Curated OER
Week 8 - Sea Life
Using a magnifier, mini marine biologists examine the barbules of a bird feather. They swirl the it into a mixture of oil and water and then re-examine the feather. After the activity, discuss how the oily feathers pose a problem to sea...
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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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Polar Bears in Houston
First graders read a book about animal babies from the Arctic and discuss what a polar bear needs to survive. They design a suitable zoo habitat for a polar bear using crayons and paper.
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Animal Adaptation
Third graders read in their textbooks about how water affects habitats and discuss vocabulary and pictures from the lesson. Then in groups of two, they observe the teacher's example of a headline. They are then assigned to their own...
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I Wear My Genes Inside Out: The Genetic Characteristics of Animals
Students create mixed breed dogs using paper illustrations of various breeds. They label dogs created by students using the Genetics Center and discuss the aspects of genetics that affect the outcome of the various projects.
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Marine & Aquatic Habitats Activities - Walk in the Wetlands
Students research various types of fresh water wetlands and identify the common animal and plant life in these different ecosystems. They further analyze the need to protect these wetlands and explore their varied uses.
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What Do Koalas Need to Survive?
First graders take a field trip and examine the Koala and his habitat. In this Koala lesson, 1st graders read Possum Magic and discuss the foods of Australia. Students view the habitat of a Koala and record what it eats, its physical...
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The Great Pond Safari
Students study pond life by visiting a pond and completing an associated worksheet. They play an online game based on the pond learning experience.
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Fish Banners
An art instructional activity involving fish can accent a wide variety of subjects. Here are the steps needed to create a fish banner with paint, shapes, cardboard, and paper. This would be a nice way to start or finish a unit on fish or...
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A Home for a Cricket
First graders build a habitat for crickets after studying animal survival needs. They care for and observe the crickets in the classroom habitat.
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Adaptation and Diversity on Sheffield Island
Written for an exploration of shoreline ecosystems on Sheffield Island, this gives ecology or marine biology buffs a hands-on experience. Using GPS or visual triangulation techniques, they lay transect lines on a high and a low energy...
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Habitat Lap Sit
Fourth graders physically form a circle that shows the interconnectedness of the components of a habitat. They form circles and role play the parts of habitats.
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Beyond the Tap
Students explain the basic properties of a watershed including how water flows from higher to lower elevations and how watersheds are interconnected. They comprehend how the placement of buildings, roads, and parking lots can be...
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Our Schoolsyard is Full of Biology
Students study the habitats found in their schoolyard. They apply firsthand, what they have learned in the classroom to something familiar to them. Students look at biotic, abiotic habitats. Small groups will present their findings to...
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The Magic School Bus Gets Swamped
Students participate in an experiment that shows them how wetlands filter dirty water. They work in groups to accomplish this experiement with the help of supervisors. A bulletin board can be created to show the plants and animals that...
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Pawing Around
Students identify common wildlife by investigating their footprints. They examine where and how to look for signs of animal activity. They create casts of animal tracks and gather information about the animal from the location it was found.
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Wolf Habitat
Students identify their own basic needs for food, water, shelter and space in a suitable arrangement. They generalize that wolves and people have similar basic needs.
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Endangered Spaces = Endangered Species!
Sixth graders discuss the crowding, loss of personal space, loss of home, loss of food, etc. that might occur at a developmental site. They witness, through an in-class demonstration, what happens when land is taken for development. They...
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Helping Plants Grow Well
Students explain the effect of water, temperature and light on plant growth.
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Martian Earth Tours
Students study a variety of global wetland habitats, their similarities and differences. They examine the variety of life that such wetlands support and determine that many animals and plants are adapted to life in wetlands, that...
Aquarium of the Pacific
Ecosystem Comparison
Fifth graders examine plants and animals in two ecosystems and compare them. In this ecosystem survival lesson, 5th graders compare and contrast a coral reef and kelp forest ecosystem. Students investigate the abiotic and biotic factors...
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Pond Life
Learners recognize the habitats of animals that live near or in a pond. In this pond lesson, students examine pond water and look for pond organisms. Learners observe organisms with a loupe and complete a worksheet.
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How about a Little Give and Take?
Students design a closed system to test the relationships between plants and animals. They monitor abiotic fluctuations within this living system by using a chemical test kit. They observe how living organisms respond to fluctuations in...
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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.