Curated OER
The Spider Beside Her
Second graders are introduced to the characteristics of spiders. In groups, they compare and contrast spiders to different insects to discover spiders are not an insect at all. In groups, they create a model of a spider and discuss its...
Curated OER
Web of Life
Students construct a web of life. In this ecosystem activity students are introduced to ecosystems and life cycles. Insects are the main focus.
Curated OER
Take an Ant to Lunch
Second graders construct a model of an ant, exemplifying that ants are insects. Students gather data create a pictograph chart to show ant food preferences. Also, 2nd graders access the Internet to explore ant eating habits.
Curated OER
Measuring Animal Sizes (and Relative Sizes in our Animal Environment)
Students discover the actual size and weight of many insects and animals. In this biology lesson, students investigate animals and insects to determine their actual weight and size. In groups, students create an animal or insect of their...
Curated OER
The Disappearing Honeybees: Tracking Honeybee Decline
Middle schoolers practice graphing and other math skills to track number of honeybee colonies present in United States since 1978, discuss major crops that are dependent on insect pollinators, and examine reasons for decline of United...
Curated OER
Wind Power
Fourth graders develop an understanding of how engineers use wind to generate electricity. They will build a model anemometer to better understand and measure wind speed. They discover that engineers design wind turbines that generate...
Curated OER
Activity Plan 5-6: Book-Character Homes
Students use their creativity to build character homes. In this early childhood lesson plan, students develop creative-thinking, social, language, math, and motor skills as they work together to create buildings for characters from...
T. Smith Publishing
Counting Dots to Five
Cute as a bug in a rug! This task involves tracing dotted-line numbers, counting the spots on ladybugs' backs, and then drawing a line to match the insect to the corresponding numeral. This is ideal to include in your homework packets...
Curated OER
Profit From Pumpkins
Third graders cut open a pumpkin. In this math lesson, 3rd graders complete the worksheet "From Seed to Pumpkin" and then clean out their pumpkins to see how many seeds are in it.
Curated OER
Problem Solving: Math Codes and Word Problems
In this problem solving worksheet, students solve 7 story problems that include the use of a simple code key that assigns a number to each of 6 animals. Students read and solve each problem using the information in the key.
Curated OER
Food Chains: Integrating Science and Reading
Using a high interest science topic, like the food chain, can get students excited about reading, math, and more! A multitue of wonderful ideas that have cross-curricular connections.
Curated OER
Survival of the Fittest -- Battling Beetles
Learners experiment with traits. In this Science lesson, students test the strength of beetles using M&M candies in lieu of the insects. Learners use the Hardy-Weinberg Equation to calculate possible offspring traits of further...
Curated OER
Bugs
Students explore the wonders of bugs. In this bug lesson, students examine various types of bugs. Students make crafts, sing songs, discuss nutrition, and investigate different types of insects.
Curated OER
Dinner in a Woodland
After reading a short paragraph about what makes up a woodland habitat, fifth graders attempt to identify the primary consumers, secondary consumers, and third order consumers in two separate food chain scenarios. They also name a hawk's...
Teacher Web
Plant Reproduction—Structure of a Flower
What happened to the plant in math class? It grew square roots. Here, a set of 11 worksheets provide a review of plant reproduction. It includes the structure of a flower and each part's function, pollination, fertilization, seed...
Reading Is Fundamental
Summer Fun...
Extend learning through summer with these activity ideas! Individuals can choose one or all nine of the activities, which range from a summer reading goal to an examination of local insects (with accompanying story prompt). See the...
Curated OER
Earth's Heavenly Treasures: Hummingbirds
Young ornithologists watch an informative video and use the Internet to gather data about the life, size, habitat, and migration of hummingbirds. The interdisciplinary lesson includes activities that target art, science, math, and...
Curated OER
Moth or Butterfly
Young scholars categorize butterflies and moths by identifying the unique characteristics of the two different species. In this classifying lesson, students discuss their prior knowledge about these insects before categorizing the...
National Park Service
Biodiversity—Bee Week
If you want scholars to fall in love with bees, this is the unit for you! Celebrate bees with a full week of material—designed for the Next Generation Science Standards—that addresses the importance of pollination and fertilization....
Curated OER
Creepy Crawlers
Students identify the characteristics of an insect and their habitat. They read books about insects, research different types of insects, and create their own insect art. The project also includes the creation of an insect song and...
Curated OER
"One Day in the Prairie" by Jean Craighead George
Students collect "prairie insects" for data collection and analysis.
Curated OER
Be A Bug Scout
Young scholars perform outside activities to determine the amount of insects, flowers, or common weeds within an area. They predict the number of insects they will find within their square area. Using calculators, students organize the...
Curated OER
The Schoolyard Safari
Students engage in a lesson plan to find out more information about insects. They collect and observe different insects found on school property. They research the insects once they have been classified. Also a video is used to create a...
Curated OER
Finding the Shape of a Web
Students examine spider webs they find as they explore outside. They make T-chart of the shapes found in two different webs and draw them on geoboard paper. Next, they measure length and width of a spider's web before checking to see if...