Zoology Curriculum

Individual lessons from the MatchCard Science Zoology Unit Study for kids in 3rd-8th Grade

Ever Met a Kid who Didn't Like Animals?

Okay, some of them don't like some animals. But I've never met anyone who didn't find some or all aspects of zoology fascinating.

The thirteen different lessons will be added to this page as we revise the individual lessons in the MatchCard Science Zoology Unit Study.

Insects

MatchCard #1: Describe the major body parts of insects.

Zoology Activities: Use an insect field guide to classify insects. Collect insects (specimens or camera shots.) Make an insect poster comparing body parts.

Read More: Is it an insect?

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Butterfly Metamorphosis

MatchCard #2: Explain the metamorphosis of a butterfly.

Zoology Activities: Watch adult butterflies emerge from the larva and pupa stage. Visit or plant a butterfly garden. Map the migration of butterflies and show their location at different life stages. Compare the life-cycle of a butterfly to other insect.

Read More: Life Cycle of a Butterfly

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Fish

MatchCard #3: Describe the unique parts of a fish.

Zoology Activities: Learn the five types of fins and compare size and shapes of fins on different species. Observe different fish in an aquarium or natural habitat. Go fishing. Make coloring pages or color poster of different fish.

Read More: Fish and Fins

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Reptiles and Amphibians

MatchCard #4: Compare the characteristics of reptiles and amphibians.

Zoology Activities: Use a venn diagram to distinguish features of the two types of animals. Grow a frog from a tadpole. Touch the skin of reptiles and amphibians.

Read More: Difference between Amphibians and Reptiles

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Mammals

MatchCard #5: List the distinctive characteristics of mammals.

Zoology Activities: Make clay from mammal's milk. Play mammal charades. Think of a mammal for every letter of the alphabet.

Read More: Mammal Facts

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The Food Chain

MatchCard #6: Tell what class of the food chain an organism belongs to.

Zoology Activities: List examples of food chains. Draw a food chain poster. Get a local food chain started.

Read More: What is a Food Chain?

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Herbivore, Carnivore, and Omnivore Teeth

MatchCard #7: Describe the difference in the teeth of carnivores, herbivores and omnivores.

Zoology Activities: Predict what kinds of teeth would be needed for different foods. Check out the teeth of different animals. Label your own teeth.

Read More: Learn About Carnivores, Herbivores, and Omnivores

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Scientific Classification

MatchCard #8: List the major groups used to classify plants and animals from the broadest to the most specific.

Zoology Activities: Learn the classification system and a neumonic to remember the groups. Trace the classification of dogs and wolves from kingdom to species. Develop a chart of the classification of two other animals or plants.

Read More: Learn About the Method of Scientific Classification

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Biology Tree of Life

MatchCard #9: Describe the role of domain and kingdom in the biology tree of life.

Zoology Activities: Play a guessing game about the tree of life. Go on a scavenger hunt and show and tell for three of the less known kingdoms (protozoa, monera, fungi.) Compare two different philosophies on the tree of life. Make a lapbook of the five kingdoms. Look at single celled organisms under a microscope.

Read More: Teach kids about the Tree of Life

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Animal Phylum

MatchCard #10: List the nine most common animal phyla. (It's trickier than you think)

Zoology Activities: Play an animal guessing game. Make a mobie of the different animal phyla.

Read More: Compare nine different animal phyla.

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Vertebrates: Animals with Some Backbone

MatchCard #11: List seven classes of vertebrates.

Zoology Activities: Brainstorm and check. Build an animal skeleton model. Make a lapbook of the seven vertebrate classes.

Read More: 7 classes of vertebrates.

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Animal Cells

MatchCard #12: Identify the function of ten parts of an animal cell.

Zoology Activities: Build a model of an animal cell. Learn how the cell membrane works.

Read More: Match the name and function to the animal cell diagram.

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Cell Movement

MatchCard #13: Explain three types of movement by one-celled animals.

Zoology Activities: Look at pond water under magnification. Check out what's living under your fingernails. Play Cellular Charades.

Read More: 3 ways cells move.

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Cellular Mitosis

MatchCard #14: Compare the phases of mitosis and list them in correct order.

Zoology Activities: Look at an onion cell undergoing mitosis on a slide. Play a memory game or make a mitosis flip book.

Read More: Phases of Mitosis.

MatchCard Science

A complete homeschool science unit study with activities for every objective.