biome research project 2nd grade

10 Ecosystem Project Ideas

• Freebies , Planning , Science

When you think about ecosystem project ideas, do you immediately think about dioramas in a shoebox, like this one I found on Pinterest?

Don’t get me wrong, dioramas are a great way for students to demonstrate their learning but it’s also the most common way. If you are like me, you are always looking for unique ways for students to express what they learned. That’s why I have a variety of ecosystem project ideas!

Create Your Own Ecosystems or Habitats.

Have your students work in groups, research, and then create an ecosystem together. It can be something as simple as collecting pond water, organisms, and plants. You could also have students create individual habitats instead of an entire ecosystem. We created our own habitats and the students really enjoyed it. Together we discussed the importance of meeting our living things’ needs and a healthy environment. We had a habitat for ants, fish, worms, and so much more.

Create a Flap Book.

Provide students with a 12 x 9 strip of construction paper and several index cards (one per ecosystem you are studying). Have students name, draw, and color the ecosystem on the outside of the index card, and on the inside provide valuable information about the ecosystem inside. When you are done, it will look like this:

Create an Imaginary Ecosystem.

Have students create their own ecosystem but still requiring the characteristics of ecosystems such as needing to have both living and nonliving factors, populations, communities, and so on. Have students determine the food chains and much more. It will definitely require some creative thinking on their part, but it will definitely be fun!

Create an Ecosystem Mobile.

Students love creating mobiles and they make for a cute display. If you can’t find hangers to make mobiles, you can easily use other materials such as sticks (yes, sticks from trees.), dowels (found in craft stores), or paper towel rolls. When creating an ecosystem mobile , you can have students again use index cards like in the example above, designing the outside and describing the ecosystem on the inside. You could also have students get creative and design something that represents that ecosystem, such as a raindrop for the rainforest. Students will love this ecosystem project idea!

Read Around the Room.

Set out many books about ecosystems around the room and students are sure to get excited! Have different locations representing different ecosystems and then move students around from station to station. If you want, you can have a student record in a chart or on one big piece of chart paper what they learned about that ecosystem. There are many great books out there on ecosystems.

Create a Scavenger Hunt.

What student doesn’t love a scavenger hunt? To create an ecosystem scavenger hunt , you would just place information about each ecosystem around your room in different locations. For instance in one spot you may have information about deserts and in another location information about grasslands. Then create a few questions for students to answer regarding each ecosystem. Students move around the room reading about each ecosystem and hunt for those questions. It’s a great way to sneak in some reading and just another ecosystem project idea.

Create an Accordion Book.

Can you tell I’m a crafty, foldable kind of gal? I just love hands-on activities and foldables. I think I wrote about this a little in my Going Wild for Ecosystems post. Drag out some construction paper or copy paper and have students fold it in half. Then have them draw the ecosystem at the top and write about its characteristics at the bottom of the half sheet. When finished, you end up with an ecosystem accordion foldable . (See image below).

Do this with each half for however number of ecosystems you are studying. Then connect them all by gluing them (or taping) side by side. (see image above).

Create a Circle Book.

Are you looking for an ecosystem project idea that is easy-peasy? These circle books have been my latest obsession. I’ve even got some created that I haven’t uploaded yet! But just like any of the above, you don’t have to head to my store to purchase them, you could easily create them yourself! Provide each student with one circle per ecosystem you would like them to represent. Then on each circle have them illustrate the ecosystem on the top and describe its characteristics on the bottom. (Sensing a theme?)  Then fold each circle in half back to back and glue them together to form your ecosystem circle book .

Project Based Learning.

Are you looking for a way to get in a little PBL? Why not have students design their own ecosystem zoo ? (This is a shameless plug!)  This project integrates area, perimeter, geometry, and STEM learning in your science classroom. Students work through a series of steps, including research, to design and build a model of their own ecosystem zoo! It’s differentiated and can easily be adapted!

Triboard Display.

Why not have your students create a display similar to a science fair? In this display, students would take a regular file folder (see image below) and attach pieces that describe the landscape, climate, plants, animals, and food chain/web of the ecosystem. Then have students place a world map in the middle and color all the locations in the world where their ecosystem can be found. This can also be done on a larger scale with an actual tri board.

Want to save a little money? Check out the Ecosystem Bundle! It combines many of my ecosystem resources together at a discounted price.

GRAB THE FREEBIE!

Want to grab the ecosystem tri-board display activity above for free? Click here to download it!

This is just a small sampling of some ecosystem project ideas. If you’re looking to save time, you can find many of these items inexpensively prepared for you in my store here , though you can also create many of these ideas yourself. And if you’re looking to save money, I’ve got a great bargain with my ecosystem bundle —eight whole products that can easily stand alone or be chained together!

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General tips, answer sheets, extension ideas for biomes, related literature/media.

