Third Rock

Credit: NASA
Our home, Earth, is the third planet from the sun and the only world known to support an atmosphere with
free oxygen, oceans of liquid water on the surface and — the big one — life. Earth is one of the four
terrestrial planet: Like Mercury, Venus and Mars, it is rocky at the surface.
Keep reading to find out why Earth is not a sphere, even though it is often said to be.

Squashed Sphere
Credit: Markus Reugels
Earth is not a perfect sphere. As Earth spins, gravity points toward the center of our planet (assuming for
explanation's sake that Earth is a perfect sphere), and a centrifugal force pushes outward. But since this
gravity-opposing force acts perpendicular to the axis of Earth, and Earth's axis is tilted, centrifugal force at
the equator is not exactly opposed to gravity. This imbalance adds up at the equator, where gravity pushes
extra masses of water and earth into a bulge, or "spare tire" around our planet.

She's Got a Waistline

Mother Earth has a generous waistline: At the equator, the circumference of the globe is 24,901
miles (40,075 kilometers). Bonus fact: At the equator, you would weigh less than if standing at
one of the poles. Keep going . . . you're going to be surprised to learn just how fast you are moving right
now.
On the Move
Credit: Image by Allen Lunsford, NASA GSFC Direct Readout Laboratory; Data courtesy Tromso receiving
station, Svalbard, Norway

You may feel like you're standing still, but you're actually moving — fast. Depending on where you are on
the globe, you could be spinning through space at just over 1,000 miles per hour. People on the equator
move the fastest, while someone standing on the North or South pole would be perfectly still. (Imagine a
basketball spinning on your finger. A random point on the ball's equator has farther to go in a single spin as
a point near your finger. Thus, the point on the equator is moving faster.) And, as you'll learn on the next
slide, we're also racing around the sun at an incredible speed.

(Note: The photo shown here is a true-color image taken on May 5, 2000, by an instrument aboard NASA's
Terra spacecraft, over the North Pole, with sea ice shown in white and open water in black.)

It's Old!

Credit: Science/AAAS

Researchers calculate the age of the Earth by dating both the oldest rocks on the planet and meteorites
that have been discovered on Earth (meteorites and Earth formed at the same time, when the solar system
was forming). Their findings? Earth is about 4.54 billion years old. (Photo shown here, what may be the
oldest known rocks on Earth, called the Nuvvuagittuq Belt on the coast of the Hudson Bay in Northern
Quebec, and dating back to 4.28 billion years ago, scientists estimate.)
Earth Is Recycled

Credit: NASA’s NPP Land Product Evaluation and Testing Element.

The ground you're walking on is recycled. Earth's rock cycle transforms igneous rocks to sedimentary rocks
to metamorphic rocks and back again. The cycle isn’t a perfect circle, but the basics work like this: Magma
from deep in the Earth emerges and hardens into rock (that's the igneous part). Tectonic processes uplift
that rock to the surface, where erosion shaves bits off. These tiny fragments get deposited and buried, and
the pressure from above compacts them into sedimentary rocks such as sandstone. If sedimentary rocks
get buried even deeper, they "cook" into metamorphic rocks under lots of pressure and heat. Along the
way, of course, sedimentary rocks can be re-eroded or metamorphic rocks re-uplifted. But if metamorphic
rocks get caught in a subduction zone where one piece of crust is pushing under another, they may find
themselves transformed back into magma.

Our Moon Quakes

Credit: NASA

Earth's moon looks rather dead and inactive. But in fact, moonquakes, or "earthquakes" on the moon, keep
things just a bit shook up. Quakes on the moon are less common and less intense than those that shake
Earth.
According to USGS scientists, moonquakes seem to be related to tidal stresses associated with the varying
distance between the Earth and moon. Moonquakes also tend to occur at great depths, about midway
between the lunar surface and its center.

Largest Earthquake
Credit: USGS

As of March 2016, the largest earthquake to shake the United States was a magnitude-9.2 temblor that
struck Prince William Sound, Alaska, on Good Friday, March 28, 1964. (Photos shows the Four Seasons
Apartments in Anchorage, a six-story lift-slab reinforced concrete building, which cracked to the ground
during the quake.) And the world's largest earthquake was a magnitude 9.5 in Chile on May 22, 1960,
according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Hot Spot
Credit: NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory

The fiery award for Earth’s hottest spot goes to El Azizia, Libya, where temperature records from weather
stations reveal it hit 136 degrees Fahrenheit (57.8 degrees Celsius) on Sept. 13, 1922, according to NASA
Earth Observatory. There have likely been hotter locations beyond the network of weather stations. (The
image was created from data collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)
on NASA's Aqua satellite.)
Coldest Spot
Credit: Josh Landis, National Science Foundation.

