Students learn the basics of animal life by observing animals in nature. One way to do this is to create a fruit bird feeder to study wild birds. Slice an orange or a grapefruit in half. Thread an embroidery needle with twine. Stick the needle into one side of the fruit half, allowing it to go all the way through. Remove the needle, and tie the ends to each other to create a loop. Repeat this with the other side. Hang the fruit half onto a tree by the twine. Stick a chopstick into the side of the orange, and push it all the way through. This will be the perch for the birds while they eat the orange.
Students will be amazed that they can dissolve a raw egg's shell simply by soaking it in vinegar. Fill a mason jar with white vinegar, then insert a raw egg into the vinegar. Screw on the lid of the jar. Place a jar on a flat surface. Unscrew the lid every six hours and turn the egg so that all of the sides are covered with the vinegar evenly. Replace the lid after every turning. After two days, the shell will have dissolved and the egg will remain intact by its membrane.
Students observe plant life by creating a terrarium, which they can place on their desks as you teach them about plants. Fill an empty glass vase or large jar one-quarter full of pebbles. Pour soil on top of the pebbles until the vase or jar is halfway full. Place small plants into the soil, covering the roots well. Pat the soil down gently. Place decorative objects in the soil, such as colorful stones or ceramic mushrooms. Water the soil until you see the water reach the pebbles. The glass vase or jar acts as a greenhouse.