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Welcome, teachers, to Mission: Biomes ! This site was designed for teachers to use in classrooms as a supplementary, interdisciplinary unit. Mission: Biomes is especially appropriate for grades 3 through 8. It is designed to be interactive and self-correcting which will allow each student to work at his or her own pace. We encourage educators to preview the site before using it with students. We hope you enjoy your visit!

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Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) alignment with Mission Biomes

To read all of the Next Generation Science Standards and learn about the different methods of searching the standards, visit https://www.nextgenscience.org/ . You can search by grade levels, practice area, cross cutting concept, or disciplinary core idea.

Mission Biomes NGSS Alignment by Performance Expectation (PEs) :

• 3-LS3-2. Use evidence to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the environment.
• 3-LS4-3. Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.
• 3-LS4-4. Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem caused when the environment changes and the types of plants and animals that live there may change
• 3-ESS2-1. Represent data in tables and graphical displays to describe typical weather conditions expected during a particular season.
• 3-ESS2-2. Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world.
• 3-ESS3-1. Make a claim about the merit of a design solution that reduces the impacts of a weather-related hazard.
• 4-LS1-1. Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.
• 4-ESS2-1. Make observations and/or measurements to provide evidence of the effects of weathering or the rate of erosion by water, ice, wind, or vegetation.
• 4-ESS2-2. Analyze and interpret data from maps to describe patterns of Earth’s features.
• 5-LS1-1. Support an argument that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly from air and water
• 5-LS2-1. Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.
• 5-ESS1-2. Represent data in graphical displays to reveal patterns of daily changes in length and direction of shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky.
• 5-ESS2-1. Develop a model using an example to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact.
• 5-ESS2-2. Describe and graph the amounts of saltwater and fresh water in various reservoirs to provide evidence about the distribution of water on Earth.
• 5-ESS3-1. Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth’s resources and environment.

Middle School:

• MS-LS1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
• 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.
• MS-LS1-5. C. Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms.
• MS-LS1-6. Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for the role of photosynthesis in the cycling of matter and flow of energy into and out of organisms
• MS-LS2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
• MS-LS2-1. Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem.
• MS-LS2-2. Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems.
• MS-LS2-4. Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.
• MS-LS2-5. Evaluate competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services.
• MS-LS4 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
• MS-LS4-1. Analyze and interpret data for patterns in the fossil record that document the existence, diversity, extinction, and change of life forms throughout the history of life on Earth under the assumption that natural laws operate today as in the past.
• MS-LS4-2. Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation for the anatomical similarities and differences among modern organisms and between modern and fossil organisms to infer evolutionary relationships.
• MS-LS4-4. Construct an explanation based on evidence that describes how genetic variations of traits in a population increase some individuals’ probability of surviving and reproducing in a specific environment.
• MS-ESS Earth’s Systems
• MS-ESS2-1. Develop a model to describe the cycling of Earth’s materials and the flow of energy that drives this process
• MS-ESS2-4. Develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth’s systems driven by energy from the sun and the force of gravity.
• MS-ESS2-5. Collect data to provide evidence for how the motions and complex interactions of air masses result in changes in weather conditions.
• MS-ESS2-6. Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates
• MS-ESS3 Earth and Human Activity
• MS-ESS3-1. Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how the uneven distributions of Earth’s mineral, energy, and groundwater resources are the result of past and current geoscience processes.

Mission Biomes NGSS alignment by Disciplinary Core Idea (DCIs) :

• LS1: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
• LS1.A: Structure and Function
• LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms
• LS1.C: Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms
• LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
• LS2.A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
• LS2.B: Cycles of Matter and Energy Transfer in Ecosystems
• LS2.C: Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning, and Resilience
• LS3: Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits
• LS3.A: Inheritance of Traits
• LS3.B: Variation of Traits
• LS4: Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
• LS4.A: Evidence of Common Ancestry and Diversity
• LS4.B: Natural Selection
• LS4.C: Adaptation
• LS4.D: Biodiversity and Humans
• ESS1: Earth’s Place in the Universe
• ESS1.B: Earth and the Solar System
• ESS1.C: The History of Planet Earth
• ESS2: Earth’s Systems
• ESS2.A: Earth Materials and Systems
• ESS2.C: The Roles of Water in Earth’s Surface Processes
• ESS2.D: Weather and Climate
• ESS2.E: Biogeology
• ESS3: Earth and Human Activities
• ESS3.A: Natural Resources
• ESS3.B: Natural Hazards
• ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems
• ESS3.D: Global Climate Change
• PS1: Matter and Its Interactions
• PS3.D: Energy in Chemical Processes and Everyday Life

Mission Biomes NGSS alignment by 8 Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs) :

• Analyzing and Interpreting Data
• Asking Questions
• Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
• Developing and Using Models
• Engaging in Argument from Evidence
• Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information
• Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
• Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking

Mission Biomes NGSS alignment by 7 Cross Cutting Concepts (CCCs) :