It may come as no surprise that the coldest place on Earth can be found in Antarctica, but the chill factor is
somewhat unbelievable. Winter temperatures there can drop below minus 100 degrees F (minus 73
degrees C). The lowest temperature ever recorded on Earth came from Russia's Vostok Station, where
records show the air plunged to a bone-chilling minus 128.6 degrees F (minus 89.2 degrees C) on July 21,
1983, according to the USGS.

Extreme Continent
Credit: NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC.

The southern continent is a place of extremes, with the Antarctic ice cap containing some 70 percent of
Earth's fresh water and about 90 percent of its ice, even though it is only the fifth largest continent.

Did you know Antarctica is actually considered a desert? Inner regions get just 2 inches (50 millimeters) of
precipitation a year (typically as snow, of course
Holy Stalagmite!

Credit: © Science/AAAS

Spelunkers ahoy! The largest confirmed stalagmite in the world can be found in Cuba in the Cuevo San
Martin Infierno. This behemoth rises 220 feet (67.2 meters) tall. (Shown here, a photo of a stalagmite in a
northwest Yucatan peninsula cave.)

Creeping Magnetic Pole

Credit: Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF)

Earth has a magnetic field because of the ocean of hot; liquid metal that sloshes around its solid iron core,
or that's what geophysicists are pretty certain is the cause. This flow of liquid creates electric currents,
which, in turn, generate the magnetic field. Since the early 19th century, Earth's magnetic north pole has
been creeping northward by more than 600 miles (1,100 kilometers), according to NASA scientists. The
rate of movement has increased, with the pole migrating northward at about 40 miles (64 km) per year
currently, compared with the 10 miles (16 km) per year estimated in the 20th century.
Earth’s magnetic field also varies in strength, and recently it was found to be weakening.
Pole Flip-Flops
Credit: Dreamstime

In fact over the past 20 million years, our planet has settled into a pattern of a pole reversal about every
200,000 to 300,000 years; as of 2012, however, it has been more than twice that long since the last
reversal. These reversals aren't split-second flips, and instead occur over hundreds or thousands of years.
During this lengthy stint, the magnetic poles start to wander away from the region around the spin poles
(the axis around which our planet spins), and eventually end up switched around, according to Cornell
University astronomer

Tallest Mountain

And the title for tallest mountain goes to … either Mount Everest or Mauna Kea. The summit of Mount
Everest is higher above sea level than the summit of any other mountain, extending some 29,029 feet
(8,848 meters) high. However, when measured from its true base to summit, Mauna Kea takes the prize,
measuring a length of about 56,000 feet (17,170 m), according to the USGS. Here are some of Mauna
Kea's detailed measurements: The highest point is 13,680 ft (4,170 m) above sea level; the flanks of
Mauna Loa continue another 16,400 ft (5,000 m) below sea level to the seafloor; and the volcano's central
portion has depressed the seafloor another 26,000 ft (8,000 m) in the shape of an inverted cone, reflecting
the profile of the volcano above it.

Earth Had Two Moons That Crashed to Form One, Study Suggests
By Charles Q. Choi, Space.com Contributor | August 3, 2011 01:01pm ET
This computer illustration depicts a collision between Earth’s moon and a companion moon that is 750
miles wide and about 4 percent of the lunar mass. This late, slow accretion could explain the moon's far
side highlands, scientists say.
Credit: Martin Jutzi and Erik Asphaug
A tiny second moon may once have orbited Earth before catastrophically slamming into the other one, a
titanic clash that could explain why the two sides of the surviving lunar satellite are so different from each
other, a new study suggests. The second moon around Earth would have been about 750 miles (1,200
kilometers) wide and could have formed from the same collision between the planet and a Mars-sized
object that scientists suspect helped create the moon we see in the sky today, astronomers said.
The gravitational tug of war between the Earth and moon slowed the rate at which it whirls, such that it now
always shows just one side to Earth. The far side of the moon remained a mystery for centuries until 1959,
when the Soviet Luna 3 spacecraft first snapped photos of it. (The far side is sometimes erroneously called
the dark side, even though it has days and nights just like the near side.) [Video: The 2 Sides of the Moon
(And What's On Them)]

