Wild Thing Adaptations

Invite your students to investigate the structural adaptations and behavioral adaptations of the creatures from Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are! In this lesson, students examine each Wild Thing’s physical characteristics, using the free printable below to help them identify the various attributes that make each Wild Thing unique. Then in a group, they design a new environment and their very own original Wild Things! 

Click here for the full project description / criteria. Click here for printables!

Crayfish Lab

Teachers purchase live crayfish (crawdads or crawfish) from the grocery store. 
(Pre-order and pickup - this was done in my classroom)

Kids investigate crayfish body parts, adaptations, behavior and habitats through 10 lab observations. Labs include: measuring (in lab 1), comparing (lab 2), observing behavior, recording feeding and learning about each body part through the 10 labs. 2 art projects are included (lab 7 and 8). Kids draw a habitat and create a crayfish chimney.

Note: There is NO dissection in this pack. Kids study live crayfish.

Includes (21 pages):
Objectives
Crayfish habitat instructions
6 presentation slides: crayfish parts / adaptations / habitat / behavior
10 Lab sheets
2 mini posters (parts of the crayfish: top and bottom of the organism)

Free download!

Cryptozoology: Learning with Cryptids

Kids turn into cryptozoologists and study 3 cryptids closely: Sasquatch, Loch Ness Monster and Chupacabra. Then they create a field report on any cryptid they would like to investigate!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SXe6idap5PZ6PnJmvprjRjpay7mcfLy_/view?usp=sharing

Includes:
List of 50 Cryptids
Top 10 Cryptids That Turned Out to be Real
Task Sheets for the 3 Cryptids: math / art projects with measuring, fictional sighting report writing, adaptation activity and survey / data collection
Adapation Recording Sheets for the 3 Cryptids
Bar Graph Sheets for the 3 Cryptids
Field Report Assignment to Research Any Cryptid

Botanical Expedition

Botanical Expedition - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ykieN_OP9xygBi9nSm4a5-qkVf3vgKEm/view?usp=sharing
Kids are given a project-based learning project where they go on a plant expedition to one of the biomes listed on the scientific fact cards (included in the pack). They discover a new plant species and record their findings by designing their own scientific fact sheets! 

After their individual project, they collaborate in a group and design life-size versions of real plants that exist around the world in different biomes (4 plants). This section is called plant superlatives because the plants have extreme attributes! Kids research interesting facts about the plant their group is assigned (after they create it to hang on the walls of your classroom)!

10 Biome Scientific Fact Cards / Mini-Posters
(labeled: blue (aquatic) and green (terrestrial)
1. Coral Reef
2. Wetlands
3. Desert
4. Deciduous Forest
5. Temperate Grasslands
6. Savanna
7. Taiga
8. Temperate Rainforest
9. Tropical Rainforest
10. Tundra

Zoo Habitat Design

Collaboration Project (math and science)

Students collaborate and create a giant zoo! First, tape sheets of grid paper together (cut off the white borders). Next, cut out various irregular shapes off the giant grid for the students (see image). Give each student a piece from the grid. Their mission is to figure out the area and perimeter of their land for their exhibit. They choose an animal and plot out important aspects of its habitat. Does their animal live in the arctic, forest, grasslands, or rainforest. Students think about what colors to use to correctly match their animal's habitat. They must make their animal feel at home in its exhibit. Does their animal play in the water, hide in a cave, or roll around in the mud? They add details to the exhibit. Then, they find an image of their animal online and glue it into the habitat they made. When all of the students are finished, they work together and create a zoo! They problem solve where each animal should go. Should the rhinos be near the elephants? They, glue their designs on an oversized sheet of butcher paper. Then, they add paths, signs, and fences.

Food Chain Freeze Tag

This activity is inspired by Eecko World's "We're All In This Together." Rather than having kids play tag using organisms from a single food chain, make it more challenging by adding a variety of food chains!

Give each child a construction paper headband with a different plant or animal that is part of a food chain (include organisms from different habitats). Take students to a large open area outside. Kids have to look for a plant or animal that their organism consumes. They tag what they eat! If a child is tagged, they must freeze (stand still)! Who is left at the end of the game?!

Afterwards, have kids try to find organisms that belong to their habitat (creating small groups). Kids must problem solve and try to figure out who belongs in their "group." Also, where would you find the organisms in their group? What habitat do they live in?!

