• Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Activity, Change, Progress

  • HOME
  • How to
    • Preschool
    • Kindergarten
    • Elementary
      • Geronimo Stilton Books
    • Middle School
    • High School
      • Science 
  • Planner
  • Lapbooks
    • Trioramas
    • History Games
    • LEGO
  • Shop
  • GET STARTED NOW!
    • Learning Styles
  • 7 Step Planner
    • Free Student Planner
    • Free Home Binder
  • Unit Studies
    • Creation to Ancients
      • Mesopotamia
    • Middle Ages to Reform
    • Exploring to Revolution
    • World Wars to Today
    • Science
  • Curriculum
    • More Unit Studies
    • Geography
    • Writing PreK to 12th
    • Free Art Curriculum
  • BootCamp
    • Resources
      • Ultimate Unit Study Planner

life science

Seashore Beach Watching Unit Study and Seashore Lapbook

August 25, 2023 | 5 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, I have a seashore beach lapbook and unit study. Grab more ideas on my lapbook ideas page and on my best homeschool unit studies page.

I can smell the beach from here! Okay, maybe not where I live now, but I feel that way since I grew up with the beach a short 30 minute drive. And we never missed a chance to go to it.

We would cook crab or gumbo, spend hours on the shoreline and build a fire.

Seashore Watching Unit Study and Beach Lapbook

Seashore watching was an activity I loved as a kid and I made sure my kids knew about it. I think you’ll love these ideas for a seashore watching unit study.

Super Seashore Watching Unit Study and Beach Lapbook. Whether you want to study the beach or seashore in the summer or winter, your kids will love this free super seashore watching unit study and free beach lapbook along with hands-on activities! CLICK HERE to grab it!

Note: My Seashore Lapbook was free for a limited time.

I gathered up several activities that I think you’ll love for an easy homeschool seashore watching unit study and then I have an easy lapbook about things you can find along the beach shoreline.

Seashore Beach Watching Unit Study and Seashore Lapbook

Like most all of my unit study resources I share multiple ages links so you can pick and choose links for your kids.

This one is no different. I have resources for kids from Prek to High School.

Seashore Kids Activities

Too, we love and used this book, Seashore Watcher, as a guide because we love it.

Also did I mention it has some easy hands-on activities in it also.

Super Seashore Watching Unit Study and Beach Lapbook

I loved the fact that the book came with a plastic water protector cover so you could pick up and go to the beach. It’s the little things that amuse me.

More Seashore and Beach Activities for Kids

  • How To Make Your Own Edible Beach Sand And Shells: A Creative And Delicious Recipe
  • 5 Tide Pool Facts and Create An Edible Tide Pool Diorama Ideas
  • Discover the Fun: How to Make Beach Sand Slime at Home
  • Free Art Lessons For 4th Grade & How To Make Easy Beach Glass Art
  • Marine Science Experiments For High School Made Easy
  • Awesome Beach Crafts And Free Beach Comber Field Guide
  • How to Make an Ocean-Inspired Sea Shell Necklace | 8 Summer Beach Crafts
  • 11 Awesome Beach Theme STEM Activities | Quick Sunscreen Painting Experiment
  • Fascinating Life Cycle Of A Sand Dollar & Hydro Dipped Craft
  • Create Your Own Easy Sand Dollar Edible Beach Inspired Cookies
  • Biology Kits for High School & How to Do a Shark Dissection

Seashore Lesson Plans, Printables, and Activities

  • Monterey Bay Aquarium, Curriculum preK-12, tide pools, crabs; claws and shells, beach in a pan to name a few you’ll love.
  • 70 page pdf tidepool guide.
  • Tide pool discovery.
  • Common seashore plants.
  • SeaCrets of tide pools.
  • Life at the seashore curriculum.
  • Free Under the Sea Worksheets : Dive into the Ocean’s Wonders
Super Seashore Watching Unit Study and Beach Lapbook

  • Match the seashells.
  • Rocky shore food Web Drama.
  • Life under the sea.
  • Sensational seaweed.
  • Gifts from the sea.
  • Kelp science activity guide.
  • Stranded along the coast.
  • How wealthy is your tide pool.
Seashore Beach Watching Unit Study and Seashore Lapbook
  • What the Sea Saw teacher’s guide.
  • Life on the Beach guide.
  • New Zealand Rocky Shore activities. Many can be used here in the states too.
  • Planning a trip to the seashore checklist.
  • Padre Island National Seashore.
  • 10 Nature Discoveries on the Sandy Shore.
  • Sand, sun and geometry.
  • Jumpstart Your Beach Unit with Free Lesson Plans.
Seashore Beach Watching Unit Study and Seashore Lapbook


(You can see why I loved this book, Seashore Watcher for an easy unit study. It has easy hands-on ideas.)

Seashore Watching Media 

Decorator Crabs Make High Fashion at Low Tide | Deep Look
Seaweeds powerpoint.

Seashore Watching Hands-on Activities

  • Make a ceramic starfish.
  • Fun coloring pages. Common seashore creatures.
  • Seaweed art.
  • Motion from the ocean fish mobile.
  • 21 fun and active games for kids to play on the beach.
  • How To Make A Kids Origami Easy And Fun Whale
  • How waves affect beaches hands-on activity
  • 25+ Beach Learning Activities to Build Background Knowledge Before Your Beach Trip.
  • 15 Seashore Inspired Kid Crafts.
  • Simple Oyster Shell Crafts For Kids And Mollusks Activities
  • Cool Facts About Mollusks | How To Create A Decoupaged Oyster Shell

Also, you’ll love this seashore lapbook.

