Curated OER
Changing Planet: Adaptation of Species (Birds and Butterflies)
A video about the impact of climate change on butterfly populations and a PowerPoint about butterfly and bird adaptations warm science learners up for the activity to follow. Using a variety of tools that reprsent unique styles of bird...
Curated OER
Bird Beak Adaptation Lab
Middle schoolers investigate bird beaks to determine which physical adaptations are necessary based on the types of food the birds eat. They participate in a lab by visiting multiple stations to determine which beaks are most efficient,...
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Amazing Birds
What's so amazing about birds? Find out just how amazing birds are with a physics of animal behavior unit created by Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Have learners explore and tap into their observational skills and notice how birds fly, what...
Curated OER
Hawaiian Bird Beak Adaptation
Students explore adaptation by participating in a lab activity. In this bird characteristics lesson, students discuss the different purposes birds have for their beaks and conduct an experiment testing which beaks collect food best....
Curated OER
Introduction to Adaptation
Tenth graders observe collections of specimens and discuss their answers to provided questions. They explore common ancestry, homology, analogy, adaptive radiation, and evolution, while formulating creative answers based on their...
Curated OER
Build a Hawaiian Bird
Fifth graders make a model of a bird. In this animal adaptations lesson, 5th graders examine how birds adapt to their environment, using Hawaiian birds as an example. Students create their own bird using adaptation paper cut outs...
Curated OER
The Birds and the Beaks
Students explore the adaptations that birds have. In this adaptations lesson plan students view a video and create a concept map of birds and their adaptive traits.
Curated OER
The Beaks of the Finches
Students become birds and are given "beak-types". After completing the simulation, students relate results to adaptations and natural selection. Extensions of the simulation allow for comparative results and include population genetics.
Curated OER
Taxonomy
Students analyze the complexity of organism classifications based on certain criteria. In this classifying organisms lesson students study taxonomy and gather information and leaves to do their own experiment on classification.
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Learning Lab: Looking at Bird Beaks
Use this activity as an introduction to adaptations. Students will view video clips of birds and formulate their own observations and explanations for the different types of bird beaks and how they are used.