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Habitat
Fourth graders study the components of a habitat. In this animal habitat lesson, 4th graders define the elements of a habitat. Students discuss intertidal habitats and make a habitat for a crab.
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In the Wild
Third graders examine the concept of ecology and how animals are suited to their habitats. In this animal adaptation lesson, 3rd graders identify a variety of plants and animal species that live in a Beech forest.Students create a food...
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Blue Planet: Open Ocean
Students research facts about animal species. In this ocean activity students view a video, prepare illustrated cards and create a food-web display.
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Mangrove Ecology and Adaptations
Students create a plant or animal that would be well adapted to a habitat they selected. They first learn about Mangroves and their specific adaptations that help them survive in their habitat.
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Who Lives with Mallard?
Students color a picture of the habitat featuring mallard and other creatures, some of whom might be camouflaged or half-hidden. They discuss other forms of animal adaptation.
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Adaptations
Cacti have special adaptations for living in desert heat and dryness. Polar bears have adaptations that allow them to withstand icy conditions. Humans adapt to different conditions by wearing appropriate clothing or building homes...
K12 Reader
Competing for Resources
Young biologists examine the concept of scarce resources with a reading comprehension passage. After finishing the paragraphs, learners turn to the questions to demonstrate what they have learned about what is beneficial and what is...
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Beach Life: Spanish Banks Field Trip
Students discover beach life. In this beach life lesson, students visit a beach to find plant and animal species that live there. They discuss the life cycle and needs of some of these animals through a variety of activities.
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Investigating Local Ecosystems
Students observe a local area for living organisms and their habitats. In this local ecosystems lesson, students complete an online field journal. Students share their findings and sort them into categories. Students visit a website to...
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What Animals Need to Live
Fourth graders read "Habitat: What Animals Need to Live" then create a Venn diagram for herbivore, omnivore, and carnivore. For this animal survival lesson, 4th graders determine where different animals need to live depending on what...
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Carrying Capacity
Young biologists identify how plants and animals are affected by changes in their ecosystem and environment. The concepts of succession, maintenance of habitats, interrelationships, and adaptation are all discussed. This well-developed...
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Threatened, Endangered & Extinct Lesson Plan
Pupils examine the basic needs of living organisms. In this science lesson, students study ecosystems and discover that organisms have basic needs that must be met.
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Prairie Plant Investigation
Students carefully observe prairie plants and record their observations in a science journal. They examine the root systems of grasses and flowers and surmise how these plants can grow together on the prairie.
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Bottle Habitat
In groups of four, students construct aquatic habitats in pop bottles. They create charts and record data from observations over a four week period. Then they graph their data and write explanations for what they observed.
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Explore Your Natural Habitat
Students identify habitats and understand why they are important to our environment. In this environmental lesson students design their own habitat, observe and record data on the impact their habitat has on the environment.
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I See a Coyote
Students role-play coyotes looking for natural resources. In this natural resources lesson, students examine the relationship between animal life and the environment. Students play a game that demonstrates how natural resources affect...
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Praire Biome Models
Fifth graders, in groups, list the physical characteristics of a biome and think of ways in which animals might have to adapt to live there and make a biome mobile ball that show the different types of habitats that shape the praire biome.
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Habitat Assessment
Third graders demonstrate the effects of varying environmental components on plants and animals: chemical, physical and biological characteristics of a habitat. They find chemical, physical and biological characteristics of the lake at...
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Venus Flytrap
Students study the Venus Flytrap including its habitat and how it eats. In this ecology lesson students complete several experiments using a Venus Flytrap to see how it reacts to various conditions.
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What Do We Learn From Fossils?
Students investigate what a fossil is and how it came to be. In this fossil lesson, students examine pictures of skeletons and identify characteristics that can and cannot be determined by a fossil. Students complete diagrams of a...
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Investigating Local Ecosystems
Students investigate the habitats of local plants and animals. They explore some of the ways animals depend on plants and each other. Students observe living organisms in a local ecosystem and create detailed drawings and descriptions...
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Bears
Young scholars complete a variety of bear-related activities. They sort and graph teddy bears, distinguish between real and non-real bears and research bear life cycles and habitats.
National Gardening Association
Migration Mishaps
Elementary ecologists pretend to be migratory hummingbirds. They fly between wintering and nesting grounds, trying to reach a habitat haven. In a musical-chair fashion, some birds will miss out, and are removed from the game. To further...
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Caterpillar Camouflage
Students list animals, plant parts, and reasons for caterpillars to camouflage themselves. For this animal and plant adaptations lesson plan, students also play a game where they use colors as camouflage.