Seashore Watching Unit Study and Beach Lapbook
  • Dynamic Seashore Lapbook for Multiple Ages

    Dynamic Seashore Lapbook for Multiple Ages

    $4.00
    Add to cart

Also, this is not our first time studying about the beach and ocean life.

You’ll love our hands-on edible geography where we made the tidal zones and edible ocean layers. (yum)

Seashore Beach Watching Unit Study and Seashore Lapbook


You’ll love my free ocean unit study lapbook and free coral reef lapbooks.

.

Note: My Seashore Lapbook was free for a limited time.

Free Super Seashore Watching Unit Study and Beach Lapbook

Look at these other links:

  • 30+ Summer Activities for Middle School Kids
  • A to Z List: 100 Fun Summer Homeschool Unit Study Ideas
  • Homeschooling Through the Summer with My Highschooler
  • Seashells by the Seashore | Notebooking Pages from Jenny at Faith & Good Works
  • 10 Nature Discoveries on the Sandy Shore from Eva at Eva Varga
  • Turtle in the Sea Online Book Club from Dachelle at Hide the Chocolate
Super Seashore Watching Unit Study and Beach Lapbook. Whether you want to study the beach or seashore in the summer or winter, your kids will love this free super seashore watching unit study and free beach lapbook along with hands-on activities! CLICK HERE to grab it!


5 CommentsFiled Under: Geography, Hands-On Activities, Lapbooks, My Unit Studies {Free Printables & Hands-on Ideas}, Science, Science Based Tagged With: earthscience, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, life science, nature study, ocean, science, sciencecurriculum, The Nature Book Club Link Up

Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft

August 24, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

One fascinating area of botany to learn about is carnivorous plants for kids. Also, you’ll find more ideas on my page Carnivorous Plants.

They are clever plants which lure in their prey, trap them, and devour them like the fiercest predator.

There are over 600 carnivorous plant species known to science and a handful of them are commonly known, one being the Venus Flytrap.

Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft

This activity today is a bit exaggerated and resembles Audry from Little Shop of Horrors but gives kids an idea of the anatomy and how the Venus fly trap works in a fun and silly way.

First, look at some of these resources for studying about these fascinating plants.

Carnivorous Plants Resources for Kids

11 Carnivorous Plants Resources

Add some of these books and resources for a carnivorous plants unit study for multiple ages.

Image for Eaten Alive by Carnivorous Plants: Grades 2-4

Eaten Alive by Carnivorous Plants: Grades 2-4

Eaten Alive by Carnivorous Plants. This is a natural science book for a young audience. There are over 760 different kinds of meat-eating plants in the world. They attract, capture, and digest their prey in order to supplement the nutrients that are deficient in the soil they grow in. This book describes all four major types of traps used by the meat-eating plants. Children will learn all the tricks these plants have in store for their unsuspecting prey.

Image for Killer Plants: Growing and Caring for Flytraps, Pitcher Plants, and Other Deadly Flora

Killer Plants: Growing and Caring for Flytraps, Pitcher Plants, and Other Deadly Flora

Carnivorous plants: they're weird, they're gorgeous, and they're the perfect addition to your urban jungle of pothos, snake plants, and succulents. However, they can also be intimidating to grow and care for. Let Killer Plants be your guide as it walks you through the different types of carnivorous plants and how to keep each variety alive and well.

Image for Carnivorous Plants Coloring Book: Carnivorous Plants Gift With Venus Fly Traps, Pitcher Plants And More

Carnivorous Plants Coloring Book: Carnivorous Plants Gift With Venus Fly Traps, Pitcher Plants And More

This Coloring Book is a lovely tool to express your creativity and embody your colorful ideas.

35 pages to color With custom sized pages (8,5" x 11") and soft cover this book is perfect for keeping it at hand wherever you go. With it's artful cover page this coloring book will always brighten up your life and be an eye-catcher for everyone else.

Image for Meat-Eating Plants -A Carnivorous Plant Story: Science for Young Readers

Meat-Eating Plants -A Carnivorous Plant Story: Science for Young Readers

Meat-Eating Plants - a carnivorous plant story. There are over 760 kinds of meat-eating plants in the world. They developed this amazing meat-eating habit in order to survive in their mineral-poor environment. There are four major types of traps used by carnivorous plants: pitfall trap, sticky-leaf trap, snap-trap, and suction trap in the water. All these trap mechanisms are explained using amazing color images. Youngsters will explore the wonders of nature as they read along about these amazing plants!

Image for Predator Plants: 20 Questions Kids Ask About Carnivorous Plants

Predator Plants: 20 Questions Kids Ask About Carnivorous Plants

Get ready to dive into the thrilling world of carnivorous plants with "Predator Plants"! This enchanting guide is designed to captivate the minds of both kids and their parents. With 20 fascinating questions answered, this comprehensive book unravels the mysteries of these
botanical wonders, exploring their unique characteristics and abilities.

