• Describing behaviors and body structures that help animals survive in particular habitats

• Examples:   behaviors—migration, hibernation, mimicry;
  body structures—quills, fangs, stingers, webbed feet

• Describing life cycles of various animals to include incomplete and complete metamorphosis

• Examples:   damsel fly, mealworms

• Tracing the flow of energy through a food chain

• Example:     producer, first-level consumer, second-level consumer, and third-level consumer

• Identifying characteristics of organisms, including growth and development, reproduction, acquisition and use of energy, and response to the environment

Bird Beaks
Students will explore the relationship between a bird's beak and its ability to find food and survive in a given environment.

Animal Life Cycles
By doing these activities, students will learn that all living things are born, grow and change; consume water and food, and die

Wearing My Genes
Basic Principles of Heredity: Students will be able to explain what heredity is and distinguish the difference between the dominant and recessive genes

Habitats of the World
Students will learn that Earth supports many different habitats. Animals and plants are adapted to the conditions of the habitats in which they live.

Reptile Adaptations
This lesson is on how adaptations can be found in physical and behavioral traits of reptiles.

Environmental Education
A lesson plan on which students learn how each individual impacts the environment.

Science Online A must see! Great site for links to Blueprint Skills, Lesson Plans, Topical Sites, Interactive Websites for Students and Worksheets

Science Clips You will find an alphabetical list of science interactive movie clips.

Suggestions for English Language Learners (ELLs):
(E/B=Entering/Beginning, D=Developing, E=Expanding) 

(E/B): Illustrate an animal in its habitat and label.
(E/B): Tell about an animal being described and its habitat.
(E/B): Describe a food web using a pattern sentence, such as The ________ eats _________.
(E/B): Match an animal and its habitat. Explain orally and in writing those needs are met by the animal's habitat.
(E/B): Identify and describe an ecosystem using pictures.
(E/B): As a group, identify the aspects of the environment, which are important to plants and animals.
(E/B): Students will compare arctic and desert animals and how they have adapted to their environment. Students will choose four animals then make a book with pictures and dictated sentences explaining each animal's adaptations; (D) Students will do research on 2 of the animals they have chosen and write short descriptions explaining the adaptations; (E) Students will research all 4 animals and their adaptation and write a narrative comparing and controlling their adaptations.
(E/B): Students will compare the interactions of living and non-living things in a woodland and a desert. Students will make a chart showing living and non-living organisms in both habitats; (D) Students will make a venn diagram comparing and contrasting the habitats; (E) ...and will make a diorama showing two habitats and then write a report on what is found in each habitat.
(E/B): Students will make a food web through studying the Atlantic Salmon. Students will draw and label three animals that eat the salmon and three animals the salmon eats; (D) ...and will diagram and explain how a salmon is connected to ten different animals in its environment; (E) ...and will write a short story, illustrating a day in the life of a salmon.
(E/B): Students will create a model of the external anatomy of an animal. Students will make and label the model; (D): ...and will explain functions of each part; (E) ...and as an extension, students will write what kinds of adaptations they would have to make to themselves to become more like the animal.
(E/B): Students will compare and contrast the growth of plants in favorable and unfavorable conditions. Students will compare plants by drawing and writing simple sentences about their observations; (D): ...and will write and make a presentation about their observations; (E): ...and will elaborate on the differences and similarities in their observations of plants.
(E/B): Students will diagram a food chain; (D): ...and will then pick an animal and explain its role in a food chain; (E): ...and will explain two consequences of a disruption in the food chain.
(E/B): Students will create visual representations of each stage in a salmon's life, label each stage and use key words to orally describe the stage; (D): ...and will explain what happens in each stage (orally and in writing); (E): ...and will make comparisons to life cycles of other organisms.
(D): Match a sentence with the animal being described.
(D): Create a graphic organizer to show which aspects of the environment is essential to plants and animals.
(D): Identify different types of body structures or coverings and explain how they help an animal to survive.
(E): Show the impact on organisms of changing one aspect of the environment, such as, increased temperature in a forest, less rainfall in a rain forest in a picture. Describe the impact in a paragraph.
(E): Explain how an animal's coloration helps it adapt to its environment.
(E): Explain what happens when a balanced ecosystem is disturbed.

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