The lesson plans presented here are a sampling from the National Wildlife Federation’s collection of more than 1,000 lesson plans designed to introduce students to life science, ecology, wildlife biology, scientific identification, and observation.
All lesson plans are aligned to the National Science Education Standards.
Check back regularly! We will be continually adding to our online library of resources for educators.
For best results when downloading or opening reports, please use either Firefox or Chrome.
Lesson Plans by Topic
WILDLIFE
Lessons that introduce students to wildlife and wildlife behavior
Mammals
- Controversy Over Wild Cats (grades 5-8, 3-4)
- How Many Bison? (grades 7-10)
- Bison Mystery Box (grades 4-8, K-3)
- Build a Bat House (grades 2-8)
- Bats: Maligned or Malicious? (grades 3-8, K-2)
- Investigating Bat Adaptations (grades 3-6)
- Night Friends – Bat of the Americas (background information and lesson plans: grades 3-6; 3-8, K-2; 2-8)
- How do Polar Bears Stay Warm? (grades 2-6)
- What Color is a Polar Bear? (grades 2-5)
- Where in the World is the Polar Bear? (grades 4-6)
- Where Do Polar Bears Live? (grades 1-6)
- How Much Do You Know About Polar Bears? (grades 4-6)
- Tricky Tracks (grades K-4)
Amphibians and Reptiles
- Box Turtle Interview (grades 3-8)
- Call of the Wild (grades K-4)
- Call of the Wild (grades 5-8)
- Gator Hole Graphics (grades 6-7)
- Lizard Lair
Birds and Butterflies
- Massive Migrations (revised for grades K-4)
- Massive Migrations (revised for grades 5-8)
- Massive Migrations (revised for grades 9-12)
- Massive Migrations (grades 3-8, K-2)
- Pelican Activities (grades 3-8)
- Fill the Bill (grades 3-8, K-2)
- Butterfly Life Cycle (grades K-2, 3-4)
Pollinators
- The Pollinator’s Journey (revised for grades K-4)
- The Pollinator’s Journey (revised for grades 5-8)
- The Pollinator’s Journey (revised for grades 9-12)
- The Pollinator’s Journey (grades K-4, 5-8)
Insects, Spiders, and Invertebrates
- Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Fact (9-12)
- Soil Decomposers (grades K-4, 6-8)
- Spider sensations (grades K-6)
Fish
- Create a Fish (grades 3-8)
- Fish and Ladders (grades 5-8)
- Fish and Ladders (grades 9-12)
Endangered and At-Risk Species
- Prairie Chicken Pageant (grades 4-8, K-2)
- Endangered species: What and Where? (grades K-2, 3-8)
- At Risk Species (grades 5-8, 3-4)
- KWA Species Cards (grades 5-8, 3-4)
Marine Wildlife
- Wonderful Whales (K-4)
- Planning Your Research (grades 9-12)
- Sea-going Supermarket Hike (grades 5-8)
- The Wheel of Trouble (revised for grades 2-6)
- The Wheel of Trouble (sea turtles) (grades K-2)
- Horseshoe Crab Fun (grades 3-8)
- Manatee Endangered (grades 9-12)
Variety of Wildlife
- Pond Life (grades 9-12)
- Links in a Food Chain (grades K-4)
- Links in the Chain of Life (grades 6-12)
- Wildlife Burrows (grades 6-12)
- Who is Faster? (grades 4-6)
HABITATS
Lessons designed to introduce students to concepts of ecology, habitat care, and species identification
- What’s your Habitat? (grades K-4, 5-8)
- Habitat for Sale (grades 3-8, K-2)
- Sensory Discovery Walk (grades K-6)
- Water, Water Everywhere (grades 3-8)
- Who Can Live Here? (grades 9-12)
- Wind Power (grades 3-4, 5-8)
- Tree Detective (grades 3-6)
- Woodland Chase (grades 3-6)
- Habitat Hunt (grades 3-6)
- Habitat Web (grades K-6)
ECOSYSTEMS
Lessons that explore ecosystems within the United States
Arctic
- Life in the Cold: Arctic Climate Challenges (grades 3-5, K-2, 5-8)
- Summer Midnight Sun (grades 5-8, 3-4)
- Where in the World is the Arctic? (grades 3-4, 5-8, K-2)
- Arctic Environment (background information)
- Plants and Animals of the Arctic (grades 3-4, K-2, 5-8)
Watersheds
- Danger from Afar: Non-point Source Pollution and the Lake Superior Basin (grades 3-8)
- Go with the Flow (grades 6-8)
- How Do You Feel About Water? (grades 5-8, 3-4)
- The Water Cycle (grades 2-8)
- Water, Water Everywhere? (grades 3-4, K-2, 5-8)
- Watershed Web: A Field Trip (grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8)
Webinars
The National Wildlife Federation offers live webinars, great for educators and parents looking for ways to engage their kids with nature and conservation.
Recordings of Past Webinars
Eco-Schools USA
- How to Engage Administrators, the School Board, and the Greater Community in Your Efforts—Advice on how to get support to help you implement the Eco-Schools USA program.
- Eco-Schools USA on a Budget—Tools and tips for greening your school on a tight budget.
- Introduction to Eco-Schools USA—This is a webinar to introduce you to Eco-Schools USA, part of the largest green schools program in the world. Listen in for tips on how to green your school.
Greenforce Initiative™
- Webinar Archive—Visit Greenforce Initiative’s webinar archive for tips on green careers.
Bats webinar series: By BatsLIVE in partnership with National Wildlife Federation
- Cave and Karst: The World Beneath Our Feet—Learn about the special features of cave environments and unique cave species.
- Bat Education in Your Class and in the Field—Activities, resources and lesson plans to help you teach about bats in the classroom and in the field.
- Bat Basics—Learn about bats, threats to bats, and how to help these beneficial creatures, which are among the most misunderstood animals
