Life Science Teaching Resources
Take your students on a life science adventure with hundreds of teacher-created printable worksheets, digital activities and more resources designed to save you time on your lesson planning!
Bring living organisms to the surface, break down the life cycles of plants and animals and teach your students how and why we classify living things with fun and engaging activities created by teachers who have been in classrooms just like yours. Aligned with the NGSS curriculum, resources in this collection have all undergone careful review by an expert science teacher on the Teach Starter team to ensure they're ready for your lesson plans and your students.
Whether you're teaching life science for the first time or just need a quick refresher on some of the major vocabulary so you have it at the tip of your tongue for teaching, we've got you covered. Read on for a primer from our teacher team!
What Is Life Science and Why Do We Teach It?
We have to start somewhere, so why not start with a simple definition of life science?
Life science is the study of living organisms — including plants, animals and humans. We teach this branch of science in elementary and middle school to help our students understand the diversity, complexity and interdependence of life on Earth.
- Plus Plan
Animals Around the World - Word Mats
Discover the amazing animals on each continent and encourage global thinking with a pack of printable Animals Around the World Word Mats.
- Plus Plan
Animal Features Playdough Mats
Use our Animal Playdough Mats to introduce your kindergarten students to the physical features of animals.
- Plus Plan
Animal Adaptation Examples – Anchor Chart Set
Help your students identify physiological, behavioral, and structural adaptations with printable Examples of Adaptations Anchor Charts.
- Plus Plan
Kangaroo Adaptations – Reading Comprehension PDF Worksheets
Discover amazing kangaroo adaptations with a printable Reading comprehension worksheet pack.
- Plus Plan
Poison Dart Frog Adaptations – 4th Grade Reading Worksheets
Explore the adaptations of a poison dart frog with printable reading comprehension worksheets for 4th grade.
- Plus Plan
Animal Adaptations Digital Learning Activity Slides
Discover a variety of structural, behavioral, and physiological adaptations with an Animal Adaptations Digital Learning activity.
- Plus Plan
Animals and Their Habitats - Cut and Paste Worksheets
Match the animals and their habitats with a pack of printable cut and paste worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Classification of Animals - Teaching Slides
Teach your students about the different classes of animals and their characteristics with an Animal Classification teaching presentation.
- Plus Plan
Vertebrate or Invertebrate? Game
Have fun classifying vertebrates and invertebrates with an exciting Google Slides Interactive Science Game!
- Plus Plan
Design the Perfect Dog Breed - Animal Traits Project
Investigate inherited traits that parents pass to their offspring with a Create-a-Puppy selective dog breeding project.
- Plus Plan
Inherited and Acquired Characteristics - Worksheet Pack
Determine if animal features and characteristics are inherited or acquired traits with an engaging Animal Traits Cut and Paste Worksheet Pack.
- Plus Plan
Animal Traits and Behaviors Anchor Charts
Help your students differentiate between inherited and acquired traits, instincts, and learned behaviors with a printable science anchor chart and note-taking organizer.
- Plus Plan
Animal Body Coverings Mini Book
Read and learn about the characteristics of animals with a printable Animal Body Coverings Mini Book.
- Plus Plan
Vertebrates and Invertebrates Teaching Slides
Teach your students about the characteristics of vertebrates and invertebrates with an interactive teaching slide presentation.
- Plus Plan
Animal Adaptations - Structural Adaptation Posters
Highlight some physical adaptations of animals with a printable set of labeled anchor chart.
- Plus Plan
Animal Characteristics - Write the Room Activity
Help your young students read and write about features of animals with a printable Animal Characteristics Write the Room activity.
- Plus Plan
Fennec Fox Adaptations - Close Reading Worksheets
Read and learn about Fennec Fox adaptations with a set of printable Reading Comprehension Worksheets for 5th grade.
- Plus Plan
Animal Body Coverings Poster Set
Discover the different animal body coverings (feathers, fur, scales, skin and shells) with a set of printable posters.
- Free Plan
Animal Flash Cards & Word Wall
Read, write and identify animals around the world with a printable animal word wall with pictures.
- Plus Plan
Labeled Animal Cell Model Poster
Highlight the different parts of an animal cell with a labeled animal cell diagram.
- Plus Plan
Giant Squid Reading Comprehension Worksheets - 5th Grade
Read and learn about the features and adaptations of the giant squid with reading comprehension worksheets for 5th grade.
- Plus Plan
2nd Grade Reading Passage & Worksheet- Being a Good Pet Parent
Print a 2nd grade reading comprehension passage and worksheet to teach comprehension skills and learn about being a good pet parent by limiting pets' impact on ecosystems.
- Plus Plan
Plant & Animal Cells and Organelles Worksheet
Learn about the differences between plant cells and animal cells with a printable cells and organelles worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Penguin Craft & Writing Template
Research and write about penguins and their adaptations, then create a fun penguin craft to display student work.
- Plus Plan
All About Bowerbirds Mini Book
Discover the wonderful world of Bowerbirds with your students using this activity mini book.
- Plus Plan
Bowerbird Fact File and Research Project
Research the amazing bird that is the Bowerbird with this fact sheet and research templates ready to go.
- Plus Plan
Types of Bird Feet and Bird Beaks - Adaptations Lesson Slides
Take a look at the types of bird beaks and feet that help our flying friends survive in different environments.
- Plus Plan
Animal Coverings Teaching Slides
Discover animals with scales, shells, fur, and other body coverings with an interactive teaching slide deck.
- Plus Plan
What is Mimicry? Teaching Slides
Help your students understand the purpose of mimicry and its variations with an engaging, interactive teaching slide deck.
- Plus Plan
Rainforest Bird Craft & Writing Template
Pair a fun bird craft and informational writing to create a fun jungle-themed bulletin board.
- Plus Plan
Groundhog Day Worksheets - Cut and Sort Activity
Compare and contrast a groundhog and an elephant with a fun Groundhog Day themed compare and contrast sort.
- Plus Plan
Female, Male and Baby Animals Worksheet
Identify the names of female animals, male animals and their babies with an Animal Family Worksheet.