• Patterns. Observed patterns of forms and events guide organization and classification, and they prompt questions about relationships and the factors that influence them.
• Cause and effect: Mechanism and explanation. Events have causes, sometimes simple, sometimes multifaceted. A major activity of science is investigating and explaining causal relationships and the mechanisms by which they are mediated. Such mechanisms can then be tested across given contexts and used to predict and explain events in new contexts.
• Scale, proportion, and quantity. In considering phenomena, it is critical to recognize what is relevant at different measures of size, time, and energy and to recognize how changes in scale, proportion, or quantity affect a system’s structure or performance.
• Systems and system models. Defining the system under study—specifying its boundaries and making explicit a model of that system—provides tools for understanding and testing ideas that are applicable throughout science and engineering.
• Energy and matter: Flows, cycles, and conservation. Tracking fluxes of energy and matter into, out of, and within systems helps one understand the systems’ possibilities and limitations.
• Structure and function. The way in which an object or living thing is shaped and its substructure determine many of its properties and functions.
• Stability and change. For natural and built systems alike, conditions of stability and determinants of rates of change or evolution of a system are critical elements of study
• The Great Graph Match
• To Plant or Not to Plant?
• The Great Graph Match - Beginner & Advanced Answer Sheet
• To Plant or Not to Plant - Answer Sheet

Some students may be very interested in learning more about specific biomes. The links on the biome information pages provide more in-depth information. Here are some possible research questions to guide them.

Hands-on Activities

USFS Ecoregions My NASA Data GLOBE ECOSTRESS

Coniferous Forest Taiga by April Pulley Sayre, 1994, Twenty-First Century Books, New York, NY. Part of a series, very informative, more difficult reading level, few pictures.

Biomes of the World: Taiga by Elizabeth Kaplan, 1996, Benchmark Books, New York, NY. Very informative.

The Tree in the Ancient Forest by Carol Reed-Jones, illustrated by Christopher Canyon, 1995, DAWN Publications, Nevada City, CA. Describes interdependence of living things with a Douglas Fir as the central tree. Uses repetitive text to make point. Modeled on the Pacific Northwest forests.

Temperate Deciduous Forest Autumn Leaves by Ken Robbins, 1998, Scholastic Press, New York, NY. Photographs of a variety of leaves, very basic, includes description and an easy classification system for leaves.

Temperate Deciduous Forest by April Pulley Sayre, 1994, Twenty-First Century Books, New York, NY. Part of a series, very informative, more difficult reading level, few pictures.

A Tree in a Forest by Jan Thornhill, 1992, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, New York, NY. Presents the life story of a 200-year-old maple tree.

EcoZones Temperate Forest by Lynn M. Stone, 1989, Rourke Enterprises, Inc., Vero Beach, FL. Examines the temperate forest as an ecological niche and describes the trees, plants, and animals supported there.

America’s Forests by Frank Staub, 1999, Carolrhoda Books, Inc., Minneapolis, MN Examines forests as an ecological niche, with good photographs and clear text, upper elementary level.

Desert One Day in the Desert by Jean Craighead George, illustrated by Fred Brenner, 1983, HarperCollins Publisher, New York, NY. Narrative story about a child’s life and journey in the desert biome, contains many desert facts about climate, plants and animals.

Endangered Desert Animals by Dave Taylor, 1993, Crabtree Publishing Co., New York, NY. Begins with information about the desert biome, then proceeds with loads of information about desert animals.

Cactus by Peter Murray, 1996, The Child”s World Inc., New York, NY. Gives information about the desert and the plants that live there, great photographs.

Desert by April Pulley Sayre, 1994, Twenty-First Century Books, New York, NY. Part of a series, very informative, more difficult reading level, few pictures.

Ecology Watch: Deserts by Clint Twist, 1991, Dillon Press, New York, NY. Part of a series, great book with lots of information.

A Desert Scrapbook by Virginia Wright-Frierson, 1996, Simon & Schuster, New York, NY. Story written by author as she journeyed around the desert sketching what she saw, good drawings, lots of information on the animals and plants that live in the desert, not as informative about the climate itself.

Desert Life by Barbara Taylor, 1992, Dorling Kindersley, New York, NY. Lots of good photographs.

The Gentle Desert by Laurence Pringle, 1977, MacMillian Publishing Co., New York, NY. Older book with lots of great information on climate, plants and animals.

Deserts by Seymour Simon, 1990, Morrow Junior Books, New York, NY. Lots of information, good photographs.

Desert Trip by Barbara S. Steiner, illustrated by Ronald Himler, 1996, Sierra Club Books for Children, San Francisco, CA. Relates the experiences of a young girl and her mother as they backpack in the desert where the child learns about the plants, animals, birds, and rock formations.

Grassland One Day in the Prairie by Jean Craighead George, illustrated by Bob Marshall, 1986, HarperCollins Publisher, New York, NY. Narrative story about a child’s life and journey in the prairies, contains many grassland facts about climate, plants and animals.

Endangered Savannah Animals by Dave Taylor, 1993, Crabtree Publishing Co., New York, NY. Begins with some general information about the savannah, then proceeds with lots of information about animals that live there.

