Lesson Plans

Teachers today find it difficult to take the time to create lessons that both inform and interest students. These lessons have attempted to do most of the work for you. Age appropriate websites and activities are included in every lesson, along with suggestions in how to use them. Since this page is global in reach, the lessons probably have a great deal more material than you have time to use. Please feel free to pick and choose among all the various readings and activities, those that most fit your goals and standards and personal style.

Each lesson includes essential questions and national standards. Many of the web pages also include standards specific to their material. The materials are listed separately, and then again within each lesson so you can see a way to use them, or you can use them any way you choose.

The lesson begins with a Hook, to grab the students’ attention. Then each Procedure that is listed is a different topic. If you are only interested in animals, then skip the parts about plants or people or whatever else might be covered. Suggestions for assessment, and sample rubrics are also included. Some of the sites used may have activities that cost money, but the ones listed here are always free. If you don’t find a lesson you need, it may still be in development. Please let us know so we can do our best for our loyal, hardworking teachers.

Journey along with Inky the octopus as he makes a daring escape from his aquarium to the open sea―based on a real-life aquatic adventure! Published in partnership with the National Aquarium of New Zealand.
The best octopus book for kids looking to learn more about aquatic animals, marine biology, and aquariums, this delightful tale about a daring octopus's big dreams makes a wonderful gift or children for back-to-school, holidays, and summer reading!

Title: Local Animals and the Ecosystem

Creator: Kathy Baka, M. Ed.
Age Group: 8 - 11

This was the most requested topic from a survey posted so far on this site. There are many parts to caring for animals, including where to get pets, what kind of pets, and how they were acquired by the seller or giver.

Of course, the main thing is to love them, and that means to give them what they need: food, warmth, security, and the kind of affection they understand.

Title: How to Care for Pets

Creator: Kathy Baka, M. Ed.
Age Group: 8 - 11

Most kids think animals have feelings. If they have pets, they know their pets let them know when they want attention or food. They also watch cartoons where animals talk about and act out their feelings. The purpose of this lesson is to help them understand their responsibility to animals.

The lesson also deals briefly with factory farms. You may want to check it out before deciding whether or not to include it.

Animal sentients

Creator: Kathy Baka, M. Ed.
Age Group: 8 - 11

Journey along with Inky the octopus as he makes a daring escape from his aquarium to the open sea―based on a real-life aquatic adventure! Published in partnership with the National Aquarium of New Zealand.
The best octopus book for kids looking to learn more about aquatic animals, marine biology, and aquariums, this delightful tale about a daring octopus's big dreams makes a wonderful gift or children for back-to-school, holidays, and summer reading!

Title: Climate Change

Creator: Kathy Baka, M. Ed.
Age Group: 8 - 11

The grassland biome can be very complicated because it exists on every continent except Antarctica, and the animals are different in all of them. The materials list for this lesson is huge, but, please, only use what you need.

The lesson begins with a general description. It then breaks down the biome by continent, with each continent being represented mostly by activities about the animals, from which students choose only a few..

Title: Biomes of the World: Grasslands

Creator: Kathy Baka, M. Ed.
Age Group: 8 - 11

This is the first middle school lesson on our Teacher Page. It demonstrates our commitment to teaching kids about living with and respecting animals with which we share our environment. People have mixed feelings about wolves.

They look like dogs, so we are drawn to them as we are to dogs. However, we have also been taught to fear them: think Three Little Pigs, Little Red Riding Hood.

Title: Werewolves, indigo's or reality of wolves

Creator: Kathy Baka, M. Ed.
Age Group: 11-13

This lesson is designed to present to children a realistic outlook on wolves. Some children see wolves as big dogs, and tend to think well of them, without understanding that they are not dogs, but wild predators. Others see them as dangerous predators who eat children and pets. The truth, of course, is somewhere in-between.

This lesson plan explores both sides and allows the teacher to present material that is educational and explores facts about wolves.

Title: Who's afraid of the big, bad wolf

Creator: Kathy Baka, M. Ed.
Age Group: 8 - 11

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