Image for Elizabite: Adventures of a Carnivorous Plant (Curious George)

Elizabite: Adventures of a Carnivorous Plant (Curious George)

Elizabite is a carnivorous plant who eats insects as appetizers and enjoys hotdogs for snacks. Whether it walks, talks, flies, or barks, Elizabite is ready to make a meal of it. Her cheerful, hungry smile and infinite appetite attract much attention - a scientist examines her, a professor studies her, and everyone agrees that she is one of a kind. In an effort to control her diet and her unpredictable temper, Elizabite's admirers chain and muzzle her. But not even a barbed wire fence can prevent her from following her heart's (and stomach's) desire! Only when her unique appetite prevents a crime does Elizabite win the respect she deserves.

Image for Nature Venus Fly Trap - Fun and Easy to Grow Kids Terrarium Set

Nature Venus Fly Trap - Fun and Easy to Grow Kids Terrarium Set

  • Easy And Fun To Grow - Franki "The Ferocious" Fly Trap - Great Kids Gift
  • Just Add Water! - Everything Else To Keep Your Terrarium Is Included.
  • Watch Out Flies! - Plants Will Grow Into Bug Eating Monsters!
  • Each Kit Comes With A Genuine Jasper Stone (Color Varies)
Image for Hungry Plants (Step-into-Reading, Step 4)

Hungry Plants (Step-into-Reading, Step 4)

This book offers readers a bug’s-eye view into the strange and fascinating world of carnivorous plants. From the “jaws” of the Venus flytrap to the pretty sundew plant whose delicate tentacles entrap its prey, the unique anatomy and behaviors of meat-eating plants are detailed with clear, engaging text and art.

Image for Plants that Eat Animals (Rookie Read-About Science: Plants and Fungi)

Plants that Eat Animals (Rookie Read-About Science: Plants and Fungi)

Discover a variety of carnivorous plants, including the Venus fly trap, sundew, pitcher plant, and bladderwort. The natural world comes alive for young readers (Ages 6-7) with Rookie Read-About "RM" Science! With striking, full-color photos and just the right amount of text, this series immediately involves young readers as they discover intriguing facts about the fascinating world around them.

Image for DK Readers: Plants Bite Back! (Level 3: Reading Alone)

DK Readers: Plants Bite Back! (Level 3: Reading Alone)

There are plants that prickle, sting, and even munch insects for lunch! So, never bite a strange plant—it might bite back!   Stunning photographs combine with lively illustrations and engaging,
age-appropriate stories in DK Readers, a multilevel reading program guaranteed to capture children's interest while developing their reading skills and general knowledge.

Image for Venus Fly Trap - Kids Terrarium Kit -   Grow Your Own Seeds. 6 Plants That EAT Bugs

Venus Fly Trap - Kids Terrarium Kit - Grow Your Own Seeds. 6 Plants That EAT Bugs

Live Carnivorous Plants Including Venus Fly Traps, Sundew and Pitcher Plants.

Just Add Water! - Everything Else To Keep Your Terrarium Is Included.

Next, look at some of these facts about carnivorous plants for kids.

4 Fascinating Carnivorous Plants For Kids to Learn About

  1. Venus Flytrap- While this exotic-looking plant looks like it comes from the depths of the Amazon rainforest it is only native to North and South Carolina. They primarily eat spiders and ants and only 5% of their diet is winged. This plant has tiny little hairs that when disturbed trigger a reaction from the plant, if the bug stays for longer than a few seconds the “mouth” of the Venus flytrap closes over the poor unfortunate bug. They dissolve the bug into liquid and absorb it. Fun fact, they rarely eat their pollinators.
  2. Pitcher Plants- Are composed of modified leaves known as pitfall traps, a mechanism with a deep cavity that is filled with digestive liquids that attract and drown its victims in the nectar inside. There are pitcher plants that grow in wetland areas of the eastern part of the US and Canada as well as in places like Australia and Madagascar. They can be anywhere from 6 inches to 36 inches tall.
  3. Butterwort- This particular plant feasts on gnats, springtails, and other small insects. Their method of capture is using their leaves that are covered in fine translucent hairs to secrete a greasy sticky substance. This substance smells like nectar and gleams attractively in the sun.  It secretes enzymes and acids to kill and dissolve prey that the plant absorbs.
  4. Sundews- These are similar to fly paper, they attract insects with a sweet and sticky substance that also holds them fast. Their tentacle-type leaves then curl around it and smother them. About 50% of the species is found in Australia.  While it only takes 15 minutes for a sundew to kill their prey it can take weeks for them to digest it.
Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft

Moreover, you’ll love these other resources and a few YouTube videos.

Activities to Learn About Carnivorous Plants

  • Free Carnivorous Plants Lapbook
  • Carnivorous Plants Unit Study
  • Watch this interesting video The Wild World of Carnivorous Plants on YouTube.
  • Free Carnivorous Plants Notebooking Pages & Easy Hands-on Science Activity
  • What’s Inside a Venus Flytrap? Goes along very well with today’s craft, letting them see and understand each of the parts of the Venus flytrap.
Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft

Finally look how to make this fun Venus Fly Trap paper plate craft.

Carnivorous Plants For Kids – Venus Fly Trap Craft

You will need:

  • A paper plate
  • 2-3 straws
  • Red craft glue
  • Green craft glue
  • White cardstock
  • Small terracotta pot
  • Beans or small pebbles
  • Green tape or tissue paper
  • Green tissue paper
  • Hot glue gun/sticks
  • Scissors
Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft

First, paint the inside (the eating surface) red, leaving a small lip unpainted all the way around for the green. Wipe off excess paint with a dry brush to speed up drying time.

Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft

Paint the backside of your paper plate green all over.

Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft

 And the small lip on the other side. 

Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft

While your main plant piece is drying you can work on the other parts. To create a sturdier stem, I taped 3 straws together with green tape. You can also wrap and tape green tissue paper around instead.

Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft

Cut the “teeth” which are called marginal spikes out of white cardstock. Bend a bit of the end to give a flat surface to glue them in place.

Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft

Once the paint on the plate is dry, fold it in half with the red on the inside, and give it a sharp crease.

Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft

Open it back up and glue the spikes in place all around the inner lip.

Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft

Hot glue the stem into place on the bottom, you will need to use a good puddle of hot glue and hold it in place until it cools. Glue on a piece of green tissue twisted into a leaf shape.

Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft

Fill the pot with beans, rice, or small pebbles to weigh it down and create “soil”. Push the stem into the pot to hold it securely.

Carnivorous Plants For Kids and Make a Fun Paper Plate Venus Flytrap Craft

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: carnivorous, crafts, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, homeschoolscience, life science, science

Simple and Fun Wildlife Craft Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project

August 23, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

This is a fun wildlife craft mountain gorilla layered art project. Also, look at my pages Free Africa Unit Study for Kids Who Love Hands-on Learning | Free Continent & Country Reports and 6 World Wildlife Day Activities to Learn About African Lions.

September 4th is National Wildlife Day and what better way to observe it than with a wildlife craft to highlight one of the most loved wild animals – the gorilla.

You don’t have to just specifically study just gorillas.

Also, you can cover all the primates – chimps, orangutans, gorillas, baboons, monkeys, and more.

Simple and Fun Wildlife Craft Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project

But I wanted to focus on the mountain gorillas because they are so seriously endangered.

Eastern Mountain Gorillas are found in the Virunga Mountains that border the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda.

The rest can be found in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda.

This wildlife craft is easy and requires little setup.

Not only does it further your study of gorillas but it introduces multiple art techniques, maybe some that your child has never tried before.

Books About Gorillas

Gorilla and Other Primate Resources

Grab some of these resources for your study of gorillas.

Image for The One and Only Ivan

The One and Only Ivan

This unforgettable novel from renowned author Katherine Applegate celebrates the transformative power of unexpected friendship. Inspired by the true story of a captive gorilla known as Ivan, this illustrated book is told from the point of view of Ivan himself. 

Having spent twenty-seven years behind the glass walls of his enclosure in a shopping mall, Ivan has grown accustomed to humans watching him. He hardly ever thinks about his life in the jungle. Instead, Ivan occupies himself with television, his friends Stella and Bob, and painting. But when he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from the wild, he is forced to see their home, and his art, through new eyes.

Image for Gorilla mysteries

Gorilla mysteries

Discusses the habits of gorillas, giant apes of frightening appearance but gentle behavior, long misunderstood by their human close relatives.

Image for Wildlife Anatomy: The Curious Lives & Features of Wild Animals around the World

Wildlife Anatomy: The Curious Lives & Features of Wild Animals around the World

Julia Rothman's series of Anatomy books are beloved by children and adults alike. In Wildlife Anatomy, Rothman captures the excitement and distinctive attributes of wild animals around the world. The book is packed with hundreds of her charming, original illustrations, detailing the unique features of animals of the rainforest, desert, grasslands, oceans, and much more. From lions, bears, and zebras to monkeys, mongoose, bats, elephants, giraffes, hippos, and much more, Rothman's visual guide covers all the key features, right down to the anatomy of a lion's claw and a wild horse's hoof. All the illustrations are accompanied by labels, intriguing facts, and identifying details, such as: When is a Panther Not a Panther? and What Makes Aardvarks So Odd? Rothman's characteristic combination of curiosity and an artist's eye makes this wildlife treasury rich and full, and promises new discoveries every time it's opened

Image for Good Morning, Gorillas (Magic Tree House #26)

Good Morning, Gorillas (Magic Tree House #26)

Gentle giants or giant monsters? That's the question Jack and Annie have about gorillas when the Magic Tree House sweeps them to the mountains of Africa. There they meet a group of amazing and sometimes frightening mountain gorillas. Annie knows how to play with the creatures right away. But Jack is left out. Will the gorillas be able to teach him some special magic?

Image for Terra by Battat – Gorilla Family

Terra by Battat – Gorilla Family

Experience the Strikingly human-like characteristics of the mighty Gorilla family!
Realistic details: exquisite miniature animals with realistic, accurate detail and beautiful design
Includes: 1 male and 1 female adult Gorilla and 2 infant gorillas

Image for Koko's Kitten (Rise and Shine)

Koko's Kitten (Rise and Shine)

Koko the gorilla uses sign language to talk to her handlers. When she asks for a pet, her handlers search high and low for the perfect companion.

Then add a few more resources.

  • Gorilla & Me Handprints
  • Easy How to Draw a Gorilla Tutorial and Gorilla Coloring Page

More Wildlife Craft Activities

  • 6 World Wildlife Day Activities to Learn About African Lions
  • Wildlife in the Amazon Rainforest – Create Fun Macaw and Toucan Crafts
  • How to Make Wooden Peg Easy Arctic Animal Crafts
  • 8 Animal Camouflage Activities and Resources & Fun Camouflage Art
  • Galapagos Islands Animals Fun and Simple Watercolor Flamingo Tutorial
Simple and Fun Wildlife Craft Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project

Next, look at these facts about gorillas.