Grasslands by April Pulley Sayre, 1994 ,Twenty-First Century Books, New York, NY. Part of a series, very informative, more difficult reading level, few pictures.

Ecology Watch: Grasslands by Alan Collinson, 1992, Dillon Press, New York, NY. Part of a series, includes information about savannas, prairies, steppes, and pampas, also gives information about the plants and animals in these grasslands.

What Do We Know About Grasslands? by Brian Knapp, 1991, Peter Bedrick Books, New York, NY. Great book, includes temperature and precipitation graphs, explains the differences in grasslands.

Biomes of the World: Grasslands by Edward Ricciuti, 1996, Benchmark Books, New York, NY. Part of a series, gives good information on grasslands.

Prairies by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent, photographs by William Muñoz, 1996, Holiday House, New York, NY. Great book, lots of great photos.

Chicaro, Wild Pony of the Pampa by Francis Kalnay, 1958, Walker Publishing Company, Inc., New York, NY. Newbery Honor Book — Adventures of a boy and his pony on the Argentine Pampa.

Our World Grasslands by David Lambert, 1987, Silver Burdett Ginn, Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Explores grasslands around the world, lots of photographs, upper elementary level.

EcoZones Prairies by Lynn M. Stone, 1989, Rourke Enterprises, Inc., Vero Beach, FL. Examines prairies as an ecological niche and describes the trees, plants, and animals supported there.

Rainforest Rainforest by Michael George, 1992, Creative Education, Minnesota. Beautiful illustrations, great information.

Tropical Rainforest by April Pulley Sayre, 1994, Twenty-First Century Books, New York, NY. Part of a series, very informative, more difficult reading level, few pictures.

Rainforest: Lush Tropical Paradise by Jenny Wood, 1991, Gareth Stevens Children’s Book, Milwaukee. Great book, shows canopy and map, very informative on plants and animals.

At Home in the Rainforest by Diane Willow, illustrated by Laura Jacques, 1991, Charlesbridge Publishing, Watertown, MA.

What Do We Know About Rainforests? by Brian Knapp, 1991, Peter Bedrick Books, New York, NY. Part of a series, great information.

Exploring the Rain Forest by Mattias Klum and Hans Odoo, 1997, Sterling Publishing Company, Inc., New York, NY. Describes the variety, beauty, and interrelatedness of plant and animal life found in rainforests in Costa Rica, Brazil, Nigeria, and Borneo.

Nature’s Green Umbrella, Tropical Rain Forests by Gail Gibbons, 1994, Morrow Junior Books, New York, NY. Describes the climatic conditions of the rainforest as well as the different layers of plants and animals that comprise the ecosystem.

Rainforests and Reefs by Caitlin Maynard, Thane Maynard and Stan Rullman, 1996, Franklin Watts, New York, NY. Journal of a 14-year-old who went to Belize and wrote about her experiences and observations, also includes many postcards, photos, and other writing samples.

Here is the Rainforest by Madeleine Dunply, illustrated by Michael Rothman, 1994, Hyperion Books for Children, New York, NY. Repetitive poem about the rainforest and the plants and animals that live in the rainforest. Has good accurate information.

Forests and Jungles by Rae Bains, illustrated by Joel Snyder, 1985, Troll Associates, Mahwah, NJ. Explores the rainforest biome, elementary level.

Tundra Tundra by April Pulley Sayre, 1994, Twenty-First Century Books, New York, NY. Part of a series, very informative, more difficult reading level, few pictures.

Above the Treeline by Ann Cooper, illustrated by Dorothy Emerling, 1996, Denver Museum of Natural History Press, CO. Mostly about the animals that live in the tundra.

Biomes of the World: Tundra by Elizabeth Kaplan, 1996, Benchmark Books, New York, NY. Lots of information, great pictures.

Arctic Tundra: Land with No Trees by Allan Fowler, 1996, Children’s Press, New York, NY. Very easy reading, but still informative.

Tundra by Donna Walsh Shepherd, 1996, Franklin Watts, New York, NY.

Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George, 1972, HarperCollins Publishing, New York, NY. Newbery Medal Book. An Eskimo teenager is lost in the Artic tundra. She survives with the help of a wolf pack.

EcoZones Arctic Tundra by Lynn M. Stone, 1989, Rourke Enterprises, Inc., Vero Beach, FL. Examines the Arctic tundra as an ecological niche and describes the trees, plants, and animals supported there.

Snow Bear by Jean Craighead George, paintings by Wendell Minor, 1999, Hyperion Books for Children, New York, NY. Picture book about a little girl and a polar bear cub, with references to the tundra biome.

Other What is a Biome? by Bobbie Kalman, 1998, Crabtree Publishing, New York, NY. Great resource and quick reference for many biomes.

Magic School Bus series by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen: MSB in the Rainforest MSB Goes to Seed

National Geographic Really Wild Animals series: Totally Tropical Rain Forest Amazing North America Swinging Safari

Mission: Biomes

• Coniferous Forest
• Temperate Deciduous Forest
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• About Mission: Biomes

Stories, experiments, projects, and data investigations. Download issues for free.

