the questions on paper. Finally, students choose one animal to write about. They research the animal on the...
Curated OER
Worms, Nature's Recyclers!
Students study what worms need to survive in different environments. They study how worm composting improves soil and reduce waste. They discuss composting techniques and present a puppet show about a worm's life.
Curated OER
Reading Research!
Students investigate the life of an animal and how it responds to winter. The lesson's focus is on reading and research skills using pictures to assist in the understanding of the information presented.
Curated OER
A Home for a Cricket
First graders build a habitat for crickets after studying animal survival needs. They care for and observe the crickets in the classroom habitat.
Curated OER
Dress Like A Frog
Students recognize amphibian adaptations. In this amphibian lesson students explore amphibian adaptations that provide for successful living in their environments. A volunteer dresses up with all of the adaptations using everyday items...
Curated OER
What Do We Need In Our Environment To Survive?
Students discuss and write about waste management to save the environment. In this environment instructional activity, students discuss what an alien coming to Earth would notice about the environmental needs of humans for survival. They...
Curated OER
A Wild Chain Reaction
Students explore habitats. In this habitat lesson, students break into groups and are labeled as a part of a habitat. Students then do an activity with yarn that shows how all of the parts are connected and depend on each other....
Curated OER
Nature Oriented Kindness Projects
Students complete various nature activities where they work together to create a butterfly garden, plant flowers, learn about nature survival, and more. In this nature lesson plan, students work together in groups and display kindness...
Curated OER
From Foraging to Farming
Sixth graders understand the basic needs of humans. In this basic needs lesson, 6th graders participate in an activity to search for their basic needs. Students recognize the problems when their is scarcity of a necessity to their lives....
Curated OER
Dino-Mite Web Quest
In this science worksheet, students identify a specific dinosaur to research. Then they develop an overview of their dinosaur family and the foods each dinosaur in their family eat. Students also identify how the dinosaurs defend...
Curated OER
Naturally Disastrous!
Students explore, research and examine the causes of natural disasters and how to survive them. They research on the internet world climate, recent disasters, how they happen, what to do if one occurs and what preventive measures to take...
Curated OER
Trait Variations for Survival
Young learners examine how different traits could give one organism an advantage over another. In groups, they view two different organisms in different environments. To end the lesson plan, they complete a Venn Diagram on the two...
Curated OER
Adaptations of Fishes for Survival in Polar Environments
Students compare the anatomy of temperature and polar fishes. They explore the adverse effects of cold on metabolism and physiology and discuss how polar fishes adapt to their environments. Comparisons are also made to the DNA sequences...