Curated OER
Butterfly Life Cycle
Focused little scientists will flitter their arms back and forth across the room with excitement as they learn the life cycle of a butterfly and how living things grow and change over time.
Science Matters
Oh Heron
Two teams—the environmentalists and herons—play four rounds of the game, Oh Heron. Using hand symbols to represent food, shelter, and water, players locate their match to produce more herons while those unmatched decompose.
National Wildlife Federation
Habitat Web
Young scientists weave together an understanding of ecosystems with this fun collaborative activity. Taking on the roles of different living and non-living elements of specific habitats, learners use a ball of yarn to create the web of...
Curated OER
Where We Live
Who has the most? Young learners practice charting data using familiar information. They help fill out a classroom chart by recording the number of people, pets, televisions, etc. in their home. Guiding questions help them investigate...
Curated OER
Major Functions
Seventh graders investigate the basic characteristics and needs of living things. They identify the major parts of plants and animals by making lists. Students focus upon one living thing and speculate how if one part is changed how it...
Curated OER
Everybody Needs
Students compare cultures. In this needs and wants lesson, students discuss the basic necessities of life and what they need in a day in order to survive. Students also discuss how these needs might change if they lived in another...
Curated OER
Basic Needs of Plants
Fourth graders explore the four basic needs of plants. They examine plants as they grow. Students discuss the changes that they see in the growing plants. They observe what happens to a plant when one of its basic needs is taken away.
Curated OER
Needs & Wants
Second graders determine the definitions of needs and wants. They write the definitions down and make a personal list explaining their own wants and needs. They cut out pictures from magazines showing their wants and needs which they...
Curated OER
Needs and Wants
Students examine the difference between needs and wants. In this consumption lesson, students illustrate their needs and wants and discuss their own reasons for buying things. They also discuss the connection between their choices and...
Curated OER
Air in the Home: Free for All
Students explain that air is everywhere and discuss how living things use air.
Curated OER
Cells
Third graders investigate yeast to extend their understanding of living and non-living things.
Curated OER
Investigation 2 - Greenhouses
Third graders set up a miniature greenhouse to help them explain how nonliving things affect the growth of living things.
Curated OER
Is It Alive?
Eighth graders define the boundaries of living organisms. They determine what makes something a living organism and identify factors that constitute "living." Pupils write a conclusion about the evidence they found that yeast is alive...
Curated OER
Field Trip to School
Students better explain the diversity and adaptations of living organisms.
K12 Reader
Ecosystems
Examine how living and non-living things work together in a reading passage about ecosystems. Class members read the text and then respond to five response questions that relate specifically to the content of the passage.
Michigan State University
All About Insects
Insects are the focus of an activity that looks deep into the anatomy and metamorphosis of everyday bugs. Two worksheets reinforce knowledge obtained through a teacher-guided grand conversation and insect observation.
Curated OER
Investigate Science Using Crayfish
Young scientists discover the importance of scientific investigation by observing live crayfish. They carefully observe the patterns of crayfish in different environments. Then they discuss their conclusions and define what all living...
Curated OER
Cells and Chemical Changes
The billions of cells that make up all living things are the focus of this resource. Understanding the differences between the cells that make up plants and animals is an important distinction; it is covered here quite-well. Some...
Curated OER
2nd Grade - Act. 23: Sprout Houses
Read the story "Sunflower House," by Eve Bunting with your 2nd graders to investigate the relationships between plants and animals. They will discover how living things change during their lives by creating their own sprout houses. In...
Nuffield Foundation
Measuring Respiratory Quotient
How do scientists prove tiny living things respire? Young scientists build a respirometer and measure respiration rates in living creatures. By comparing the measurements of both plants and animals, they understand the similarities.
Nature New Brunswick
Habitat for Endangered Wildlife and You
Compare and contrast your habitat with that of endangered plants and animals! Learners discuss what a habitat is actually comprised of, describing what theirs looks like. They fill out a graphic organizer explaining what they eat, how...
Curated OER
Survivor!
Students, in groups, create a project to display examples and non-examples of basic needs. They answer what is needed for basic survival of all living things.
Curated OER
Saving Big Cats from Extinction
Students explore extinction. In this biology and environmental science lesson, students define extinction, identify what living things need to survive, and create a persuasive poster about "saving the big cats" using a desktop...
Curated OER
Seed Growth
Students develop an independent procedure to investigate the germination of two types of seeds. Students must construct data tables or charts to record observations and results, graph the data, and analyze the data.