SIERRA NEVADA JOURNEYS VIRTUAL CLASSROOM
WEEK 5 - Structure and function
This unit was developed with the Next Generation Science Standards in mind and includes Social Emotional Learning competencies. Also,it was designed with first grade, fourth grade, and middle school standards and competencies in mind. However, it can be used for K- 12th grade students.
These activities are listed in their recommended order. This order will help to deepen student understanding by building on concepts from activity to activity. Although, they were also designed to provide students with enough information that each lesson will make sense on their own.
Download Structure and Function Teacher’s Guide with suggestions for differentiation of lessons and additional notes. If you are using Google Classroom, consider using kamiapp.com to easily integrate activity pages which are created as PDF Fillable Forms.
Structures to the Rescue Story
Students can read along with an adult or with the online reader to learn about the different structures of animals and what the function of the structure is for the animal. Students can also use their knowledge of what they read to make their own pages to add to the book.
Download Structure to the Rescue PDF Story
Spanish Structure to the Rescue PDF Story
Find the Structure and Function
Students will use a model to locate the structures of their toy animals and explain the function of those structures. Students will then draw and write about their findings on a worksheet to show their learning.
Download Find the Structure and Function Activity Page
Spanish Find the Structure and Function Activity Page
Structure and Function Memory Matching Game
This activity can be played several ways. Students can use the online link, print out the activity sheet, or make their own cards with paper or index cards and writing utensils.
Download Structure and Function Memory Matching Game Activity Page
Download Structure and Function Memory Matching Game Cards With Pictures
Download Structure and Function Memory Matching Game Cards Without Pictures
Spanish Versions:
Spanish Structure and Function Memory Matching Game Activity Page
Spanish Structure and Function Memory Matching Game Cards With Pictures
Spanish Structure and Function Memory Matching Game Cards Without Pictures
My Pet's Structures and Functions
Students will identify the structure and function of pets. First with pictures of pets, then they will do it with their own pets.
Download My Pet’s Structure and Functions Activity Page
Spanish My Pet’s Structure and Functions Activity Page
Copy Cat Challenge
This activity can be set-up using a variety of materials. Students can use chalk, hula hoops, sticky notes, paper, etc., to set up each of the obstacles.
Download Copy Cat Challenge Activity Page
Spanish Copy Cat Challenge Activity Page
Spanish Version:
Adapt an Animal
For this activity students, will be adapting their favorite animal so they will be able to survive in different environments. The students will add structures to their animal and then explain why that structure will help their animal in that new habitat.
Download Adapt an Animal Activity Page
Spanish Adapt an Animal Activity Page
It's What's on the Inside That Counts!
Similar to the Internal Structures activity, students will brainstorm external structures in plants animals, the function of the structures, and the purpose of the structures. There are places for students to complete scaffolded portions of the activity and places for students to add their own ideas.
Download It’s What’s on the Inside That Counts Activity Page
Download It’s What’s on the Inside That Counts Answer Key
Spanish It’s What’s on the Inside That Counts Activity Page
Spanish It’s What’s on the Inside That Counts Answer Key
What's on the Outside: How Do I Look?
Similar to the Internal Structures activity, students will brainstorm external structures in plants animals, the function of the structures, and the purpose of the structures. There are places for students to complete scaffolded portions of the activity and places for students to add their own ideas.
Download What’s on the Outside Activity Page
Download What’s on the Outside Answer Key
Spanish What’s on the Outside Activity Page
Spanish What’s on the Outside Answer Key
Choose Your Own Structures
Students will choose internal and external structures, define the functions for them, and combine their choices to design a new organism with all the attributes to survive, grow, and reproduce.
Download Choose Your Own Structures Activity Page
Spanish Choose Your Own Structures Activity Page
Shape Hunt
Students will record with drawings or words what shapes they find in nature and explain what they think the function of some of the shapes are by considering how the pinecone's spiral changes. They will then observe another shape and explain why they think its function is. The activity can be done with the video or without. The video can aid in helping them find shapes or be used for students who cannot go outside to find shapes.
Download Shape Hunt Activity Page
Spanish Shape Hunt Activity Page
In this video, students are prompted to find examples of the four parts of a habitat in their own outdoor area. Students can also use the written activity guide to help guide their thinking.
Guess What We Mimicked?
Students will match the invention that humans made to the animal structure that they copied by drawing lines to the matches or numbering them.Students will need to compare the structures and functions of the inventions to the examples from nature to find the matches. At the end of the activity, students will look around their house for a tool, or invention, that they think might have been inspired by nature.
Download Guess What We Mimicked Activity Page
Download Guess What We Mimicked Answer Key
Spanish Guess What We Mimicked Activity Page
Spanish Guess What We Mimicked Answer Key
Burdock Seed Story
Students can read along with an adult or with the online reader to learn about biomimicry and how Velcro was created.
Download Burdock Seed PDF Story
Spanish Burdock Seed PDF Story
Save the Rock Climber!
Students will use their knowledge of biomimicry to pick a living thing from nature to design a solution to keep a mountain climber safe.
Download Save the Rock Climber Activity Page
Spanish Save the Rock Climber Activity Page
Marker Box Design Challenge
Students will investigate which shapes in nature are the best for storing things, like markers in this design challenge. They will make a marker box in various shapes to see which one can hold the most markers.
Download Marker Box Design Challenge Activity Page
Spanish Marker Box Design Challenge Activity Page
Supplemental Activities
Bio Mimic and Match Game
Students will learn about biomimicry and test their knowledge with an activity that uses critical thinking skills to match human inventions to their biological counterparts within the animal kingdom.
Download Bio Mimic and Match Game Activity Page
Download Bio Mimic and Match Game Answer Key
Spanish Bio Mimic and Match Game Activity Page and Answer Key
Evolutionary Adaptations
Students will learn about different types of evolution, fossils, adaptations, and natural selection. Students will use critical thinking skills to determine ways in which animals have adapted in order to survive in their environments.
Download Evolutionary Adaptations Part 1 Background Information
Download Evolutionary Adaptations Part 2 Convergent Evolution Activity Page
Download Evolutionary Adaptations Part 2 Convergent Evolution Answer Key
Download Evolutionary Adaptations Part 3 Divergent Evolution Activity Page
Download Evolutionary Adaptations Part 3 Divergent Evolution Answer Key
Spanish Versions:
Spanish Evolutionary Adaptations Part 1 Background Information
Spanish Evolutionary Adaptations Part 2 Convergent Evolution Activity Page
Spanish Evolutionary Adaptations Part 3 Divergent Evolution Activity Page
Build Your Own Kendama
In this SEL craft activity, students will follow instructions to create a Kendama, which is a tool or game used to sharpen hand-eye coordination.
Download Build Your Own Kendama Activity Page
Spanish Build Your Own Kendama Activity Page
MERF
In this SEL activity, students will be encouraged to build problem-solving and communication skills through a charades-like game.
Download MERF Game Activity Page
Spanish MERF Game Activity Page