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Colorful echinoderms

lesson plans

Organized by Phyla

Lesson Plans

Sponges

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    Lesson Plan
    What Is An Animal
    In this lesson students discuss the definition of an animal. What characteristics do all animals have in common? To introduce the subject the teacher gives a brief discussion of the five kingdoms (see reference below). What evidence is needed to decide that an organism is an animal? Students watch the video Sponges: Origins and reconsider the definition of an animal.

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    Komodo Sponge
    Lesson Plan
    Sponges Origins: Questions
    A list of questions about the characteristics of sponges to use after viewing the video Sponges: Origins.Shape of Life Sponges Worksheet. Students make sketches and write short answers to questions about the amazing world of sponges. The worksheet was created by Rachel Miller from Science From Scratch.A Powerpoint including questions to use while watching the video Sponges: Origins video. 

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    Lesson Plan
    Who Was Animal Eve?
    In this lesson students make a guess as to what was the first animal. The class watches the Sponge video from the shapeoflife.org and writes down what evidence they saw that sponges were the first animals. Then the class discusses what evidence they need to figure out what might have been the first animal. They watch the scientist video “Mitchell Sogin, Evolutionary Biologist: Proof of the First Animal” and write down the evidence that is presented for the sponge being the first animal.

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Cnidarians

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    Lesson Plan
    Cnidarian Adaptations
    Students explore the origins of muscles, nerves, and animal adaptions through of study of the fascinating phylum Cnidaria.

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    Lesson Plan
    Cnidarians: Life on the Move Questions
    A list of questions about the characteristics of Cnidarians to use after viewing the video Cnidarians: Life On the Move.Shape of Life Cnidarians Worksheet. Students make sketches and write short answers to questions about the amazing world of cnidarians. This worksheet was created by Rachel Miller from Science From Scratch.A Powerpoint with questions to answer while watching the video Cnidarians: Life on the Move.

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Flatworms

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    Lesson Plan
    Who Was "Hunter Eve?"
    The paleontological evidence of the first animal to hunt is tiny trails that have been fossilized in rocks. To start this lesson, students will consider the tracks and traces left by modern animals and what they can learn about an animal from its tracks. They then think about which animal might have been the first hunter. The class considers what it takes to be a hunter and what kind of evidence can we use to figure out what was the first hunter. Students write their ideas in their science notebooks and the teacher shares the ideas with the entire class.

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    Red orange and pink flatworm
    Lesson Plan
    Flatworms: The First Hunter Questions
    A list of questions about the characteristics of flatworms to use after viewing the video Flatworms: the First Hunter.Shape of Life: Platyhelminthes Worksheet. Students make sketches and write short answers to questions about the amazing world of flatworms. A Powerpoint with questions to answer while watching the video Flatworms: The First Hunter

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Annelids

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    Lesson Plan
    Annelids: Powerful and Capable Worms
    A list of questions with an emphasis on adaptations to use after viewing the video Annelids: Powerful and Capable Worms  

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    Alitta Succinea
    Lesson Plan
    Annelid Adaptions + Art
    This lesson begins with students engaging in the practice of science -- observing the phenomena, describing their observations, and making sense of what they see. They observe annelid behaviors using a Shape of Life video with the audio turned off. They try to figure out what the phenomenon (the behavior) is, how it might help the organism survive, and how it might impact the environment. Working with a partner, they make hypotheses about what they are observing and organisms' adaptions that allow it to perform the behavior.

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    Lesson Plan
    Annelids: Powerful and Capable Worms Questions
    A list of questions about the characteristics of annelids to use after viewing the video Annelids: Powerful and Capable Worms.Shape of Life Annelida Worksheet. Students make sketches and write short answers about the amazing world of annelids.A Powerpoint with questions to answer while watching the video Annelids: Powerful and Capable Worms.

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