Biomes Lesson Plans

In biology we begin the year with the characteristics of life, and then move into ecology. I like starting with ecology because it involves relatively easy concepts. Many students will have learned the basics in middle school, so it’s not a scary way to start the year. When working my way through the content, I essentially just teach in the order of the levels of organization (start with population dynamics, move onto community interactions… you get the idea. End with biomes).

I generally don’t have a ton of time left in the quarter, so if I get to spend 2-3 days on biomes thats a win. Since time is short I focus on the big picture- what causes these biomes? What patterns do we see when we look at a biome map? Why is biodiversity important within biomes? What is the human impact on biomes? Big picture concepts. What I DO NOT spend time on is having students memorize information about each biome. My goal is for students to walk away with an understanding of why biodiversity is important and how we can protect the natural world, not ramble off facts such as which biome receives the most precipitation and which biome has the greatest swing in annual temperature. (Stepping off soapbox). 

MISSION BIOMES: Need a website for students to do research on each biome so they can complete their brochure? Check out this site from NASA.  INTERACTIVE GAME: If you teach middle school, you may want to check out this interactive game where students match an animal to the continent it lives on. 

SPEED DATING: There are a few biome speed dating activities that are available for free on the internet. (I cant always find a reliable link so you will need to do a Google search). 

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Last updated by Linda Kamp on December 10, 2022 • 13 Comments

Hands-on Habitats Activities for Second Grade Scientists

When I first started teaching, habitats was a first grade focus. Now, as our science standards are shifting, habitats and the interdependence of ecosystems is a second grade unit and one my students enjoy. Read on for high-engagement teaching ideas and habitats activities for second grade. Not only are they hands-on and fun, but they are already planned for you!

Hands-On Habitats Activities for Second Grade

In second grade, students build on their understanding that plants and animals get what they need to survive from their habitats. They identify where plants and animals live on land and in water, and explore ecosystems within these habitats. Students compare the diversity of a variety of habitats, and focus on the interdependence of living things.

Here are a few of my favorite lessons, labs, and projects for teaching about habitats and ecosystems in second grade science.

Discover Micro-Habitats Around Your School

Scientists learn by observing and collecting data. You would probably be surprised by the number of micro-habitats that exist in your schoolyard. Micro-habitats are smaller environment like the ones found near a bush, in a grassy area, a school garden, or under a pile of rocks.

Source: Habitats 2nd Grade Science Activities

Take your class outside to discover the micro-habitats in their schoolyard. While outside, collect samples to observe. Students can collect data by counting and recording the number of living things they observe in the micro-habitats they find.

Design a Habitat on a Plate Diorama

In this variation on a diorama, students design a land or water habitat on a plate and include specific plants and animals that live there. Ask students to make a drawing for the back and show the diversity of the habitat by including more or fewer plants and animals in their scene.

Add a writing element by having students explain the type of habitat, its location and climate, and the reasons for its diversity or lack of.

Make Your Lessons Come Alive with Videos

There are some wonderful videos about all of Earth’s habitats on You Tube. These are some I like to use to give students a closer look at what they are learning. These videos also help students understand what an ecosystem is and show an example of a micro-habitat.

Life Under a Log   (8:42)

This short video is a good one for giving students a closer look at a micro-habitat.

Exploring for Tide Pool Creatures   (1:32)

Exploring for Tide Pool Creatures features a small ecosystem that is part of an ocean.

Get a FREE Clickable Video Guide with 30 classroom videos for teaching about habitats and ecosystems.

Make Models of  Water Plants & Adaptations

Just as animals adapt to their habitats, plants adapt as well. Gather materials for students to make simple plant models. Easy to find supplies like foam craft sheets, pipe cleaners, and yarn can be used to show how plants have adapted to live in water.

To do this, students start by drawing a diagram of their model and labeling the adaptations they wish to show.

For example, students can make models with extra long roots anchored beneath the water, long stems that extend above the waterline, and floating leaves as examples of water plant adaptations.

Once they are finished, students can test their models to see if they work as intended by placing them in a sink or bin of water. Students then compare their models with a classmate and identify common features. (NGSS SEP.2)

Demonstrate Animal Adaptations

As a fun demonstration, try making blubber while students learning about arctic habitats and the adaptations needed to survive. Steve Spangler has a fun blubber glove science experiment to demonstrate how animals stay warm in freezing arctic temperatures.

Make Student Science Journals

Keeping a journal give students a place to respond and write about what they are learning in science. Journals can be used for responding to lessons, collecting key vocabulary, drawing designs and diagrams, and planning investigations. They are a must have for all of your habitats activities.

Practice Reading Skills Using Science Content

During your reading block, give students comprehension and close reading practice while reinforcing science content. These leveled for 2nd grade science readers include close reading passages in both article and book format. The comprehension question pages target 8 key informational reading standards.

