Middle School, Zoology Projects, Lessons, Activities (Page 3)

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

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 science project shows you how you can "ask" a sowbug (or pillbug) a similar question in order to learn about their preferences. Give it a try to find out what types of microenvironments these tiny crustaceans prefer. Read more

What Seeds Do Birds Prefer to Eat?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Are you curious about the birds that live in your neighborhood? Would you like to find out more about them: what they look like close up, what they eat, how they sing? In this project you'll build a bird feeding platform with four separate feeding areas. You'll be able to observe birds at close range, find out what birds inhabit your area, and learn about their seed-eating preferences. So get out your woodworking tools and binoculars, and get ready to see some birds. Read more

Will Different-colored Lights Affect How Many Moths You Catch?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

You are coming into the house after a game of flashlight tag with your friends, but the front porch light is not on for you to see the doorknob! What is going on? Maybe your parents know that turning a light on means moths will gather there, and they do not want you letting moths inside when you open the door. You have probably noticed how moths are attracted to lights at night. They will even fly dangerously close to flames in their journey toward light. In this project, you will learn a… Read more

Worm Observation

STEM Activity

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Earthworms are important for the soil and a lot of fun to study. Few people know there are over 2,000 types of earthworms. Some like to burrow deep in the soil, while others stay near the surface. Do you know what they eat, or what their eating and burrowing habits are? Fill a pot with moist dirt, add a few worms, and observe your worms to find out. Read more

Can Copper Foil Snails?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

If you have a garden, you probably know about snails (or their shell-less relatives, slugs). You may even be looking for a good way to keep them from getting into your garden and eating up the results of all your hard work. In this science project, you will take a scientific look at one method of discouraging this garden pest. Read more

Coffee Buzz: How Does Caffeine Affect the Physiology of Animals?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Caffeine is a type of chemical called a stimulant. When you drink a caffeinated beverage, the caffeine enters into your blood stream dilating the capillaries and causing blood to flow more quickly. This gives your body a feeling of speeding up which can cause the jitters and wakefulness. How does caffeine affect the physiology of other animals? You can use over-the-counter caffeine supplements, like Vivarin, to test the effects of caffeine on animals. Try dissolving the caffeine in… Read more

Explore Biodiversity Using a Homemade Bug Vacuum!

STEM Activity

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It might seem impossible to estimate how many different bugs live in a nearby field, or how many types of birds live in a forest, but wildlife biologists often have to try to determine the number of different species in a given habitat. This plays an important role in helping us understand how healthy the environment is. In this activity, you will get to take on the role of a wildlife biologist by examining the biodiversity of bugs and other small invertebrates (such as spiders, centipedes,… Read more

Flowers Seeking Pollinators

Lesson Plan Grade: 3rd-7th

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"European honey bee extracts nectar" by John Severns In this activity, students learn about plant reproduction and use real data to construct explanations about which flowers are the most attractive to different pollinators. Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

3-LS1-1. Develop models to describe that organisms have unique and diverse life cycles but all have in common birth, growth, reproduction, and death.
4-LS1-1. Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.
MS-LS1-4. Use argument based on empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support an explanation for how characteristic animal behaviors and specialized plant structures affect the probability of successful reproduction of animals and plants, respectively.

Go and Stop? Ant Traffic Signals

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

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. Read more

How Biodiverse is Your Backyard?

STEM Activity

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Have you ever wondered how many different types of animals live around your home, like in your backyard or a local park? Animals come in all shapes and sizes, each a small part of the amazing diversity of life. These differences can help people use systems to classify animals into different groups. One way people classify animals is by their phylum. Do you know which phylum you belong to? In this science activity, you will investigate the diversity (or biodiversity) of the animal life around… Read more

Middle School, Zoology Projects, Lessons, Activities (47 results)

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