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Science Units

Human Body, Vision, & The Brain Animal & Plant Adaptations Earth's Features & Processes Sound, Waves, & Communication Energy & Energy Transfer Electricity, Light, & Heat

Human Body, Vision, & The Brain
Animal & Plant Adaptations
Earth's Features & Processes
Sound, Waves, & Communication
Energy & Energy Transfer
Electricity, Light, & Heat

NGSS

Animal & Plant Adaptations

Standards & Prep

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Why do some sea creatures look so strange?

Lesson 1

Animal Adaptations

4th Why do some sea creatures look so strange?

NEW!

Lesson + Activity

Standards Aligned

Why would a sea turtle eat a plastic bag?

Lesson 2

Learned Behavior & Instinct

4th Why would a sea turtle eat a plastic bag?

NEW!

Lesson + Activity

Standards Aligned

Why don't the same trees grow everywhere?

Lesson 3

Plant Adaptations

4th Why don't the same trees grow everywhere?

NEW!

Lesson + Activity

Standards Aligned

About this Unit

Print All

In this unit, students explore the adaptations of animals and plants. Students investigate how the external and internal structures of an organism work together as an interconnected system that aid in their growth and survival. They also use models to explore how a combination of instincts and memories influence animal behavior.

Standards

4-LS1-1

4-LS1-2

Unit Resources

Assessments

New: for distance learning, assign Google Form versions of lesson and unit assessments. View Google Form assessments

This 3-dimensional summative assessment includes a variety of visual cues and question prompts (multiple-choice, true/false, short answer). It should take 30-40 minutes for a student to complete.

Unit assessment

For your reference, these are all the assessments included at the end of each Mystery from this unit:

Lesson 1: Animal Adaptations

Lesson 1 assessment

Lesson 2: Learned Behavior & Instinct

Lesson 2 assessment

Lesson 3: Plant Adaptations

Lesson 3 assessment

Standards Alignment Guide

Pacing Guide

Pacing Guides in Google Sheets

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Pacing Guides in Excel

Note: We've optimized for Google Sheets as it's free for all users. Excel downloads may have formatting differences.

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Need Google Drive versions?

Lesson 1: Animal Adaptations

Frogfish Finder

In this lesson, students make observations of an underwater animal, a frogfish, in order to collect evidence that its external structures serve specific functions. In the activity, Frogfish Finder , students use their observations to construct an argument that the frogfish’s external and internal structures work together as part of a system to support their growth and survival.

Number of students:

I have a Mystery Pack

Frogfish Field Journal printout	Print 30 copies
Frogfish Field Journal Answer Key teacher-only resource	1 copy
Scissors	15 pairs
Pipe Cleaners	30 pipe cleaners

Prep Instructions

We suggest students work in pairs. Homeschool students can work on their own.

Lesson 2: Learned Behavior & Instinct

Raccoon Reactions

This is a NEW lesson we are BETA testing! If you prepped before 6/1/24 or if you have a Mystery Pack, you'll need to gather the supplies listed below.

In this lesson, students explore how animals receive information through their senses and process that information in their brain, using instincts and memories to guide their behaviors. In the activity, Raccoon Reactions, students use models to understand how an animal’s senses, brain, and memories all work together as a system to influence their behavior and support their survival.

Number of students:

I have a Mystery Pack

Please note: This is a NEW lesson we are BETA testing! If you have a Mystery Pack, you’ll need to gather most of the supplies listed below.

Raccoon Behavior worksheet	30 copies
Raccoon Brain Model printout	Print 15 copies
Raccoon Memory Cards printout	Print 15 copies
Raccoon Senses worksheet	30 copies
Raccoon Senses & Behavior Answer Key teacher-only resource	1 copy
Scissors	30 pairs
Aluminum Foil Each pair of students needs a 3" x 3" piece, which will be Mystery Item 2 (see prep below).	Details 15 small pieces
Cotton Balls	15 balls
Paper Lunch Bags	30 bags
Sticker Labels (1" x 3") Tape also works. We prefer stickers because they are easier to distribute in a classroom.	Details 30 stickers

Prep Instructions

We suggest students work in pairs. Homeschool students can work on their own.

Prepare Bags

Divide the paper bags into two equal piles. We suggest labeling each bag in the first pile “1” and each bag in the second pile “2." These will correspond to “Mystery Item 1” and “Mystery Item 2” in the activity.

Place one cotton ball into each bag in the first pile. You’ll distribute one of these bags to each pair of students in Step 5 of the activity.

Place one small square of aluminum foil into each of the other bags. Try to avoid squeezing the foil into a ball because that will make it difficult for students to feel the texture. You’ll distribute one of these bags to each pair of students in Step 15 of the activity.

Make Sure You Have Space

Ensure that each pair of students has enough space to lay out their Raccoon Brain models and the Memory Cards. Two student desks side-by-side should be sufficient.

Lesson 3: Plant Adaptations

Tree Detective

In this lesson, students make observations of external and internal parts of trees in order to collect evidence that these structures work together as a system to help plants survive in a particular environment. In the activity, Tree Detective, students use models of roots and branches to explore their functions and then construct an argument about how these structures must work together in order to support the survival of trees in the unique environment of the frozen taiga.

Number of students:

I have a Mystery Pack

Anchortown Info worksheet	30 copies
Evidence (Roots & Branches) worksheet	30 copies
Solve The Puzzle worksheet	30 copies
Tree Detective Answer Key teacher-only resource	1 copy
Tree Roots worksheet	30 copies
Colored Pencils We use red and blue in the activity, but any two colors will work. Crayons will also work.	Details 60 pencils
Hardcover Books Books must be heavy enough to keep a pipe cleaner and coffee stirrer hanging halfway off a table.	Details 15 books
Coffee Stirrers	15 stirrers
Paper Clips	300 paper clips
Pipe Cleaners Pipe cleaner must be new because students will observe how it bends during the activity.	Details 15 pipe cleaners

Prep Instructions

We suggest students work in pairs. Homeschool students can work on their own.

Organize Materials

Materials for this activity are needed at three different steps, so we suggest organizing them beforehand for easier distribution.

The Tree Roots and Evidence (Roots & Branches) worksheets are distributed in Step 2.

The pipe cleaners, coffee stirrers, paper clips, and hardcover books are distributed in Step 9. Step9

The Anchortown Info and Solve the Puzzle worksheets, along with colored pencils are distributed in Step 17. Step17

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Open-and-go lessons that inspire kids to love science.

Science curriculum for K—5th grades.

Science Units

Animal Adaptations

4th Why do some sea creatures look so strange?

Learned Behavior & Instinct

4th Why would a sea turtle eat a plastic bag?

Plant Adaptations

4th Why don't the same trees grow everywhere?

About this Unit

Standards

Unit Resources

Assessments

Lesson 1: Animal Adaptations

Lesson 2: Learned Behavior & Instinct

Lesson 3: Plant Adaptations

Standards Alignment Guide

Pacing Guide

Pacing Guides in Google Sheets

Pacing Guides in Excel

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Science curriculum for K—5^th grades.