Source: Habitats Close Reading Passages & Leveled Readers Print + Digital 

Ideal for small groups, whole group close reading lessons, and classrooms short on science time.

CLICK HERE for the habitats activities, experiments, and PowerPoint lessons featured in this post. Click HERE for the digital version. Save on the Print + Digital Bundle . 

Click here for more second grade science units.

I hope you’ll try some of these habitats activities for second grade scientists. Be sure to bookmark or pin this post so you have it when you plan!

Find more science activities & teaching ideas in these posts:

Properties of Matter Activities for 2nd Grade  

Scientists, Tools & Safety Rules for Back to School

Plant Life Cycle Activities & Science Experiments

Butterfly Life Cycle Activities & Free Printables

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Reader Interactions

13 comments.

April 14 at 3:02 am

You are awesome! Thank you for sharing your materials and ideas with us “old” teachers.

August 18 at 4:14 am

When will your new units come out! Lol I’m Impatiently waiting ???

August 25 at 10:01 am

Oh boy! Like everyone else, I had to take a great big detour for distance learning. I’m hoping to have the next one out in October. Fingers crossed! Thanks so much for asking!

May 31 at 3:48 am

It is the end of the year but I can wait to teach my second graders these exciting activities!!!!!!

April 21 at 6:54 am

Love these Activities!

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I’m Linda Kamp, a 20 year primary grade teacher with a passion for creating educational materials that excite students and make learning fun! I'm so glad you're here!

How to Explode Student Engagement with this Habitat Research Project

One HUGE 2nd grade standard is researching and learning about animals and their adaptations. Students LOVE this unit, but teachers can be intimidated by the overwhelming pressure involved in guiding student research at such a young age. I love doing this 2nd grade animal research project with my students every March! This project has been reworked for a digital platform as well .

I love to start by playing a Brain Pop Jr, Flocabulary or YouTube video for my kids on all of the different habitats that exist. Typically, we have previously researched habitats during our social studies unit before starting this writing project, so they already have the background knowledge.

Then, I let students pick the habitat they are most interested in studying. From there, they pick 3-4 animals that live in the habitat that they would like to research more about. We use National Geographic Kids , Epic! Books and library books [all free resources] to learn about our animals.

2. RESEARCH/PLANNING

The next day, I model my own notes for students. Then, I give students lots of time to research their animals and take notes. It is really important that you are walking around the room and guiding students during this time.

If you have a struggling group of writers, I like to work with them at the back table during this time. We all research the same animals and take notes together. This helps them build confidence and feel sure about their writing in future days.

3. DRAFTING

I break drafting days up into 2 days so that students can really focus on the craft of what they are writing. I also always model before releasing students to write on their own.

Depending on what we have covered so far in the year, I encourage students to be sure to add:

• embedded definitions
• transition words
• conjunctions
• adjectives, adverbs and prepositions where appropriate
• 3-4 details per fact

4. PUBLISHING/GRADING

On the last day for each animal (typically Friday), I give students time to publish. While they publish, I model then ask them to add a map and diagram to their writing. I also show them how to grade themselves on the rubric, so they can double check that they are not missing anything.

After they finish, I give them free time to explore other animals in their habitat while I grade their writing. I find grading at the end of each animal rather than at the end of the entire project saves me a TON of time.

We repeat steps 2-4 for either 3 or 4 animals. Some students may work faster, while some may take a bit more time on each step. I try to adjust the project to be appropriate for the majority of the class.

When the project is done, I try to find a special way for us to share our work. This can include sharing to younger buddies, parents or doing an author’s chair.

Since they work so hard on this project, we make a BIG DEAL out of the finished project, and I typically send it home with parents during conferences. It makes a great writing portfolio and talking piece with parents.

Teaching digitally or wanting to add a digital component to your writing block? This project can also be completed in a digital format . Students will go through the same process, completing all of their work on Google Slides rather than writing using paper and pencil.

Grab the resources pictured above here:

Do you teach about a 2nd grade animal research project each year? Drop your ideas in the comments below!

Some other posts you might find helpful are:

• Teaching Animal Habitats During Science Ideas
• Animal Adaptations Writing Project
• Life Science Unit: Animal Adaptation

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Biome Activities for Elementary Students

When teaching about biomes in elementary, I like to bring in various biome activities and projects! This gives my students the space to truly explore and learn about the various biomes across the Earth. 

We all know how it goes – you try out several projects and activities throughout the years, and some are better than others. I have found several biome activities and projects that my students always enjoy, and I see my students make great progress with! I will share these activities below.

Biome Activities and Projects

Activity #1: reading passages.

Reading passages is a great way to introduce or dive deeper into biomes. They allow your students to explore the content, collect information, and retain new information. You can give your students a passage going over biomes in general, but I also love having them read detailed passages about the main biomes. 

I have a passage written for each of the seven biomes, along with a ten question Google Form to check students’ understanding and comprehension of each passage. This resource is a great way to collect data on students’ knowledge, and you can focus on working with struggling students instead of creating passages.