The moon has two faces

The moon's far side is very different than its near side.
For instance, widespread plains of volcanic rock called "Maria" (Latin for seas) cover much of the near
hemisphere, but only a few Maria are seen on the far one. In addition, while the surface of the near side is
mostly low and flat, the far, with the lunar surface elevated 1.2 miles (1.9 km) higher on average on the far
side.
Now computer simulations hint a second moon essentially pancake itself against its larger companion,
broadly explaining the differences seen between the near and far sides. [10 Coolest Moon Discoveries]
Their calculations suggest this second moon would have formed at the same time as our moon. Scientists
have suggested that our moon was born from massive amounts of debris left over from a giant impact
Earth suffered from a Mars-size body early on in the history of the solar system. Spare rubble might also
have coalesced into another companion moon, one just 4 percent it’s mass and about 750 miles wide, or
one-third of our moon's diameter.

Earth's second moon

To imagine where this other moon once was, picture the Earth and the moon as being two points in a
triangle whose sides are equal in length.
The other point of such a triangle is known as a Trojan point, or a Lagrangian point, named after the
mathematician who discovered them. At such a point, the gravitational attraction of the Earth and moon
essentially balances out, meaning objects there can stay relatively stable. The Earth and moon have two
Trojan points, one leading ahead of the moon, known as the L-4 point of the system, and one trailing
behind, its L-5 point. The researchers computed that this second moon could have stayed at a Trojan point
for tens of millions of years. Eventually, however, this Trojan moon's orbit would have destabilized once our
moon's orbit expanded far enough away from Earth.
The resulting collision would have been relatively slow at 4,500 to 6,700 miles per hour (7,200 to 10,800
kph), leading its matter to splatter itself across our moon as a thick extra layer of solid crust tens of miles
thick instead of forming a crater.

"It is entirely plausible for a Trojan moon to have formed in the giant impact, and for it to go unstable after
10 million to 100 million years and leave its imprint on the moon," study coauthor Erik Asphaug, a planetary
scientist at the University of California, Santa Cruz, told SPACE.com. Imagine "a ball of Gruyere colliding
into a ball of cheddar."

Moon crash post mortem

The remains of this Trojan moon would make up the highlands now seen on our moon's far side. At the
same time, the impact would have squished an underground ocean of magma toward the near side,
explaining why phosphorus, rare-earth metals and radioactive potassium, uranium and thorium are
concentrated in the crust there.

A number of explanations have been proposed for the far side's highlands, including one suggesting
that gravitational forces were the culprits rather than an impact from Francis Nimmo at the University of
California, Santa Cruz, and his colleagues. Nimmo said that for now there is not enough data to say which
of the proposals offers the best explanation for this lunar contrast. "As further spacecraft data and,
hopefully, lunar samples are obtained, which of these two hypotheses is more nearly correct will become
clear," Nimmo said in a statement.

Kepler-22b: Facts About Exoplanet in Habitable Zone

By Elizabeth Howell, Space.com Contributor | May 10, 2016 11:48pm ET

An artist's conception of Kepler-22b, a planet known to be in the habitable zone of a sun-like star.
Credit: NASA/Ames/JPL-Caltech.
Kepler-22b is the first extra-solar planet, or exoplanet, that the Kepler Space Telescope found in the
habitable zone of its star. It is believed to be a promising spot to search for life. But at 600 light-years away,
further scrutiny of this world may require more powerful telescopes.

Announced in 2011, the planet is estimated at 2.4 times larger in diameter in Earth, with a comfortable
average surface temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit (22 degrees Celsius).
Kepler since discovered numerous worlds that are close to Earth's size, but investigators are still hoping to
find a planet the same size as Earth and orbiting in the habitable zone of a star similar to our sun.
[Infographic: NASA's Planet-Hunting Kepler Telescope Explained]

Discovery
NASA first announced Kepler-22b as part of a set of 54 habitable planet candidates in February 2011. All of
these planets were found by the Kepler Space Telescope. The telescope looks for alien worlds by
measuring dips in the parent star's light as the planet zooms across the star (from Earth's point of view).
To confirm if a planet is actually true, it is best practice to do multiple observations, ideally from different
observatories. By December, NASA was able to confirm Kepler-22b's existence — and publish it in the
Astrophysical Journal — both of which were announced as part of a larger press conference. At the
conference, NASA announced Kepler had found more than 1,000 new exoplanet candidates, providing
years of work to confirm the batch.

