National Park Service
Living & Non-Living Interactions
What better way to learn about ecosystems than by getting outside and observing them first hand? Accompanying a field trip to a local park or outdoor space, this series of collaborative activities engages children in learning about the...
NOAA
Climate, Corals and Change
Global warming isn't just an issue on land; deep ocean waters are also showing troubling signs. Young scientists learn more about deep water corals and the many recent discoveries researchers have made. Then they examine data related to...
Education Outside
Creature Jeopardy!
After conducting research on a given scientific animal name, group members take a walk around their school and look for the specified animals in that classification. Then, they come back to their worksheets and create five creative clues...
Curated OER
Stream Table
Students explore channelization, riparian habitats and soil erosion to find out about the aquatic habitats in Iowa. In this aquatic habitats lesson, students define important terms and read an article about pollution. Students complete...
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Zombie Ants
One of the creepiest and coolest natural occurrences is a great forum for data analysis and discussion! Explore the phenomenon of zombie ants, or ants infected with the Cordyceps fungus, with a series of activities and experiments. Kids...
Curated OER
King of Beasts
Students conduct research on lions and their natural habitats and how zoos provide lions with more natural surroundings while in captivity. They draw a picture of a lion in a habitat of their choice and add details to the scene's...
Curated OER
Building a Bird's Nest
Students identify local birds and their habitats. In this wildlife lesson, students list various birds that live in their area and match the descriptions of the birds to the photos. Students build a diorama of a birds nest.
Curated OER
Forest Habitat Fragmentation
Seventh graders discuss the loss of animal habitats and the importance of refuge areas for them. They collect small pictures of animals found in their state and glue them to an outline of their state according to their range. Finally,...
ARKive
Human Impact on the Environment
Study the ways that humans have impacted the environment, particularly the spread of plastic waste. After watching a short film about the Laysan albatross population, learners complete a worksheet and research other ways that plastic...
NOAA
Deep-Sea Benthos
Much like a distant planet, the underwater world of deep-sea benthos is strange and largely unknown. How do creatures survive and thrive in such extreme pressure and temperature conditions? Young oceanographers join the crew of Operation...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Niche Partitioning and DNA Metabarcoding
What is DNA metabarcoding? Show your biology class the latest method for studying biodiversity in an ecosystem with a fun, informative interactive. Individuals examine the animal species that compete for vegetation, then learn how their...
American Museum of Natural History
Calculating a Biodiversity Index
Biodiversity refers to the variety of animal and plant species in a specific habitat. With a collaborative activity, the habitat becomes a page from the white pages, and the species are the surnames in the book. Learners calculate the...
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Life in a Pond
What living things call an aquatic habitat home? Young learners consider the question after they discuss the characteristics of a typical pond habitat. They identify an animal and then determine if a pond would have all the components to...
American Museum of Natural History
Endangered Species Game
Multiple factors affect the survival of endangered species. A hands-on activity has learners explore those factors. They play a board game that highlights factors such as human influence, habitat availability, and new species introduction.
University of Waikato
Ocean Acidification and Eggshells
Eggshells and seashells have a lot in common. Learners use the similarities to conduct an experiment that models the effect of ocean acidification on marine animals. Using varying levels of acidic liquids, pupils make observations on the...
American Museum of Natural History
Ocean Creature Feature
From coloring to hard protective shells, ocean creatures have adaptation features that help them survive. An eight-question online quiz highlights different ocean animals and their unique characteristics. The resource then offers pop-up...
Curated OER
Super Stream Keeper's
Young scholars are introduced to Delaware's waterways as precious resources used for drinking water, water for agricultural and industrial uses, recreational areas, and as habitats for wildlife. They are introduced to wastewater...
Curated OER
Animals Around Us
Young scholars view and discuss a Discovery Channel video that compares the animals found in four different habitats. They compare and contrast the characteristics of forests, deserts, wetlands and grasslands then choose one to depict...
Curated OER
Locating Echo
Students read the book The Adventure of Echo the Bat. For this animal science lesson, students read the book and create a chart labeled "Land Feature," "Habitat," and "Food." Students fill in the table according to where the character...
Curated OER
The Living Environment
Students investigate animals and their environments. In this animal similarities and differences lesson plan, students explore animal adaptations and features and their habitats. Students get into groups to discuss the habitat and how...
Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
Animals and Plants of BC's Rocky Shore
Students fill out a fact sheet and look at diagrams of BC's shore and the animals that live there. In this habitat lesson plan, students discuss the plants and animals and the different zones they live in.
Curated OER
A Wild Chain Reaction
Students explore habitats. In this habitat lesson, students break into groups and are labeled as a part of a habitat. Students then do an activity with yarn that shows how all of the parts are connected and depend on each other....
Curated OER
Toad Adobe
Students explore the importance of toads and the need for toad habitats in the environment. In this animal habitats lesson, students create an adobe habitat for toads by using a clay pot. Students paint their pots and place them in their...