8 Gorilla Facts

  1. There are two species of gorilla, eastern and western. Within these two they split into subspecies- eastern lowland, eastern mountain, western lowland, and western cross river.
  2. A Primatologist studies the behavior, biology, evolution, and taxonomy of primates. Famous ones include Jane Goodall (Chimpanzees) and Dr. Dian Fossey (gorillas)
  3. Gorillas are incredibly intelligent and have been observed making and using tools for all kinds of tasks such as turning them into silverware and even using them as tools to measure water depth.
  4. Just like our fingerprints are unique, gorilla nose prints are special and different from one another.
  5. Hanabi-Ko “Koko” was a female western lowland gorilla. She learned over 1,000 signs and understood more than 2,000 English words in her lifetime. She lived to be 46 years old.
  6. They are very social creatures and live together in groups of 5-30 gorillas called troops. Each troop generally contains a dominant male, several females, and their young offspring.
  7. Adult males are called Silverbacks. On average a silverback gorilla weighs almost 400 pounds and stands over 5’ tall on all fours.
  8. Unfortunately, gorillas are critically endangered due to habitat destruction as well as poaching.
Simple and Fun Wildlife Craft Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project

Finally, look how to make this fun mountain gorilla art project.

Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project

You will need:

  • Cream or white construction paper
  • Colorful construction paper
  • Black chalk pastel
  • Glue stick
  • Scissors
Simple and Fun Wildlife Craft Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project

First, start by drawing a jagged/fluffy outline of a gorilla’s head and shoulders on your light paper with a black chalk pastel. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just a general clear shape.

Simple and Fun Wildlife Craft Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project

Next lay the chalk pastel flat and drag it across the page to fill in the inside of your outline.

Simple and Fun Wildlife Craft Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project

Smudge the chalk to smooth it out and fill it in more solidly with your finger, or you can use a tissue to blot and smear it.

Then cut a circle out of gray construction paper that is a little smaller than the gorilla head you drew, and cut a small dip into the top, kind of like a heart to create a gorilla face.

Simple and Fun Wildlife Craft Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project

Draw on features like eyes, nostrils, and a mouth with your black chalk pastel then glue in place.

Simple and Fun Wildlife Craft Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project

For the next layer tear up green construction paper into small pieces as well as a few colors to create flowers. We are going to have our gorilla peek out from the thick foliage.

Simple and Fun Wildlife Craft Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project

Glue your torn green paper around the gorilla to frame him.

Simple and Fun Wildlife Craft Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project

Layer on a few or many-colored pieces for flowers to brighten up your picture.

Simple and Fun Wildlife Craft Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project

Finally, use a pen or marker to add a little detail to your flowers like petals.

To keep your chalk from smudging you can spray your paper lightly with a bit of aerosol hairspray.

Simple and Fun Wildlife Craft Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: animals, art, crafts, gorilla, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, homeschoolscience, jp, life science, science

How to Create a Hands-on Fun Shark Vocabulary Anatomy Activity

August 20, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a fun way to learn anatomy shark vocabulary. Also, look at this Shark Unit Study for more fun ideas.

You do not need to grab expensive box curriculums or load your learner down with tons of worksheets. They can learn so much with things like this shark vocabulary hands-on anatomy activity.

I thought this activity would be just in time for celebrating International Whale Shark Day on August 30th. 

Yes, a whale shark is a shark, not a whale.

How to Create a Hands-on Fun Shark Vocabulary Anatomy Activity

I used a great book for reference, a few plastic shark toys, and a sheet of cardstock to create a simple activity that can be used over and over to help teach about sharks from snout to caudal fin.

This activity is easily adaptable for older and younger children by adding more or less of the anatomy words to be labeled.

Too, changing up the type of vocabulary words like choosing species, layers of the ocean that you might find each shark, etc. will increase the depth of facts to introduce.

Shark Vocabulary Anatomy 

One resource I reach for time and again is Ocean Anatomy by Julia Rothman.

When thumbing through it I found this great shark anatomy page that gave me a great idea for an activity.

How to Create a Hands-on Fun Shark Vocabulary Anatomy Activity

This book is not a one-hit wonder though, besides the anatomy diagram there is information on their teeth, eating habits, size, and different species of sharks.

That is just the information on sharks, there is literally a whole ocean of information in the book.

How to Create a Hands-on Fun Shark Vocabulary Anatomy Activity

We are also adding in some typing skills by having children do as much of the activity as possible from start to finish.

Below you will find a couple shark vocabulary lists to choose for them to create their own anatomy or species labels.

Shark Anatomy Words

  • Nostril
  • Eye
  • Mouth
  • Spiracle
  • First Dorsal Fin
  • Second Dorsal Fin
  • Precaudil Pit
  • Caudal Fin
  • Caudal Keel
  • Anal Fin
  • Pelvic Fin
  • Pectoral Fin
  • Gill Openings
  • Gill arch
  • Backbone/Spine

Shark Species

Also, look at these species of sharks.

  • Lemon
  • Great White
  • Mako
  • Tiger
  • Whale
  • Leopard
  • Hammerhead
  • Nurse
  • Black Tip
How to Create a Hands-on Fun Shark Vocabulary Anatomy Activity

Then, add some shark books and fun hands-on resources about sharks while learning about the anatomy of sharks.

Homeschool Shark Unit Study Resources

Add one or two of these fun shark books and resources to your study about sharks.