Activity #2: Choice Boards

Need an engaging activity for biomes that you can use independently or in centers? Choice boards make challenging students’ knowledge really simple. I like to incorporate various activities that require students to think critically, such as explaining a concept to a friend or creating a picture of the biomes.

I have a biome choice board ready to go with nine different activities that will challenge students. This choice board is easy to use because you only have to press print! 

Activity #3: 3D Cube Project

Want a fun hands-on project to complete your biome unit? Have students create a 3D cube that displays six different biomes. Each side of the cube has a different biome with various boxes to place information, such as plants, animals, regions, and climate.

There is also an option to create a whole cube from one biome! This would be perfect for class presentations or having students share about a biome with a group. 

Activity #4: Biome Brochure Project 

This biome brochure project allows students to display the knowledge they have learned over the entire unit. It includes a section for vocabulary, summary, images, and more. What I like most about this project is that it not only requires students to summarize what they know, but it serves as a reference material later in the year.

I have my students make these science brochures or trifolds as an activity at the end of each unit. Then, when it’s test time, students have an easy access study guide! This brochure is easy to set up. You print one page per student, and then they fold!

Want more science activities and lesson tips? Check out my blog where I have tips and lesson ideas for a variety of elementary science units.

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The teacher will help to clear any misconceptions about biomes. Some of those are how students seem to think that all organisms "get along" within their respected biome and that ecosystems are dynamic and change as a result of both natural and human-influenced processes

Estimated Class Time for the Engagement: 20-30 minutes

EXPLORATION

This student-centered station lab is set up so students can begin to explore biomes. Four of the stations are considered input stations where students are learning new information about biomes, and four of the stations are output stations where students will be demonstrating their mastery of the input stations.  Each of the stations is differentiated to challenge students using a different learning style.  You can read more about how I set up the station labs here .

EXPLORE IT!

Students will be working in pairs to match biome cards with their characteristics. Students will then list 3 types of microhabitats. Once students have completed giving examples, students will then list any biomes that they have visited, and where they think the biome that supports the most biodiversity is located.

WATCH IT!

At this station, students will be watching a 4-minute video describing biomes and communities. Students will then answer questions related to the video and record their answers on their lab station sheet. For example, students will list 3 biomes discussed in the video and characterize one of them, including information such as climate, vegetation, etc.

RESEARCH IT!

The research station will allow students to get online and participate with an interactive map of the biomes across the globe. Students will be researching different biomes, vegetation in each, animals that live in certain biomes, and re-hit biodiversity in certain areas. With each concept, students will answer a few questions to help make the research more concrete.

READ IT!

This station will provide students with a one page reading about microhabitats. In the reading, students will discover how biomes can come in many different sizes. Microhabitats can be as small as lichens thriving on boulders. Students will then answer 4 multiple choice questions like identify how different a microhabitat is compared to a biome, differences between lichens in the soil to those on boulders, and how many microhabitats can trees have?

ASSESS IT!

The assess it station is where students will go to prove mastery over the concepts they learned in the lab.  The questions are set up in a standardized format with multiple choice answers.  Some questions include: identify characteristics of biomes, explain how the decline of the rainforest will impact the Earth, identify characteristics of a grassland biome, and provide information about a microhabitat.

WRITE IT!

Students who can answer open-ended questions about the lab truly understand the concepts that are being taught.  At this station, the students will be answering three questions like explain the difference between a biome and microhabitat, describe how a biome can change over time, write factors that contribute to different biomes across the world.

ILLUSTRATE IT!

Your visual students will love this station.  Students will be showing off their color-by-number skills to show the different biomes across the globe. Students will identify numbers from the key on a map that represents that certain biome and color those sections of crust on the map.

ORGANIZE IT!

The organize it station allows your students to see a map that shows the many biomes that make up the Earth. Students will determine where the most tropical rainforests, deserts, and tundras are located. Students will also discover what biomes are found in the United States.

EXPLANATION

The students will also be interacting with their journals using INB templates for biomes.  Each INB activity is designed to help students compartmentalize information for a greater understanding of the concept.  The biomes INB template will describe the different characteristics and organisms that make up each Earth biome.

Estimated Class Time for the Exploration: 2-3, 45 minute class periods

ELABORATION

The elaboration section of the 5E method of instruction is intended to give students choice on how they can prove mastery of the concept.  When students are given choice the ‘buy-in’ is much greater than when the teacher tells them the project they will have to create.  Each of the biome projects will allow students to show their understanding of a biome.

Estimated Class Time for the Elaboration: 2-3, 45 minute class periods (can also be used as an at-home project)

The final piece of the 5E model is to evaluate student comprehension.  Included in every 5E lesson is a homework assignment, assessment, and modified assessment.  Research has shown that homework needs to be meaningful and applicable to real-world activities in order to be effective.  When possible, I like to give open-ended assessments to truly gauge the student’s comprehension.