The planet is slightly larger than Earth, but has an orbit that is pretty similar (290 days to Earth's 365).
Kepler-22b also orbits a G-star class sun like our sun, but the exoplanet's star is a little bit smaller and
colder. Investigators praised the find as helping to fulfill Kepler's mission of finding another Earth.

"We're getting closer and closer to discovering the so-called 'Goldilocks planet,'" Pete Worden, director of
NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., said during the press conference.

A Kepler team member also suggested that the planet, at more than double Earth's size, may not be able
to host life on its surface. Instead, it could have an environment that is closer to Neptune: rocky core, large
ocean.
"It's not beyond the realm of possibility that life could exist in such an ocean," said Natalie Batalha, the
Kepler deputy science chief, in an interview with the Associated Press.
This diagram compares our solar system to the Kepler-22 system. The green area represents the habitable
zone where water can exist in liquid form. Kepler-22's star is a bit smaller than our sun, so its habitable
zone is slightly closer in. The orbit of Kepler-22b around its star takes 289 days and is about 85 percent as
large as Earth's orbit.
Credit: NASA/Ames/JPLCal-tech.

Habitable zone searches

A few scientific papers have been produced since 2012 examining Kepler-22b in detail.
 A 2015 European Planetary Science Congress abstract looked at thevariability in energy produced
by Kepler-22b's host star, which would affect its habitability.
 A 2016 American Astronomical Society meeting abstract showed the results of simulating
exomoons in the system, to see how habitable they could be. (The authors concluded that
"systems of satellites also hold the potential of supporting life," according to the abstract.)
 That said, a search for an exomoon around Kepler-22b (published in the Astrophysical Journal in
2013) found no evidence of any moon in that system.
However, the habitability of Kepler-22b is not necessarily a sure thing. It is only listed as a potentially
habitable planet at The Habitable Exoplanets Catalog (a project of the Planetary Habitability Laboratory of
the University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo). It is included in a list of "optimistic" habitable planets that may not
be rocky, may not include liquid water, or may orbit at the edge of the habitable zone.
More data on Kepler-22b is possible from archives of the Kepler space telescope, as not all the data has
been examined yet. The telescope is still operational as of early 2016, but examining different areas of the
sky. It has found many other potentially habitable worlds since Kepler-22b. Although the distance of these
worlds makes it difficult to perform follow-ups, further work is possible using ground-based telescopes or
future space observatories.
.

Worksheets for teaching students about vertebrates, invertebrates, and

animal classifications.
Vertebrates & Invertebrates
Vertebrate Cut, Sort, & Glue
Sort the vertebrate pictures into 5 groups - mammals, fish, birds, reptiles, and amphibians.
Vertebrate Questions
Choose the correct vertebrate group for each description; match the animal with its vertebrate
classification, and three short-answer questions.
Characteristics of Vertebrates (Table)
Write the characteristics of birds, fish, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians on this table. Includes body
covering, warm-blooded/cold-blooded, lungs/gills, eggs/live-birth, and more.
Vertebrate - Invertebrate Cut, Sort, & Glue
Sort the animal pictures into two groups - vertebrates and invertebrates.
Animal Classification: Thinking Questions
Answer the question on this worksheet. Questions include: "Can a dolphin drown? Explain." and "Is a bat a
mammal or a bird? Explain."
Scavenger Hunts
Reptile Classroom Scavenger Hunt
Do you know which species of snake is the smallest in the world? Can you name the world's only flying
lizard species? Find out the answers to these questions, and many more when you play the classroom
scavenger hunt game.
Mammals Scavenger Hunt
Do you know the only species of mammal that lays eggs? Do you know what the largest mammal in the
world is? Find out all this and more with the classroom scavenger hunt game.

Birds Classroom Scavenger Hunt

Farmers love to have owls around. Do you know why? Which type of bird is the most common in the world?
Search around the classroom to find the answers to these, and many more interesting bird facts.

Amphibians (Frogs) Scavenger Hunt

Do you know what the word 'amphibian' means in Greek? Do you know the difference between a frog and a
toad? Learn lots of interesting facts about amphibians with this fun scavenger hunt.