Image for Sharks! (Animal Planet Chapter Books #1)

Sharks! (Animal Planet Chapter Books #1)

Dive inside the world of sharks with this guide to the most incredible creatures in the sea. Photographically illustrated chapters highlight kid-favorite species such as Great Whites and Hammerheads, with a focus on behavior, senses, breeding, and feeding. Sharks! is the perfect overview for developing readers ready to explore this popular animal subject on their own. Special features include full-color photography throughout, "Meet the Scientist" sidebars, and "In Your Newsfeed" articles about amazing new discoveries.

Image for DKfindout! Sharks

DKfindout! Sharks

Supporting STEM-based learning, this fact-filled book for shark aficionados ages 6–9 is the ultimate guide to sharks, from hammerheads to great whites. Entertaining and educating young readers through a combination of close-up images, quirky trivia facts, quiz questions, and fascinating tidbits, it’s the perfect book for any kid who can’t get enough of these ferocious fish.

Image for Professor Noggin's Life in The Ocean Trivia Card Game

Professor Noggin's Life in The Ocean Trivia Card Game

PLAY & LEARN: Professor Noggin’s series of educational card games encourages kids to learn interesting facts about their favorite subjects.

FUN FACTS: Explore underwater and learn about the amazing creatures in the sea. Discover facts about common mammals, plants and other Life in the Ocean.

Image for Sharks Top Trumps Card Game

Sharks Top Trumps Card Game

Find out if the Nurse Shark or the Tiger Shark is the most mysterious, or if the Spiny Dogfish Shark or the Whale Shark has been involved in the most incidents

Image for Bag of Genuine Shark Teeth - Fossilized

Bag of Genuine Shark Teeth - Fossilized

30+ genuine (broken) fossilized shark teeth from Morocco! These are broken and partial teeth fossils! Each bag will have about 2-3 small full shark teeth, the other teeth will be broken and chipped!

Image for LEGO Creator 3in1 Deep Sea Creatures Shark

LEGO Creator 3in1 Deep Sea Creatures Shark

This sea creatures toy building set features 3 sea animal figures: a scary shark, a posable crab with a box of treasure and a wide-mouthed Angler Fish

The dark-blue and white colored toy shark figure has an opening mouth, pointy teeth, posable fins, movable body joints and reflective eyes

Image for Eyewitness Kits Shark Casting Kit

Eyewitness Kits Shark Casting Kit

  • Fun
  • Educational
  • Learn While Having Fun
  • Comes With Everything You Need
  • PerfectCast 5 Times Stronger Than Plaster
Image for Sharks 100 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle

Sharks 100 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle

 100 Piece Puzzle

Image for Ocean Anatomy: The Curious Parts & Pieces of the World under the Sea

Ocean Anatomy: The Curious Parts & Pieces of the World under the Sea

Julia Rothman’s best-selling illustrated Anatomy series takes a deep dive into the wonders of the sea with Ocean Anatomy. Follow Rothman’s inquisitive mind and perceptive eye along shorelines, across the open ocean, and below the waves for an artistic exploration of the watery universe. Through her drawings, discover how the world’s oceans formed, why the sea is salty, and the forces behind oceanic phenomena such as rogue waves. Colorful anatomical profiles of sea creatures from crustacean to cetacean, surveys of seafaring vessels and lighthouses, and the impact of plastic and warming water temperatures are just part of this compendium of curiosities that will entertain and educate readers of all ages. 

Image for 6PC Realistic Shark Figurines Set

6PC Realistic Shark Figurines Set

✔ SHARK FIGURINES BIG PARTY - Includes whale shark, hammerhead shark, tiger shark, blue shark, mako shark, zebra shark. Totally includes 6 sharks figurines. Kids would like to spend more time to observe and play with them.

✔ REALISTIC EMULATIONAL DETAILS - This sea animal figures set was made by hand painted with high realistically detailed appearance, cute face and childish eyes. Their uniquely molded textures and richly painted details make the animals vivid. And all the animal figures stands up very well, they do not fall over. Children would like to spend more time to observe and play with them.

Additionally, look at more ideas for learning about sharks.

More Activities to Learn About Sharks

  • How to Make A Megalodon Shark Tooth Fun Homeschool Project
  • How Do Sharks Float STEM Activity Free Shark Unit Study & Notebooking Pages
  • Shark and Oceans for Kindergarten Fun Sight Word Activity

Finally, look at this fun way to learn shark anatomy vocabulary.

Shark Vocabulary Anatomy Activity

You will need:

  • Oceans Anatomy
  • or Shark Anatomy Diagram
  • Cardstock
  • Plastic shark figures
  • Small basket
How to Create a Hands-on Fun Shark Vocabulary Anatomy Activity

First, for older children, have them type (or write) all the shark vocabulary words from the list. Then print it out on cardstock. Cut out each word and place it in a basket.

How to Create a Hands-on Fun Shark Vocabulary Anatomy Activity

Add a few plastic sharks that have enough detail that your child will be able to find each of the words.

You will want something close to 6” or larger so there is enough room to put down all the labels.

How to Create a Hands-on Fun Shark Vocabulary Anatomy Activity

Give them the book or a printout of shark anatomy to use as a reference.

How to Create a Hands-on Fun Shark Vocabulary Anatomy Activity

Now your child can use the words to label each part of the shark.

How to Create a Hands-on Fun Shark Vocabulary Anatomy Activity

To make it harder after they initially label each part you can remove some of the words and see if they can recall what is missing.