Venn Creature

Kids mash two creatures together to create a new animal! After they create (draw or photoshop) their creature, have them name it and describe its special characteristics. Where does the creature live? Have kids describe its habitat. What does it eat? What eats it?! How is it adapted to its environment? 

You could also have kids construct their creature using model magic, once they finalize their sketch on their Venn diagram.

If kids need a little inspiration, have them check out Build Your Wild Self (click here for an example)!

Biodiversity Scavenger Hunt

Kids hunt for abiotic and biotic factors in their backyard (or school yard). Then, based on their observations, they create a food chain or web to represent what they discovered in the ecosystem they explored! Click here for the printable

Ecosystem in a Bottle

pill bug photo: teacher.vbsd / fish photo: toledonative365

Create a 1 to 3 tier ecosystem using soda bottles!

Featured above:
3 bottle construction - Scribbit: Motherhood in Alaska. Also check out Cranberry Corner.
Visit Annenberg Learner for activities to go along with your eco-column!

2 bottle construction - Legacy Owensboro

1 bottle - The Geo Exchange

Visit Bottle Biology for more ideas!
Check out NFBWA to see how to make a compost column!

Magic Grow Capsule: Math / Science

Check out Flap Jack Educational Resources for a magical area activity with grow capsules! Kids find the area of their animal sponge. Then, they construct a habitat for it!

Also, check out Science Matters for how you can use grow capsules to explore the scientific method (water temperature and various liquids).

Then, visit Fall into First to see how they used magic grow capsules to inspire them to write an animal report!

Animal Cracker Habitats / Food Chain

PBL KID Web Quests

kid tech via alamy / kid astronaut via kids dream spot

Astronomy
Solar System Explorers - Mrs. Laurel Anderson
Mission to Mars - Lori Teacher
Come to My Planet - Janice Oliver
Physics
Simple Machines: Playground Design - Sherry Nevola
Biology
Animal Classification - Teach-nology
Animal Adaptations - FGSE Nova
Animal Life Cycles - Warrensburg K-12
Habitat Adventure - IHRIC
Math
Moving to the Beat: Choreography - Teach-nology
Multiplication: Game Design - St. J Schools

What's In Your Ecosystem?

Communicate with schools around the U.S. and countries around the world to see if all ponds contain the same abiotic and biotic components. What makes up a pond ecosystem? How do organism's work together to keep it thriving? Join CIESE's Bucket Buddies or The Square of Life to observe, record, and share environmental studies with school's world-wide. Bucket Buddies focuses on pond life. Kids head to their nearest pond and fill other's in on what's going on in their local pond ecosystem. The Square of Life Project has kids examine nature in the school yard. How is their school environment different from other's? 

Cactus Hotel: Life Science Unit

Cactus Hotel, by Brenda Z. Guiberson, is an awesome book that shows kids the life cycle of the saguaro cactus, as well as biodiversity that encompasses the desert ecosystem in the North American Sonoran desert. The book focuses on all the different species that live inside of the saguaro cactus (while it's living and after it dies). It's a fantastic piece of literature to integrate in a Life Science Unit.

SCIENCE

Experiment 1: Demonstrate how cacti survive in the desert

materials: 4 cacti, water, and your science journal (to record your findings)

Water each cacti differently: "One as directed, one every day (kept saturated), and one with ten times more water than needed, and the final one no water at all. Cut them open after one week to compare and analyze the fibers inside." - Hinkle, 3rd grade teacher

Experiment 2: The Water Storers - Cacti Adaptations

Recreate how a cactus absorbs water by using a sponge, toothpicks, a flashlight, and clay. Visit Ocean Oasis for the full experiment!

TECHNOLOGY

Encyclopedia of Life - create a field guide to organize desert species! Kids can collaborate on their field guides for a project.

Skype with kids in Arizona about the desert and the saguaro.

Use Google Earth to check out the desert terrain!

WRITING

How do cacti survive in the desert?

How do animals stay cool in the desert? Talk about animal adaptations.

Biodiversity: Choose an animal from the desert for a report. Kids can use EOL's field guide for this assignment. How does their animal interact with different organisms in the desert ecosystem? Where does the animal make it's home (various animals live inside of the saguaro, hence the name "Cactus Hotel).

