Browse lesson plans

Animal adaptation

This lesson focuses on the adaptations, body structures, and behavior of animals. The students will explore animal growth and adaptations of animals. This lesson is designed to be taught during the reading of Stone Fox.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 English Language Development and Science)

By Jennifer Fessler and Karen Wright.

Animal environments: Day one

Students will group animals using common characteristics. Students will develop an understanding of animal adaptations. This lesson was designed to be used with the lesson "Diamante Poetry Using Environments: Day two."

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 Science)

By Cheri Cole.

Animal report

After studying the various animal groups, students write a report about an animal of their choosing using well-formed paragraphs.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 English Language Arts, Information Skills, and Science)

By Kay Sims.

Animal research: A multimedia approach

Students will be working with a partner to research a favorite animal. They will be required to use a wide variety of resources which include multimedia software packages, the Internet, and various books. The students will be looking up general information about their animal, such as its habitat, place on the food chain, size, etc. Ultimately the students will be responsible for presenting the information they have gathered in some form of multimedia presentation. This activity is primarily student-oriented rather than teacher-oriented in that the students will be selecting what animals they want to research and what materials they want to use in creating their report. The teacher will give some basic requirements and guidelines to ensure that students are on task.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 English Language Arts, Information Skills, and Science)

By Amy Edwards.

Animal slide shows!

This project is a culmination of a science unit on animals which integrates computer skills, language arts and art. After a study of animals which includes classification, basic needs of animals, animal adaptations, and animal behaviors, the students will use the computer to complete a slide show of one animal they have studied at length.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 Science)

By Margie Bartolomucci.

Biomagnification and bald eagles

In this activity, students will study biomagnification by using paper cutouts to represent food containing chemicals eaten by fish. The students will then repeat this activity but as an eagle collecting fish. The amount of chemicals taken in by each eagle will then be compared to amounts taken in by each fish.

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 Science)

By Elizabeth Caveny, Janet Carson, Heather Subleski, and Jeannie Galluzzo.

Habitat photo album

Students will use digital cameras and explore the outdoors searching ecosystems for opportunities to take pictures of different habitats and the components that go into them.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4–5 Information Skills and Science)

By Colleen Buchauer and Lesley Brooks.

The Pit

The Pit is a game that can be played to review any topic. It matches picture game cards to target vocabulary on a game board. This particular lesson focuses on classification of animals.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 English Language Development and Science)

By Eileen Carter and Tracey Casto.

Resources on the web

ARKive: Images of Life on Earth

A digital library that strives to document and centralize information, images, and audio and video recordings of endangered and protected species throughout the world. (Learn more)

Format: website/lesson plan

Provided by: Wildscreen Trust

Hinterland Who's Who

This Canadian site is the online companion to a popular television program of the same name. Its main focus is to educate viewers in their role in preserving nature.The Species Fact Sheets section of the site provides in-depth information on the... (Learn more)

Format: website/lesson plan

Provided by: Canadian Wildlife Service and the Canadian Wildlife Federation

John Muir Study Guide

This is an extensive resource for the study of sciences. Complete with lesson plans and resources for grades Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade. (Learn more)

Format: website/lesson plan

Provided by: Sierra Club

Kids' Planet

An introduction to endangered species and environmental conservation. (Learn more)

Format: website/lesson plan

Provided by: Defenders of Wildlife

San Diego Zoo Animal Bytes

The Conservation area of the official San Diego Zoo site provides resources for animal and ecology research. (Learn more)

Format: website/lesson plan

Provided by: San Diego Zoo

Switch Zoo

A site where students can learn about over one hundred species of animals through fun facts and games. There are also opportunities to learn about habitats and the environment. Some lesson plans are provided which incorporate the activities provided by the... (Learn more)

Format: website/lesson plan

Provided by: Tubehead Inc