For example, cover the words on the diagram one by one until they know all the parts, or close the book together and see how many they can get on their own.

How to Create a Hands-on Fun Shark Vocabulary Anatomy Activity

For younger children, you could simplify it by only giving them a few words like snout, nostril, eye, dorsal fin, mouth, and caudal fin.

Also, you can use shark species as another type of vocabulary to learn.

In the same manner as above, type up some species to match the sharks you already have or print out photos of them.

Let your child match the name with the correct shark.

These small sharks offer a variety and are great for labeling species but would be too small for the anatomy activity.

How to Create a Hands-on Fun Shark Vocabulary Anatomy Activity

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: crafts, elementary science, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschoolscience, life science, ocean, science

7 John Muir Environmentalist Facts and Fun Teaching Ideas

August 18, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have 7 John Muir environmentalist facts and some fun teaching ideas. You’ll also love the John Muir Spring Unit Study (and Hands-on Geography Ideas).

The national park system’s development is largely due to John Muir environmentalist, naturalist, author, mountaineer, and political activist.

It is widely agreed that he is the “Founding Father of National Parks”.

And his contributions are celebrated through many landmarks named after him like hiking trails, glaciers, highways, and monuments.

7 John Muir Environmentalist Facts and Fun Teaching Ideas

National Park Service Founders Day is August 25th and I can’t think of a better way to learn about the National Parks than through the man who helped found and educate people about them.

John Muir helped create several of our national parks like Sequoia National Park in California, Mount Rainier in Washington, and The Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona.

John Muir Environmentalist Books, Resources, and Teaching Ideas

Too, these are some of the books we’ve used and love to help teach about him or create your own unit study.

11 John Muir Resources

The mountains are calling, and I must go -John Muir

In observance of National Park Service Founders Day and the care and work John Muir put into helping it become a reality, put together a unit study with a book or two, a video, a game, and a few hands-on activities like visiting the closest national park to you. There is plenty to choose from below.

Image for John Muir Wilderness Box Set

John Muir Wilderness Box Set

A collection of John Muir’s best-selling writings and essays collected in 1 set.

Part of John Muir's appeal to modern readers is that he not only explored the American West and wrote about its beauties but also fought for their preservation. His successes dot the landscape and are evident in all the natural features that bear his name: forests, lakes, trails, and glaciers. Collected here in 1 set are some of Muir's finest wilderness essays, national park observations, travels throughout Alaska, and writings about working in the Yosemite Valley. 

Image for A Thousand Mile Walk to the Gulf

A Thousand Mile Walk to the Gulf

John Muir, one of America’s great environmentalists, has inspired nature lovers for generations with his writings.

A Thousand Mile Walk to the Gulf by John Muir is the adventure that started it all.

Walk with John from Indiana through Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. A story that is sure to inspire your own adventures and love for nature and the off beaten path.

Image for John Muir: Candlewick Biographies: America's First Environmentalist

John Muir: Candlewick Biographies: America's First Environmentalist

John Muir loved the land. Born in 1838, he was a writer, a scholar, an inventor, a shepherd, a farmer, and an explorer. But above all, he was a naturalist. John Muir was particularly devoted to the high cliffs, waterfalls, and ancient giant sequoia trees that, through his careful influence, were set aside as Yosemite, one of the first national parks in America. Here is the life story of the man who, moved by a commitment to wilderness everywhere, founded the Sierra Club in 1892, a conservation group that carries on his crucial work to this day. Back matter includes an epilogue, a bibliography, and information about the Sierra Club.

Image for A Passion for Nature: The Life of John Muir

A Passion for Nature: The Life of John Muir

"I am hopelessly and forever a mountaineer," John Muir wrote. "Civilization and fever and all the morbidness that has been hooted at me has not dimmed my glacial eye, and I care to live only to entice people to look at Nature's loveliness. My own special self is nothing."In Donald Worster's magisterial biography, John Muir's "special self" is fully explored as is his extraordinary ability, then and now, to get others to see the sacred beauty of the natural world. A Passion for Nature is the most complete account of the great conservationist and founder of the Sierra Club ever written. It is the first to be based on Muir's full private correspondence and to meet modern scholarly standards. Yet it is also full of rich detail and personal anecdote, uncovering the complex inner life behind the legend of the solitary mountain man. It traces Muir from his boyhood in Scotland and frontier Wisconsin to his adult life in California right after the Civil War up to his death on the eve of World War I. It explores his marriage and family life, his relationship with his abusive father, his many friendships with the humble and famous (including Theodore Roosevelt and Ralph Waldo Emerson), and his role in founding the modern American conservation movement.

Image for National Geographic Complete National Parks of the United States, 400+ Parks, Monuments, Battlefields, Historic Sites, Scenic Trails, Recreation Areas, and Seashores

National Geographic Complete National Parks of the United States, 400+ Parks, Monuments, Battlefields, Historic Sites, Scenic Trails, Recreation Areas, and Seashores

National Geographic’s wide-ranging travel guide to recreation areas, trails, historic sites, nature hikes, seashores, camping, and campgrounds is geared to everyone who loves outdoor recreation. This 544-page reference is the ultimate travel planner for all things national parks, filled with full-color photos, detailed maps, historical background, and practical facts on the location of the park system properties, as well as the best times to visit and top-rated activities.

