This lesson plan will help students explore adaptation, especially as it relates to migration. Students will come to realize that adaptations can be behavioral as well as physical. Students are assigned a particular animal to investigate and they consider all the adaptations that enable it to migrate.
See the many birds that spend their summer in the Arctic in this video segment from Nature. [2:52]
This issue of the free online magazine, Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears, explores the amazing birds that live in or migrate to the polar regions. The issue was co-produced with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. In addition to content knowledge articles and lesson plans, the issue includes information about bird-themed citizen science programs from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
This article assembles free resources from the Arctic and Antarctic Birds issue of the Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears cyberzine into a unit outline based on the 5E learning cycle framework. Outlines are provided for Grades K-2 and 3-5.
On April 24, 1984, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History successfully hatched its first captive-bred eaglet. The years leading up to this milestone saw declining numbers of Bald Eagles in the wild—a consequence of the use of the pesticide DDT, as well as unregulated hunting. But our efforts helped to preserve this majestic species, which is now abundant throughout the state of Ohio and beyond. In this week’s Creature Feature, learn about Bald Eagles from Harvey Webster, the Museum’s Chief Wildlife Officer & Museum Ambassador. Worksheets available for grades PreK-K and 1-2.
Biology 2e is designed to cover the scope and sequence requirements of a typical two-semester biology course for science majors. The text provides comprehensive coverage of foundational research and core biology concepts through an evolutionary lens. Biology includes rich features that engage students in scientific inquiry, highlight careers in the biological sciences, and offer everyday applications. The book also includes various types of practice and homework questions that help students understand—and apply—key concepts. The 2nd edition has been revised to incorporate clearer, more current, and more dynamic explanations, while maintaining the same organization as the first edition. Art and illustrations have been substantially improved, and the textbook features additional assessments and related resources.
By the end of this section, you will be able to do the following:
Compare innate and learned behavior
Discuss how movement and migration behaviors are a result of natural selection
Discuss the different ways members of a population communicate with each other
Give examples of how species use energy for mating displays and other courtship behaviors
Differentiate between various mating systems
Describe different ways that species learn
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s ornithology collection of approximately 35,000 research specimens covers more than a century of ornithological exploration around the world, with an emphasis on species native to Ohio. Each specimen is meticulously prepared for use in scientific analysis. In this specimen spotlight, learn about all the information we can glean from just one specimen with host Lee Hall and William A. and Nancy R. Klamm Endowed Chair and Curator of Ornithology Dr. Andy Jones. Worksheets available for grades 7-8 and 9-12.
In this Nature video, learn about the extraordinary impact that birds have on the agriculture of a small Indian community. [2:47]
Get the facts about Bowhead whales. Besides finding detailed physical descriptions of these mammals of the sea, you?ll also learn about some of their unique facts and characteristics. Also included in this Mammal Fact Sheet on Bowhead whales is information on their habitat and habits, range, feeding, and conservation efforts. A list of resources completes the fact sheet.
At this site find examples of thematic maps from the Canadian census. "A thematic map shows the spatial distribution of one or more specific data themes for standard geographic areas."
This article profiles Linda Deegan, scientist with the Arctic Long-Term Ecological Research site in the Kuparuk River region of Alaska, as she counts and tags Arctic grayling as they migrate from streams to lakes in the fall.
This nonfiction article, written for students in grades 4-5, explores the life and seasonal migration of the sanderling bird. Modified versions are available for students in younger grades.
Under in the Mud by Laureanna Raymond-Duvernell takes you into the wintering world of ten Wisconsin animals as you listen to her read the book and talk about the animals in it. Learn about how animals hibernate, migrate, and adapt to winter conditions in this beautifully illustrated and creatively rhyming book. After you read, bundle up and head outdoors to find evidence of animals in your own territory preparing for the winter ahead. [37:57]
Students further their understanding of the salmon life cycle and the human structures and actions that aid in the migration of fish around hydroelectric dams by playing an animated PowerPoint game involving a fish that must climb a fish ladder to get over a dam. They first brainstorm their own ideas, and then learn about existing ways engineers have made dams "friendlier" to migrating fish, before being quizzed as part of the game.
This collection uses primary sources to explore John Steinbeck's novel, The Grapes of Wrath. Digital Public Library of America Primary Source Sets are designed to help students develop their critical thinking skills and draw diverse material from libraries, archives, and museums across the United States. Each set includes an overview, ten to fifteen primary sources, links to related resources, and a teaching guide. These sets were created and reviewed by the teachers on the DPLA's Education Advisory Committee.
Discusses conditions needed for the Hardy-Weinberg Law to hold true and demonstrates calculations involving allelic frequencies to illustrate this principle.
This article discusses the physical and behavioral adaptations that allow birds to survive in cold climates such as the polar regions.
