This is a writing unit on animal adaptations. Students will need to be expert researchers and will be able to dip their toes into the wonderful world of EBSCO! They will research the animal assigned to them using various graphic organizers and research questions to help guide their thinking. Once research is complete, they will fill out the OREO graphic organizer with an introduction, 3 facts with details, and a conclusion. At that point, students will publish their work.  Cover Image: Canva AI Generated 

In this video an educator from the Hogle Zoo helps us understand more about beavers, the structure and function of their habitat, and more.

It takes a thick skin to withstand the hardships that life has to offer. This collection of images shows a variety of animals, each with a slightly different type of protective covering.

This lesson will help students explain animal habitats. Students will use the drawing tool in Pages to complete two pictures of animal habitats.Image-By me, Brooke Lee

This lesson takes students through 3 iPad apps to explore and explain animal habitats. Students will use the drawing tool in Pages to complete two pictures of animal habitats, use Keynote to follow links to San Diego zoo cameras and record their own audio describing the exhibits, and finally use iMovie to record themselves in their favorite animal habitat!*The thumbnail image was taken by Lindsay Stahl at the Living Planet Aquarium

Students listen to fiction and nonfiction read-alouds and explore selected Websites to identify factual information about animals. This lesson focuses on ants, but can be adapted to any animal.

Learn about the structure and function of living organisms by drawing an imaginary animal in the Take the Stage game show, ANIMAL SURVIVAL! Viewers become contestants on a game show and are challenged to draw an imaginary animal that could live and survive in either the desert, ocean, or the arctic tundra. When drawing the imaginary animal, the contestants write out two distinct structures and a function for each of the structures that help it survive. Learning Objective: Compare the structures and functions of different species that help them live and survive in a specific environment.

Learn about the physical characteristics of environments and act out the animals that live there!

You are the next contestant on the Take the Stage game show ANIMAL SURVIVAL where you will travel in a hot air balloon to the forest of North America, the savanna of Africa, and then take a submarine ride underwater in the ocean. To play the game, you will act out an animal that would live in each environment, and then write how the physical characteristics of each environment helps your animal survive.

Learning Objective: observe and describe the physical characteristics of environments and how they support populations and communities of plants and animals within an ecosystem.

In this instructional video, the Hogle Zoo explains how to use the lesson plan "Beaver Puppet 2.2.2."

By participating in this activity, students will:
• understand the concept of structure and function and how it applies to a beaver's ability to create and live in a wetland habitat.
• make comparisons between their adaptations and the structure and function of a beaver's body for survival in its wetland habitat.

This powerpoint accompanies the lesson plan "A Night in the Life of a Beaver."

This powerpoint accompanies the lesson plan "A Night in the Life of a Beaver."

In this instructional video, the Hogle Zoo explains how to use the lesson plan "Beaver Tools of the Trade 2.2.2."

By participating in this activity, students will:
• understand the concept of structure and function and how it applies to a beaver's ability to create and live in a wetland habitat.
• make comparisons between unrelated objects through metaphorse to learn the structure and function of a beaver's body for survival in its wetland habitat.

In this instructional video, the Hogle Zoo explains how to use the lesson plan "Build a Beaver Dam 2.2.2 & 2.2.4."

By participating in this activity, students will:
• understand the benefits and problems with a human-made dam to an ecosystem
• understand the benefits and issues with the construction of a beaver-made dam to an ecosystem
• understand the adaptations and behavior of beavers in changing habitats
• use engineering skills to build a beaver dam
• understand the beneficial role beavers play in habitat construction for other animals, including people.

CK-12’s Life Science delivers a full course of study in the life sciences for the middle school student, relating an understanding of the history, disciplines, tools, and modern techniques of science to the exploration of cell biology, molecular biology, genetics, evolution, prokaryotes, protists,fungi, plants, animals, invertebrates, vertebrates, human biology, and ecology. This digital textbook was reviewed for its alignment with California content standards.

Exquisite animal footage filmed around the globe and classic pop tunes combine to create a series of short educational and entertaining programs that will grab and hold students attention while leading them toward an understanding of animals, their behavior, and their habitats. Featured song: "The In Crowd" by Dobie Gray.

Exquisite animal footage filmed around the globe and classic pop tunes combine to create a series of short educational and entertaining programs that will grab and hold students attention while leading them toward an understanding of animals, their behavior, and their habitats. Featured song: "Get It On" by T Rex.

Exquisite animal footage filmed around the globe and classic pop tunes combine to create a series of short educational and entertaining programs that will grab and hold students attention while leading them toward an understanding of animals, their behavior, and their habitats. Featured song: "Everybody Wants To Rule the World" by Tears for Fears.