Image for Our National Parks

Our National Parks

ohn Muir (1838–1914) ranks among America's most important and influential environmentalists and nature writers. Devoted to the preservation of wilderness areas, Muir founded the Sierra Club and was active in the establishment of Yosemite National Park. Our National Parks, originally published in 1901, includes ten articles that previously appeared in The Atlantic Monthly. Muir wrote them in hopes of exciting interest in the parks, certain that visitors would fall in love with the scenic grandeur as he had—and that their enthusiasm would ensure the parks' preservation.

Image for National Parks Scratch Off Map of United States Poster, ALL 63 Parks

National Parks Scratch Off Map of United States Poster, ALL 63 Parks

UNIQUE DESIGN…ARROWHEAD SHAPES: Scratch off each beautifully designed US National Park as you visit them, like Acadia, Zion, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Olympic, Grand Canyon, Arches and others!

Image for National Parks Trivia: A Card Game: 400 Questions

National Parks Trivia: A Card Game: 400 Questions

Get to know America's 63 national parks with 390 wide-ranging trivia questions that cover their iconic geography, ecology, geology, history, wildlife, and botany—from the authors of Scenic Science of the National Parks.

Image for Professor Noggin's Wildlife of North America Trivia Card Game

Professor Noggin's Wildlife of North America Trivia Card Game

  • PLAY & LEARN: Professor Noggin’s series of educational card games encourages kids to learn interesting facts about their favorite subjects.
  • FUN FACTS: Journey through the Wildlife of North America discovering facts about our continent’s most interesting animals. From Polar Bears to Pronghorns, from Alligators to Bald Eagles, this game is perfect for young nature lovers.
Image for Our National Treasures Matching Game  USA National Parks Memory Game for Kids. Yosemite, Yellowstone, Arches, Denali and More

Our National Treasures Matching Game USA National Parks Memory Game for Kids. Yosemite, Yellowstone, Arches, Denali and More

What you get – Our National Treasures Matching Card Game comes with 52 tiles (26 pairs) and instructions

Clear instructions – Easy to learn memory card game. Learn to play in less than five minutes!

Develops critical skills – card games for kids help preschoolers practice their focus, memory, & matching skills.

Image for Trekking The National Parks -The Perfect Board Game for National Park Lovers

Trekking The National Parks -The Perfect Board Game for National Park Lovers

Wildly Popular National Parks Game - Winner Of The Mensa And Parent's Choice Award

Created By National Parks Enthusiasts - This couple traveled to every single national park and then worked with their son to make the game.

Fun + Educational - It’s the perfect recipe for a family game night! Appeals to a wide range of people: outdoor lovers, board game players, and gift givers. A great board games for kids!

Next, look at some facts about the life of John Muir.

7 John Muir Environmentalist Facts

  1. John Muir traveled to every continent except Antarctica.
  2. John founded the Sierra Club, an acclaimed American conservation organization.
  3. Muir temporarily lost his sight due to an accident at 29 due to a factory incident that pushed him to make a  change and be a wilderness explorer.
  4. A 211-mile-long hiking trail in the Sierra Nevada was named John Muir Trail in his honor. 
  5. In September of 1867, John walked 1000 miles from Indiana to Florida, this journey is retold in his book- A Thousand-Mile Walk to the Gulf. 
  6. Throughout his life, John Muir wrote 300 essays and 12 books.
  7. Because of Muir’s vision and work, you can now visit almost 400 National Park Service sites. What a legacy he left behind for so many generations to appreciate and enjoy.
7 John Muir Environmentalist Facts and Fun Teaching Ideas

Also, look at some videos..

Videos about John Muir

  • John Muir- Father of National Parks
  •  For a quick birds eye view of 25 Best National Parks at once check out this YouTube video.
  • Biography of John Muir   
  • John Muir Father of The National Parks- 1 Minute History
  • How The National Park Service Got Started

More John Muir Activity Ideas

Finally, here are some more fun ideas when learning about the life of John Muir.

  • Learn what an environmentalist is. An environmentalist is defined as one who is concerned with or advocates for the protection of the environment.
  • Grab ideas from John Muir Spring Unit Study (and Hands-on Geography Ideas).
  • Try using the John Muir Laws How to Teach Nature Journaling to improve sketching and watercolor skills combined with your nature walk. While this is not the same John Muir nor is he related to him, his appreciation for nature and its beauty reflects the same mindset. His mother was a lawyer for the Sierra Club, which the original John Muir was the founder of, and she insisted her sons middle name be Muir. Use the beautiful pictures for ideas for water coloring or nature journaling.
7 John Muir Environmentalist Facts and Fun Teaching Ideas
  • Learn the 7 principles of Leave No Trace, especially if you enjoy camping and hiking. Writing them down would make for an excellent copy work assignment.
  • Find ways that you can volunteer in your area to help the environment, beach clean-ups, park clean-up days, recycling, ways to reduce and reuse items, conserve water, etc.
  • Play nature-themed games to focus on the flora and fauna that he studied.
7 John Muir Environmentalist Facts and Fun Teaching Ideas

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Science, Teach Homeschool Science Tagged With: homeschoolscience, life science, nature, nature journaling, nature study, science

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Page 1
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 29
  • Page 30
  • Page 31
  • Page 32
  • Page 33
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 53
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Footer

Privacy Policy | About Me | Reviews | Contact | Advertise

Categories

Archives

Tina Robertson is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2026 · 5 TNT LLC · Log in · Privacy Policy