Every animal is made up of cells, and students are generally learning about cell structure around the fifth grade. This project asks students to create a model of the three parts of a cell. The basic parts are the cell membrane, cytoplasm and nucleus, although students can go further into investigating what makes up a cell. Students can create models with clay, Styrofoam, paper mache or cardboard.
Dioramas are a creative way to ask students about the environment where animals reside. For this project, students choose an animal to research. They look at the animal's habitat and way of life. They then create a diorama of the animal in its natural home -- whether it is a rain forest, ocean or desert. They can use small models made of wood, cardboard or clay. They create the main animal they are researching, along with other animals that live beside it.
Food webs illustrate the relationship between plants and animals in a specific habitat or area. A food web is like a road map that shows how some animals feed off plants, while larger animals feed off other animals. Students can show the progression by creating a food web to share with the class. To take it a step further, they can demonstrate changes in population, survival of the fittest and the full extent of a working ecosystem. Students can create their webs on poster boards to share with the class.
In this activity, students choose a particular region of the world and create a travel brochure. They gear the pamphlet toward someone who is exploring the particular region to learn about the animals that live there. Have the students choose at least five animals to investigate. They fill the brochure with information on where exactly to find the animal and how the animal lives. They include its diet, living habitat, family members, adaptations and other interesting facts.