Source: Nature
Research, take and defend a position on the question of why the giraffe population is threatened and which is more important: survival in a wildlife sanctuary or quality of life in the wild.
Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8
Subjects: Science & Tech, Social Studies
Topics: Animals: Mammals. Ecology. Geography.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Scientific American Frontiers
Investigate the communication skills of animals. Explore their ability to associate abstract concepts or signs with specific objects or actions by solving a puzzle involving decoding symbols.
Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8
Subjects: Science & Tech
Topics: Animals: Birds. Animals: Mammals.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Scientific American Frontiers
Investigate the work of ethologists - animal behaviorists - by observing an animal's behavior (alone and then in a group) for an extended period of time. Produce a scientific report of your observations.
Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8
Subjects: Science & Tech
Topics: Animals: Mammals.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Nature
Explore the great variety of animal behaviors by observing them in their natural habitats, and examine the relationship between people, animals and the environment.
Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8
Subjects: Science & Tech
Topics: Animals: Mammals. Ecology.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Nature
Observe and record traits and behaviors of animals. Create an exhibit that summarizes information about a specific animal.
Grade Level: 3-5
Subjects: Science & Tech
Topics: Animals: Birds. Animals: Fish. Animals: Invertebrates. Animals: Mammals. Animals: Reptiles & Amphibians. Atmosphere & Space Science. Classification.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Nature
Research the diet, habitat and behavior of polar bears, and compare and contrast the issues surrounding polar bears in their environment with those of bears in the U.S. Rocky Mountains. Rewrite a human/bear encounter from the bear's point of view.
Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8
Subjects: Science & Tech, Social Studies
Topics: Animals: Mammals. Ecology. Geography.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Scientific American Frontiers
Explore bats' navigation systems by experimenting with echolocation. Approximate an object's distance by analyzing reflected sound waves, measuring the delay in sound and calculating the ratio to the speed of sound.
Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8
Subjects: Science & Tech
Topics: Animals: Mammals. Sound.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Nature
Compare and contrast characteristics of snakes and turtles. Create a list of general observations about reptiles and mammals.
Grade Level: K-2, 3-5
Subjects: Science & Tech
Topics: Life Science. Animals: Mammals. Animals: Reptiles & Amphibians.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Scientific American Frontiers
Explore the vocabulary and vocalizations in chimpanzee communications and connect them to emotions. Develop and participate in a field study of animal behavior based on observations and interactions with dogs
Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8
Subjects: Science & Tech
Topics: Animals: Mammals.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Scientific American Frontiers
Examine a map of the travel routes and evening nesting sites of two chimpanzees and create a travel route of your typical day. Describe the social enhancements that helped humans to evolve from foraging behavior to establish fixed settlements.
Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8
Subjects: Science & Tech, Social Studies
Topics: Animals: Mammals. Evolution. Anthropology/Cultures.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Nature
Examine the challenges that the animals of Yellowstone must overcome in order to survive the harsh winter climate. Identify different external features of animals and describe how these features aid survival in different environments.
Grade Level: K-2, 3-5
Subjects: Science & Tech
Topics: Life Science. Animals: Birds. Animals: Mammals.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Nature
Investigate behaviors, characteristics and habits of various breeds of dogs, and select a breed of dog that would best fit your lifestyle. Create a picture book from a dog's point of view.
Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8
Subjects: Science & Tech
Topics: Animals: Mammals.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Dragonfly TV
Examine horse behavior, identify friendly and aggressive horse behaviors and determine whether horses and other animals can communicate with their ears.
Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8
Subjects: Science & Tech
Topics: Animals: Mammals.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Living Edens
Discuss animal behaviors and relate them to human behaviors and predict how animals may behave based on their physical characteristics.
Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8
Subjects: Science & Tech
Topics: Animals: Birds. Animals: Mammals.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Living Edens
Examine the physical characteristics of lemurs, collect data about lemurs and humans through measurement and compare the physical abilities of students and lemurs.
Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8
Subjects: Math, Science & Tech
Topics: Measurement. Animals: Mammals.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Dragonfly TV
Examine the resting, playing, feeding, diving, grooming and traveling behaviors of otters to determine if captive otters spend more time grooming than wild otters do. Investigate behavior of other animals and record findings.
Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8
Subjects: Science & Tech
Topics: Animals: Mammals.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Living Edens
Identify species that live in Patagonia, their habitats and their specific characteristics.
Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8
Subjects: Science & Tech
Topics: Animals: Mammals. Classification.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: The Living Edens
Identify the habitat, range, food sources and behavior of killer whales in Patagonia, identify male and female killer whales and construct a life-sized model of a male killer whale.
Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8
Subjects: Science & Tech
Topics: Animals: Mammals.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Scientific American Frontiers
Research color awareness in animals. Design a set of experiments to determine if animals see colors by using a computer-based paint program to create specific color characteristics, based on their "gray values".
Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8
Subjects: Health & Fitness, Science & Tech
Topics: Body Systems & Senses. Animals: Birds. Animals: Mammals.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Scientific American Frontiers
Examine dog food nuggets made from different ingredients to discover which nuggets are more likely to clean the teeth surface during a dog's normal chewing activity. Explore the correlation between cost of the food and its teeth-cleaning ability.
Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8
Subjects: Science & Tech
Topics: Animals: Mammals.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Scientific American Frontiers
Research the location of land mines by animals and technological methods. Use a metallic probe to uncover the location of an electric-circuit target (representing a buried land mine) without setting off the "bomb".
Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8
Subjects: Science & Tech
Topics: Animals: Mammals. Energy.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Nature
Analyze topographic maps and create a pictorial map that depicts the geographic diversity of the Andes mountain range. Investigate the unique survival challenges for native Andes animals, and create a story about one animal.
Grade Level: 3-5
Subjects: Science & Tech, Social Studies
Topics: Writing: Composition. Animals: Birds. Animals: Mammals. Ecology. Geography.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Nature
Discover how a bloodhound's anatomy gives it a keen sense of smell. Compare and contrast the appearance and behavior of different breeds of dogs.
Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8
Subjects: Science & Tech
Topics: Animals: Mammals.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Nature
Research positive and negative aspects of several different blood-consuming creatures. Create a "wanted" poster of one creature and conduct a mock trial of its crimes.
Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8
Subjects: Science & Tech
Topics: Animals: Invertebrates. Animals: Mammals.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Nature
Work in teams to brainstorm possible techniques for teaching baby cheetahs what they need to learn to survive in the wild.
Grade Level: 3-5
Subjects: Science & Tech
Topics: Animals: Mammals.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Nature
Use observation skills and primary sources to learn how wolves communicate. Study the complexities of the wolf and write a story that will help dispel the idea that wolves are inherently "good" or "evil."
Grade Level: 3-5
Subjects: Reading & Language Arts, Science & Tech
Topics: Writing: Composition. Animals: Mammals.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
