Curated OER
Reebops a Model "Organism" for Teaching Genetics Concepts
Reebops are cute, marshmallow-based creatures that can be used to teach inheritance. Beginning biologists draw strips of paper that represent chromosomes from two envelopes, one for the father, and one for the mother. Each parent...
Montana Natural History Center
Studying Grassland Ecosystems
At first glance, grassland ecosystems might seem dull and uninteresting, but once you start to explore it's amazing the things you'll find! Through this series of engaging lessons, activities, and experiments, elementary students examine...
Curated OER
Y7 Variation and Habitats (S)
In this biology instructional activity, students identify and locate various vocabulary terms relating to variations and habitats of living things. There are 37 biology terms located in the word search.
Curated OER
Classify That!
Students explore diverse forms of life by using modern biological classification systems to group animals that are related. Students then study basic scientific groupings like genus, species, mammals, fish, birds, amphibians, and...
Curated OER
Are You One of Us?
Students investigate how scientists sort and classify organisms. In this sorting and classifying lesson, students examine what systematics are as tools that scientists use. They examine images of invertebrates and sort them while stating...
Curated OER
Classifying Life
In this classifying life worksheet, students review the 5 kingdoms of organisms by completing 10 matching and 7 fill in the blank questions.
New South Wales Department of Education
Plant Groups
Bryophytes can grow in temperatures just above zero degrees. This 17th installment in a series of 20 introduces learners to the five groups of plants: algae, bryophytes, pteridophytes, gymnosperms, and angiosperms. Classes then explore...
Virginia Department of Education
A Dichotomous Key of Virginia’s Native Plants
Can your class correctly classify plant species? Individuals explore native plants of the local environment and correctly classify them into their respective categories. They investigate differences in the plants and discuss similarities...
New South Wales Department of Education
Plant Features
Pine needles are actually modified leaves. In the 16th installment of 20, young scientists explore plants. Through an analysis of leaves — shape, veins, and edges — pupils see how to classify plants based on structural features.
Curated OER
Sharks ~ Taking a Bite Out of the Myth
The first thing to know about this lesson is that the commercial fisheries data for the activity no longer seems to be available. That being said, there are fascinating links to other websites, some about the comparative odds of being...
Curated OER
Classification of Animals
First graders investigate the characteristics of vertebrates. They classify each as mammal, fish, bird, and reptiles. Students explore the differences between various types of animals and classify each.
Curated OER
Shell Sort; Serving up Seafood
Students complete various small group activities to classify items and determine the types of combinations that can be made with these items. In the second lesson, students create menus for a restaurant to help them gain money sense and...
Curated OER
Classify the Microbes
Students classify microorganisms into categories based on their characteristics. Pupils use a taxonomic key to identify organisms. They classify certain bacteria, protists, and viruses using a classification or taxonmic key.
Curated OER
Get to Know a Fish
Students discover the anatomy of a fish by identifying its body parts. In this oceanography lesson, students view a live fish in their classroom and draw a poster of the fish one body part at a time while identifying it. Students...
Curated OER
So You Think You're Tough
Fourth graders learn how to classify animals. In this invertebrates lesson, 4th graders discuss how we classify thinks into groups and move into a discussion about classifying animals. Students learn about the differences between...
Curated OER
Adaptations to Environments with Mammals
Fifth graders, after viewing a PowerPoint on different mammals, analyze what a biome is. Then they choose a mammal to research and go outside to feel the grass and leaves and hypothesize about which biome they live in as well as its...
Curated OER
Sibling Relationships in the Animal World
Young scholars research sibling relationships in the animal world. In this animal science lesson plan, students read the book, Sisters and Brothers: Sibling Relationships in the Animal World and discuss the sibling relationships. Young...
Curated OER
Dinosaurs
Students study the lives of dinosaurs. In this dinosaur instructional activity, students create dinosaur dioramas that depict how and where the creatures lived. Students also discuss extinction with their teacher.
Curated OER
Environmental Studies: The Environment Rocks!
Rock exploration, so exciting! After reading the book Everybody Needs a Rock, the class makes sandwiches to better understand that the Earth is made in layers. They then use a description of the 3 types of rock to conduct an observation...
University of Manchester
Thanksgiving and Being Thankful
Students share with the class what they are thankful for. In this Thanksgiving instructional activity, students create place-mats for Thanksgiving. Students discuss ways we honor and celebrate Thanksgiving. They then make a list of...
Curated OER
Bat Ecology
Young scholars, through hands on games and activities, discover how bats live and how bats benefit ecosystems. They play a game designed to show them how echolocation works and another to show how mother bats locate their young through...
Curated OER
Tree-Mendous!
Students classify trees. In this tree-mendous lesson, students categorize a variety of trees to assist them in playing a Jeopardy like game. Students identify new vocabulary terms and classify the uses and benefits of trees for humans.
Curated OER
This Place is Going to the Dogs
Students study different breeds of dogs. They watch a video, "Extraordinary Dogs", about special dogs and how they are categorized according to their adaptations. Then they create a digital video that demonstrates the qualities of dogs...
Curated OER
Fossils-Where Should We Place Archaeopteryx?
Students explore an interactive computer activity that provides the opportunity to look at features of various groups of animals and determine where an extinct organism might be classified.