MATH

Measure out pieces of string the "exact lengths of the saguaro cactus at various ages."  - Hinkle. Then, compare the kids height to the saguaro. Afterwards, graph your results. What age of the cactus equaled the majority of the students' height?

Learning at the Zoo and Aquarium

Bring your science journal! Kids transform into mini zoologists and marine biologists! Scavenger Hunt - Find, talk about, and record the items that are in bold below:

1. Practice map reading skills with your zoo / aquarium map.
2. Talk about biodiversity as you enter different sections of the zoo / aquarium, compare habitats. Describe the different habitats you encounter in your science journal. At the aquarium you'll see different species in the same tank, talk about ecosystems and how different species keep an ecosystem thriving. Example: clownfish and an anemone. List species that share the same enclosure. 
3. Are some of the animals hard to find (camouflage)? Write down animals you had trouble finding. Why do animals blend in with their habitats? Why are some creatures brightly colored? How does this protect them? Example - poison dart frog. Did you see any vibrant creatures with unique patterns? Write down the names of the creatures with the most unique colors and patterns that you see. Draw the pattern next to the name.
4. Distinguish birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects, and fish. Write down a couple of your favorite under each category. What animals are warm blooded? Which ones are cold blooded? How do you know? Create a page with two columns and list a few under each category. Talk about nocturnal animals. Were they in a special area at the zoo? Why? List a couple of nocturnal animals on a page.

5. Predators and prey: Which animals are herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores? Create three columns on a page and list animals underneath each category.
6. At the nursery, compare baby animals to their parents. Do they look the same? Are there any animals that don't look like their parents? Record your findings in your notebook.
7. Did you see any zoo keepers feeding the animals? What did they eat? Write down the time they ate.

At home:
1. When you get home, make a food chain. Use your notebook for a reference.

2. Create a mini zoo / aquarium out of blocks, pans of water, and figurines. Collect items from nature and create your own elements to add to your zoo / aquarium to create a suitable habitat for your animals. Try to remember what the animal enclosures at the zoo included.

3. Come up with a cuisine for your favorite animal, draw it!

4. Use a globe or world map to find the locations of the animals you saw.
5. Map out the actual size of the animals on your driveway with sidewalk chalk. Look up their dimensions online. 

6. Get creative - become a cartographer and make your own zoo / aquarium map! Kids choose what animals they want to include, design suitable habitat enclosures for their animals, draw recreational items for the animals (keep them entertained), and include restaurants, bathrooms, and food stands for the public. Click here for details!
7. Check out the book Life Size Zoo. Animal heads are life sized and photographs are amazing. Kids, as well as adults, will be in awe of staring at the animals face to face! In the back of the book there is a mini cartoon zoo map (shown in the image below). The map helps kids out in the design process for their zoo.
8. Design a zoo poster or signage.

Zoo Maps - Have kids think about what sorts of animals they want in their zoo, their habitat, pathways, food stations, etc. They will have lots of fun designing their zoo (the appearance, entrance gate, and play equipment for the animals). 

Tabletop Biosphere

A tabletop biosphere is "a fun demonstration of the ecological cycles."  Kids get to see how plants and organisms (biotic components) work together, along with abiotic components in an ecosystem. Visit CDN Makezine for the full tutorial and science behind the project!

Habitat Board Game: Jumanji

After reading the book Jumanji, have kids invent their own magical board game, constructed out of paint chips or construction paper. Divide children into groups or work on a game board as a class. Encourage them to design a game that revolves around a different habitat other than the jungle / rainforest (such as a desert or ocean theme). Once they decide on their theme, they'll decorate their board to go along with it. Also, have them come up with a creative name for their game that goes along with their theme. 

Along with their game, have each group collaborate on instructions. Together, they'll write specific rules that players must follow, just like Jumanji's instructions in the book. Now, roll the dice and play! Let your imaginations run wild!

Build Your Wild Self!

New York Zoos and Aquarium / Wildlife Conservation Society has an interactive game called Build Your Wild Self! Kids choose different body parts and limbs for their creature. Then, they choose a habitat. When they're all finished, the site describes each attribute they chose. For example, orb spider eyes: "You have six eyes, but you can't see very well. You use your keen sense of touch to track down prey." Have kids build their "wild self" and write a paragraph describing what they would eat, their animal's habitat, exceptional characteristics and talents, as well as their unique adaptations.