In this lesson students will explore adaptations that animals have that help them survive in their environment. Students will build understanding by identifying adaptations as described in two folk tales and sorting descriptions of adaptations into categories of their choice. They will then compare and contrast the snowshoe hare and the cottontail rabbit. Students will work in groups to research and organize information they gather about the two animals, summarizing their research in their science journals. In an associated activity, "Camouflage: An Adaptation of Survival," students simulate the use of camouflage as a survival adaptation.

This is a unit on fish habitats. The activities include the following: looking at pictures of fish and their habitat, talking about what all animals need to live, how fish live, making a poster of a fish habitat, and finally visiting a lake.

This technology-based lesson will teach students the basic characteristics of different types of butterflies. Students will use approved Internet sites to locate illustrations and facts about various species of butterflies. Students will work together and with teacher assistance to create a slideshow presentation that combines all of the species of butterflies the students locate. A rubric is provided for assessment of student work.

This lesson will incorporate the classic children's book Where the Wild Things Are, student research on habitats, student-created artwork of a habitat, and green screen technology.

In this short video, join Brandon and Emily on a nature hike with Falyn from the NC Wildlife Resources Commission as they discover all kinds of plants and animals and learn a thing or two about the amazing nature of North Carolina!

The Ecology Student Edition book is one of ten volumes making up the Human Biology curriculum, an interdisciplinary and inquiry-based approach to the study of life science.

This is my PBL project over how students can help the environments around them to help protect common Indiana mammals.

In this short video, students learn how fire plays an important role in the survival of the plants (such as venus flytraps and longleaf pines) in the habitat of Carolina Beach State Park.

In this short video, students join Emily and Dr. Bronwyn Williams from the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences as they head to three different North Carolina locations to explore the world of crayfish!

This article provides ideas and lessons on how elementary teachers can integrate webcams from the Arctic and Antarctica into their teaching. Five webcams are highlighted as well as three lessons on writing poetry and observing animal behavior.

Can you smell your food from miles away? Is your tongue purple or blue? These are just a couple examples of the many adaptations that animals use for survival. Together we will uncover more unique ways living things can adapt to their habitats and why biodiversity is crucial to the health of our planet.

We have created helpful clips if you are unable to watch the whole video:
K.L.1
Alligator vs. Crocodile (1 min) = https://youtu.be/d3X638Qfn_c?t=3373

3.L.1
Exoskeleton (2 min) = https://youtu.be/d3X638Qfn_c?t=1111
Osteoderm (1 min) = https://youtu.be/d3X638Qfn_c?t=3466

4.L.1
Alligators (3 min) = https://youtu.be/d3X638Qfn_c?t=3195

5.L.2
Keystone Species (1 min) = https://youtu.be/d3X638Qfn_c?t=1430

Animal Ambassador Clips:
Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula (5 min) = https://youtu.be/d3X638Qfn_c?t=804
Galapagos Tortoise (10 min) = https://youtu.be/d3X638Qfn_c?t=1743
American Alligator (3 min) = https://youtu.be/d3X638Qfn_c?t=2983

Pack your suitcase and join us for a trip around the world to explore some unique habitats and how animals survive in them!

We have created some helpful clips if you're unable to watch the full video:
1.L.1 What is a Habitat? (4 min): https://youtu.be/XEvyvBgH-8o?t=85
2.P.1 How Arctic Foxes hear mice (1 min): https://youtu.be/XEvyvBgH-8o?t=2309
3.L.1 Polar Bear Skin (40 sec): https://youtu.be/XEvyvBgH-8o?t=2118
4.L.1 Dolphin Echolocation (3 min): https://youtu.be/XEvyvBgH-8o?t=1074
4.L.1 Harbor Seal Whiskers (3 min): https://youtu.be/XEvyvBgH-8o?t=1367
4.L.1 Puffin Adaptations (3 min): https://youtu.be/XEvyvBgH-8o?t=1652
4.L.1 How Polar Bears Survive in the arctic (4 min 20 sec): https://youtu.be/XEvyvBgH-8o?t=1984
4.L.1 How Arctic Foxes survive in the arctic (2 min): https://youtu.be/XEvyvBgH-8o?t=2250
4.L.1 How Gorillas are adapted to Forests (4.5 min): https://youtu.be/XEvyvBgH-8o?t=2371
4.L.1 How Barred Owls are adapted to forests (8.5 min): https://youtu.be/XEvyvBgH-8o?t=2660
4.L.1 Sand cat and Camel desert adaptations (5 min): https://youtu.be/XEvyvBgH-8o?t=3284

Animal Encounters:
1. Giant Cave Cockroach (3 min 30 sec): https://youtu.be/XEvyvBgH-8o?t=316
2. Terra the Barred Owl (8.5 min): https://youtu.be/XEvyvBgH-8o?t=2660
3. Waffles the African Pygmy Hedgehog (3 min): https://youtu.be/XEvyvBgH-8o?t=3620

This is an encyclopedia entry for "habitat." A habitat is a place where an organism makes its home. Text for this entry is appropriate for middle and high school levels.

This is an encyclopedia entry for "keystone species," a plant or animal that plays a unique and crucial role in the way an ecosystem functions. Text for this entry is appropriate for the middle and high school grade levels.