Explore some different areas of study in the life sciences.

A free CK-12 account is required to view all materials.

Can I identify a situation where elephants and people might have to compete with each other for food? This activity is designed to start your students in recognizing themselves as scientists and thinking critically about problem-solving. The goal is to teach concepts through discovery and to encourage using scientific thought processes. As with all lessons provided, please feel free to adapt them according to your students’ abilities. Some of your students may be early readers, in which case you may find it more successful to lead activities and discussions as a whole group rather than using individual Research Plan sheets. Certain scientific vocabulary may or may not be appropriate for your students’ level of understanding. Take these ideas, make them your own and your students will have a greater chance at success.

In how many ways is shrinking space alike or different for elephants and for humans? This activity is designed to start your students in recognizing themselves as scientists and thinking critically about problem-solving. The goal is to teach concepts through discovery and to encourage using scientific thought processes. As with all lessons provided, please feel free to adapt them according to your students’ abilities. Some of your students may be early readers, in which case you may find it more successful to lead activities and discussions as a whole group rather than using individual Research Plan sheets. Certain scientific vocabulary may or may not be appropriate for your students’ level of understanding. Take these ideas, make them your own and your students will have a greater chance at success.

How easy or difficult do I think it would be for people and elephants to share water? This activity is designed to start your students in recognizing themselves as scientists and thinking critically about problem-solving. The goal is to teach concepts through discovery and to encourage using scientific thought processes. As with all lessons provided, please feel free to adapt them according to your students’ abilities. Some of your students may be early readers, in which case you may find it more successful to lead activities and discussions as a whole group rather than using individual Research Plan sheets. Certain scientific vocabulary may or may not be appropriate for your students’ level of understanding. Take these ideas, make them your own and your students will have a greater chance at success.

These Task Cards are to be used as part of the Living Things Need Water Lesson Plan. These are also a component of the Connections to Africa Kit.

In what ways are African shelters the same or different than shelters found in the United States? This activity is designed to start your students in recognizing themselves as scientists and thinking critically about problem-solving. The goal is to teach concepts through discovery and to encourage using scientific thought processes. As with all lessons provided, please feel free to adapt them according to your students’ abilities. Some of your students may be early readers, in which case you may find it more successful to lead activities and discussions as a whole group rather than using individual Research Plan sheets. Certain scientific vocabulary may or may not be appropriate for your students’ level of understanding. Take these ideas, make them your own and your students will have a greater chance at success.

How can squirrel monkey adaptations inspire the design of better and safer high-rise construction equipment? This activity is designed to build confidence in your students recognizing themselves as scientists and thinking critically about problem-solving. The goal is to teach concepts through discovery and to encourage using scientific thought processes. As with all lessons provided, please feel free to adapt them according to your students’ abilities. You may find it more successful to lead activities and discussions as a whole group as opposed to having your students’ work in small groups. Certain scientific vocabulary may or may not be appropriate for your students’ level of understanding. Take these ideas, make them your own and your students will have a greater chance at success.

Great site providing a "Quickindex" to find various resources. Also included are links to more information on this museum.

How could a biomimetic-inspired exhibit design improve an animal exhibit, either for the animals and/or for the people using it? This activity is designed to start your students in recognizing themselves as scientists and thinking critically about problem-solving. The goal is to teach concepts through discovery and to encourage using scientific thought processes. As with all lessons provided, please feel free to adapt them according to your students’ abilities. You may find it more successful to lead activities and discussions as a whole group as opposed to having your students’ work in small groups. Certain scientific vocabulary may or may not be appropriate for your students’ level of understanding. Take these ideas, make them your own and your students will have a greater chance at success.

How can nature inspire a design for more effective medical equipment to be used in providing veterinary care? This activity is designed to start your students in recognizing themselves as scientists and thinking critically about problem-solving. The goal is to teach concepts through discovery and to encourage using scientific thought processes. As with all lessons provided, please feel free to adapt them according to your students’ abilities. You may find it more successful to lead activities and discussions as a whole group as opposed to having your students’ work in small groups. Certain scientific vocabulary may or may not be appropriate for your students’ level of understanding. Take these ideas, make them your own and your students will have a greater chance at success.

What types of behaviors might elephants exhibit if they are threatened? What types of behaviors might elephants exhibit if they are at play? This activity is designed to start your students in recognizing themselves as scientists and thinking critically about problem-solving. The goal is to teach concepts through discovery and to encourage using scientific thought processes. As with all lessons provided, please feel free to adapt them according to your students’ abilities. You may find it more successful to lead activities and discussions as a whole group rather than using individual Research Plan sheets. Certain scientific vocabulary may or may not be appropriate for your students’ level of understanding. Take these ideas, make them your own and your students will have a greater chance at success.

The goal of this program is to get your students to answer one question — can the reintroduction of a wetland dependent
animal, such as the trumpeter swan, increase the level of conservation both for the habitat and the
species? Of course this one question leads to a million other questions and that is the purpose of the lessons.
plans. We have tried to develop lessons based on some smaller questions that would eventually lead the student
back to the larger problem they are trying to solve. Each

This evolution plug in was designed for teachers and informal educators to conduct with their students at an orangutan exhibit . The students will learn basic natural history information about orangutans, how to conduct basic behavioral research.

Rangers capture a Black rhino in the South African National Park in order to relocate him in this segment from Nature. [4:31]

Have you ever stopped to watch a trail of ants moving back and forth between a food source and their nest? Have you ever wondered how they establish their trail? You've probably read that ants use chemical signals to communicate with one another. This is a relatively simple experiment that you can do to determine whether ants use attractant signals (positive cues) or repellant signals (negative cues) or both.

If you had to choose between having your favorite dessert, going to a movie, or spending the night at a friend's house, which would you choose? This project shows you how you can "ask" a sowbug (or pill bug) a similar question in order to learn about a bug's preferences.

Question and answer site that contains a discussion of commensalism as it pertains to sea slugs. Nice photographs of aquatic commensalistic relationships.

Students will examine clues about animals such as nests, leaves, feathers, fur, tracks that allow some conclusions about the identity, physical characteristics or behavior of the animals. Students will study the characteristics of animal tracks.

How has animal care in zoos improved by including behavioral training into a keeper’s duties? This activity is designed to start your students in recognizing themselves as scientists and thinking critically about problem-solving. The goal is to teach concepts through discovery and to encourage using scientific thought processes. As with all lessons provided, please feel free to adapt them according to your students’ abilities. You may find it more successful to lead activities and discussions as a whole group rather than using individual Research Plan sheets. Certain scientific vocabulary may or may not be appropriate for your students’ level of understanding. Take these ideas, make them your own and your students will have a greater chance at success.

How would an ethogram for your pet compare to an ethogram of a wild animal? This activity is designed to start your students in recognizing themselves as scientists and thinking critically about problem-solving. The goal is to teach concepts through discovery and to encourage using scientific thought processes. As with all lessons provided, please feel free to adapt them according to your students’ abilities. You may find it more successful to lead activities and discussions as a whole group as opposed to having your students’ work in small groups. Certain scientific vocabulary may or may not be appropriate for your students’ level of understanding. Take these ideas, make them your own and your students will have a greater chance at success.