Activities & Lessons for Teachers
Animal Camouflage Lesson - Science Kids
This animal camouflage lesson plan explains some of the concepts and offers a fun, creative activity to help kids understand how camouflage works.
Animal Classification - Academy Curricular Exchange/ Columbia Education Center
This lesson will help students become familiar with the need for categorizing scientific information, in this case, animals. Students will categorize the 5 groups of animals. (mammals, fish, birds, reptiles, and amphibians).
Animal Habitats - Brown Bear, Brown Bear, Where Do You Live?
After completing this lesson, students will be able to name the four different habitats explored in the activites (grasslands, ponds, the Arctic, and forests), name at least one animal that lives in each habitat, recognize the various animal characteristics that make them suitable for their particular habitat for the animals studied in this lesson.
This animal camouflage lesson plan explains some of the concepts and offers a fun, creative activity to help kids understand how camouflage works.
Animal Classification - Academy Curricular Exchange/ Columbia Education Center
This lesson will help students become familiar with the need for categorizing scientific information, in this case, animals. Students will categorize the 5 groups of animals. (mammals, fish, birds, reptiles, and amphibians).
Animal Habitats - Brown Bear, Brown Bear, Where Do You Live?
After completing this lesson, students will be able to name the four different habitats explored in the activites (grasslands, ponds, the Arctic, and forests), name at least one animal that lives in each habitat, recognize the various animal characteristics that make them suitable for their particular habitat for the animals studied in this lesson.
Websites for Kids
Plants & Animals - Science Kids
Students will learn about plants and animals as they spot them in an outdoor scene, discover more about where plants and animals live, as well as other interesting facts.
Habitats Game - ABPI site
This activity asks students a series of questions about animal habitats. It helps students explore where an animal lives and why.
Students will learn about plants and animals as they spot them in an outdoor scene, discover more about where plants and animals live, as well as other interesting facts.
Habitats Game - ABPI site
This activity asks students a series of questions about animal habitats. It helps students explore where an animal lives and why.
Books
I See Animals Hiding. By Jim Arnosky. Illus. by the author. 2000. 32 p. Scholastic Paperbacks, (9780439232159). Gr. 1-3.
Arnosky describes the ways animals in nature camouflage themselves to escape danger. He explains how protective coloration helps woodcocks, owls, and moths stay hidden; how seasonal changes in the fur of weasels and snowshoe hares aid in concealment; and how the body shapes of speckled trout, snakes, and bittern assist them in blending in with their environments. His watercolors are eye catching for children.
Look Who Lives in the Desert! by Brooke Bessesen. 2004. Arizona Highways Books (978-1932082098). Gr. 1-3.
A fun and engaging book that adds humor to learning. With the catchy rhyming verses and illustrations, children can learn and grow with this book. Each page has a humorous description as well as factual information that can encourages readers at all levels of learning. Take a look at the author's webpage and you will find additional resources how to utilize this book into your classroom lesson plan.
Look Who Lives in the Ocean! by Brooke Bessesen. 2009. 48p. Arizona Highways Books (978-1932082821). Gr. 1-4.
Brooke Bessesen presents the habitats of animals that live under the sea using humor and endearing illustrations. The engaging verses, illustrations, and photographs appeal to the child learning to read and to the independent reader. Take a look at her website (linked if you click the book cover) and you will find additional information about how you can incorporate her books into your classroom curriculum.
Arnosky describes the ways animals in nature camouflage themselves to escape danger. He explains how protective coloration helps woodcocks, owls, and moths stay hidden; how seasonal changes in the fur of weasels and snowshoe hares aid in concealment; and how the body shapes of speckled trout, snakes, and bittern assist them in blending in with their environments. His watercolors are eye catching for children.
Look Who Lives in the Desert! by Brooke Bessesen. 2004. Arizona Highways Books (978-1932082098). Gr. 1-3.
A fun and engaging book that adds humor to learning. With the catchy rhyming verses and illustrations, children can learn and grow with this book. Each page has a humorous description as well as factual information that can encourages readers at all levels of learning. Take a look at the author's webpage and you will find additional resources how to utilize this book into your classroom lesson plan.
Look Who Lives in the Ocean! by Brooke Bessesen. 2009. 48p. Arizona Highways Books (978-1932082821). Gr. 1-4.
Brooke Bessesen presents the habitats of animals that live under the sea using humor and endearing illustrations. The engaging verses, illustrations, and photographs appeal to the child learning to read and to the independent reader. Take a look at her website (linked if you click the book cover) and you will find additional information about how you can incorporate her books into your classroom curriculum.
Assessment
Life Cycle of a Frog
Various worksheets that allow students to illustrate and record the life cycle of a frog to asses their understanding.