Michigan Sea Grant
Fish Life Cycle
Fish are no different when it comes to a living being's primary objective—to reproduce. They do differ, including from fish species to fish species, in their life cycles, survival tactics and reproductive strategies. After discussion of...
Curated OER
Bivalve Biology
Students place clams into a beaker containing saltwater. They place a small drop of food coloring just above the shell. Students observe the movement of the food coloring. Clams are then placed into clean beakers of saltwater with 24...
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
Pawing Around
Students identify common wildlife by investigating their footprints. They examine where and how to look for signs of animal activity. They create casts of animal tracks and gather information about the animal from the location it was found.
Curated OER
Stranded along the Coast
Pupils plot stranding sites onto a map using latitude and longitude as well as compass directions with respect to coastal features. They identify several species of marine animals that might become stranded; distinguish their...
Curated OER
Terrestrial Communities
Students watch a video about different terrestrial communities. They conduct an experiment with sponges conserving water. They research desert characteristics comparing them with other biomes.
Curated OER
Grounded for Life
Second graders become familiar with the lives of penguins including their life cycles, habitats and basic needs. Students will experience the lives of penguins through stories and video.
Desert Discoveries
What's In A Habitat?
The concept of a habitat being a home for animals is the main thrust of this life sciences resource. Learners complete a cut-and-paste activity using a fine worksheet that's embedded in the plan. They must place four very different...
Curated OER
Turtle and Tortoise Preschool Lesson Plan
One of the best parts about teaching the littlest learners is that you can create thematic lessons that use one topic to address every subject. Here is a nice set of thematic teaching ideas that uses turtles and tortoises to teach...
Curated OER
Animals Must Fit In
A instructional activity on tadpoles is here for your young biologists. Learners read a short paragraph on tadpoles, then answer three questions regarding how parts of their bodies help the tadpole to survive in the pond. There is a good...
Curated OER
Speedy Succession
Fifth graders identify how a pond can change into a grassland. An ecosystems lesson where learners identify pioneer and climax species, and recognize that ecological succession can take up to 100 years or more. Some excellent activities...
Curated OER
Environmental Exchange Box
Learners examine the characteristics of their own environment and compare them to another region. They prepare a box filled with items and stories about their own region, exchange the box with another class in another region, and...
SF Environment
Waste-Less Lunch
Is it possible to have a waste-less lunch? Can your class become leaders in conservation? Discuss the importance of reducing waste during lunch time with a fun lesson that can be extended to everyday practices. First the class examines...
Curated OER
Cut-off Genes
Investigate the relationships between different deep-sea organisms by DNA sequencing. A worksheet provides instructions for DNA sequencing and space to work. They simulate gel electrophoresis by cutting out paper "DNA strands." Modeling...
Curated OER
Mallard's Wetland Olympics
Students observe plants and animals of a wetland and then compare their ability to move with different animals by undertaking the exercises on a downloadable page.
Curated OER
Writing Process- Expository Writing
Expository writing is the focus of the language arts lesson presented here. In it, young writers review what expository writing is through a class discussion and teacher demonstration. Then, learners write expository text that describes...
Curated OER
Wildlife
The centerpiece of this lesson plan is a predator-prey simulation in which colored paperclips represent different species of animals camouflaged against a colored background. Relevant follow-up questions are provided. The activity is...
Curated OER
Survival Strategies and Adaptation in Insects
Third graders investigate insects and their adaptations that help them survive. In this survival strategies lesson, 3rd graders view photographs of insects and discuss the adaptations that each one uses to survive, including camouflage...
Curated OER
Metamorphosis Magic
Students make different motions for each stage in the butterfly life cycle and plant a garden. In this butterfly life cycle lesson plan, students can take the mini gardens home and discuss how butterflies help gardens.
Curated OER
Beach Life: Clam Dissection
Young scholars investigate clams. In this clam life lesson, students conduct an experiment where they dissect clams. Young scholars compare anatomies of humans and clams.
Aiken County Public Schools
Claymation in the Classroom
Students design an appropriate and usable storyboard and then create a claymation video. They take digital photographs frame by frame, then assemble the stop-motion movie using video software.
Curated OER
Environmental Problems and Solutions
In this environmental problems and solutions worksheet, students are given a list of 25 environmental problems. They match them with a given solution and paste the matching pairs to a piece of construction paper.
Curated OER
Speedy Succession
Fifth graders investigate how a pond ecosystem can change into a prairie or grassland ecosystem. They observe a small pond ecosystem in a two liter soda bottle, and examine and record changes over a two-week period of time on a worksheet.
Curated OER
Rivers Through Time
Students read or have the book A River Ran Wild read to them. They discuss and reflect on the messages presented in the book. Students use their listening comprehension skills to draw conclusions. Students articulate several examples of...