Estimated Class Time for the Elaboration: 1, 45 minute class period

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• Africa - The major tropical rainforest in Africa is in the southern central portion of the continent with the Congo River running through it. There are also rainforests in western Africa and Madagascar.
• Southeast Asia - Much of Southeast Asia is considered part of a tropical rainforest biome. It runs all the way from Myanmar to New Guinea.
• South America - This is the world's largest tropical rainforest. It covers much of the northern part of South America as well as the southern portion of Central America. The area is often called the Amazon basin and has the Amazon and Orinoco Rivers running through it.

• The canopy - This is the top layer of trees. These trees are usually at least 100 feet tall. Their branches and leaves form an umbrella over the rest of the layers. Most of the plants and animals live on this layer. This includes monkeys, birds, insects, and reptiles of all sorts. Some animals can live their entire lives without leaving the canopy to touch the ground. This layer is the loudest layer with the animals making lots of noise.
• The understory - Beneath the canopy is the understory. This layer is made up of some shorter trees and shrubs, but mostly the trunks and branches of the canopy trees. This layer is home to some of the larger predators like snakes and leopards. It is also home to owls, bats, insects, frogs , iguanas , and various other animals.
• The forest floor - Because of the thickness of the canopy, very little sunlight makes it to the forest floor. This layer is home to lots of insects and spiders. There are also some animals that live on this layer including deer, pigs, and snakes . This layer is the quietest layer as animals sneak around in the dark making little noise.
• Surprisingly, the soil in a rainforest is shallow and has little nutrients.
• In the Amazon rainforest there are over 2,000 species of butterflies .
• They are home to interesting "flying" animals such as squirrels, snakes, and frogs.
• It is estimated that 25% of the ingredients in medicines today come from the rainforest.
• Rainforests impact the temperatures and weather patterns throughout the world.
• One fifth of the world's freshwater supply is in the Amazon rainforest.
• Every second, a section of rainforest the size of a football field is cut down.
• Only about 2% of the sunlight hits the forest floor.
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Biome Project: Second Grade

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11 Research Project Strategies for Second Graders

Real teachers share their best ideas!

Research is part of the Common Core standards for second grade , but what are some ways of approaching this seemingly complex topic with such little ones? Teacher Malia wrote into the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE last week asking for tips. “I have to do a research project with my second graders this year. Any tips on making research appropriate for that age?”

We got lots of feedback from teachers on creating grade-appropriate research projects, Malia. Try one (or all!) of these ideas for your next assignment!

1. Keep the topic simple.

Students can learn and apply methods of research on very simple topics. “My science and computer class did a short research project that entailed creating a PowerPoint about an animal they researched. It was not overly detailed.” — Stephanie W.

2. Use the project as a way to introduce students to the resources of the school.

“When I taught second grade, we did research projects. The kids had fun with it, learned how to use the internet and library as resources, and loved having a ‘big kid’ assignment.” — Elisabeth N.

3. Have a highly structured, creative final product instead of a written paragraph.

“I’ve done animal research in second grade. Their ‘paper’ was a very guided booklet with starters, prompts and stems. It worked really well.” — Jennifer G.

4. Or if you include writing, add a visual component to complement it.

“We do a planet project. They choose the planet and create a visual aid, write a paragraph, and present their findings to the students. The paragraph is a simple, four- or five-sentence piece with lots of support.” — Lorena I.

5. Get other staff members involved for support.

“I’ve always done research projects with my young students, and one thing that helps make it successful is involving other teachers in the school, like the computer teacher and the librarian. Having other people as resources to help out students creates more guidance and support for them.” — Katrina P.

6. Make it a habit.

Research can be a frequent part of your instruction. “My second graders do a research project every month! They create posters, Google slides and brochures. They are pretty good at it, and they love to do them.” — Sheli I. 

The more often they do it, the easier it will be for them!

7. Break down the skills and teach them as mini-lessons.

“Teach the steps as individual lessons the culminate in a research paper or presentation.” — Hayley B.

“Give your students graphic organizers to help them keep organized.” — Helene E.

8. Do it all in the classroom.

Structure the project so it can be done completely in school. “My students need to learn the process, and it takes us a couple of months, and there is such pride in the finished product. It is all done in my room under my supervision.” This also cuts down on the likelihood that parents will “help” a bit more than they should.

“Do it in school to ensure the child does the work. If it’s done at home, then the child may still not have experience doing research because the parent could do the whole project or, on the flip side, not make sure the project gets done.” — Cathy C.

9. Create a flyer.

“My students do research and present it in a flyer format.” — Kathleen C.

10. Chunk it.

“My students in third grade have written several five- or more paragraph researched essays this year—typed! But we work in chunks for weeks and peer edit, and that’s what makes it work.” — Maggi S.

11. Go interdisciplinary.

“We did research projects on a chosen animal and everything tied in—they made clay animals in art, built their habitats, researched on the iPad and wrote a short essay about the animal. Then they presented their findings. They LOVED it!” — Alyssa V.

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