Fish Scavenger Hunt

Did you know that the whale shark is the largest living fish on Earth? And did you know female cichlids
keep their eggs in their mouths to protect them. Learn these, and many other fish fast with this fun
scavenger hunt!

Animal Group
Word Searches

Mammal Word Search

Students must figure out which animals from the list are mammals and which are not. Only the mammals
are hidden in the word search puzzle.

Reptiles

Determine which animals are reptiles. Only the reptiles in the puzzle. Word list includes turtle, crocodile,
python, and gecko.

Fish Word Search

Which words in the list are fish? Only the fish species, like pufferfish and sea horse, are hidden in the
puzzle. Other words, like dolphin and whale, are not.

Bird Word Search

Many of the animals in the word list are birds, but some are not. Only the birds are hidden in the puzzle.

Foldables

Vertebrate Classifications:
Foldable Fortune Teller

Make an origami fortune teller (cootie catcher) to review vertebrate classifications. When they play,
students will answer questions and classify animals as mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and birds.

Kids will love learning about their favorite animal species by reading these interesting articles. We
have scores of articles covering all types of animals, from aardvarks to zebras.

Most of the worksheets on this page align with the Common Core Standards. To see CCSS connections,
simply click the common core icon .

Mammals

Aardvarks

Even though it is sometimes called earth pigs, aardvarks aren't really related to pigs at all.

American Bison

Learn all about one of the animals that symbolizes the United States of America: the American Bison!
Discover the differences between bison and buffalo, and find out what makes the American Bison unique.
Comprehension questions are included.

Armadillos

Learn about the armored mammals called armadillos, which can be found in various areas throughout
North and South America.

Bats

There are nearly a thousand different species of bat in the world today. Most eat insects or fruit, but there is
one type- the vampire bat- that drinks blood.
(Approx. Grade Levels: 3-5)

Beavers
This article contains a list of common beaver questions, such as "What's the difference between a beaver
lodge and a beaver dam?" Read to find out how much beavers weigh, what they eat, where they live, and
more.

Bighorn Sheep

Bighorn Sheep have horns that weigh up to 30 pounds. Males will battle by ramming each other in the
head.

Camels

Learn why camels have humps, how their coat helps them to survive, and other interesting camel facts.

Capybara

Learn about our planet's largest species of rodent, the capybara.

Cheetahs

Cheetahs are the fastest land animals in the world, but even cheetahs have to be on the lookout for other
predators.

Chipmunks

Discover what's unusual about a chipmunk's cheeks, along with other interesting chipmunk facts.

Dolphins and Porpoises

Learn how dolphins and porpoises are alike, and how they're different. This article includes a question
page, a Venn diagram, and a vocabulary activity.

Elephant Seals

Find out why these strange animals are called elephant seals and learn about their unusual hunting habits.

Fennec Fox FREE

The bushy-tailed, big-eared fennec fox in an amazing species that is adapted to live in desert climates.

Flying Squirrel

Did you know that flying squirrels can't actually fly? They glide from tree to tree, using a furry membrane
like a parachute.

Giraffes

Learn dozens of fascinating facts about giraffes, then answer the comprehension questions.
Groundhog or Woodchuck?

Did you know groundhogs are great swimmers? And they can climb trees too! They can also bark and
whistle. Learn these and many more interesting facts about groundhogs in this article.

Hedgehogs

Discover everything you wanted to know about spiny hedgehogs.

Honey Badgers

The honey badger is arguably the most fearless animal on Earth. It eats porcupines and venomous snakes,
raids beehives for honey, kidnaps baby cheetahs, and steals food from hungry lions.

Howler Monkeys

Learn all about the very loud howler monkey in this reading comprehension article. This worksheet includes
comprehension questions, vocabulary identification, and a writing prompt.

Hyenas

Hyenas are neither cats nor dogs, but in a family all their own. These fierce scavengers gobble up leftovers
left by other animals.

Jaguars

Discover how jaguars live and hunt, and learn why these beautiful animals are endangered.

Koalas

The cutest mammals in Australia actually have very sharp claws and they spend more time asleep than
they do awake.

Lions

Did you know that lions are the only wild cats to live in cooperative groups, called prides? Learn this, and
other interesting facts, about lions in this reading comprehension article. Includes comprehension
questions, vocabulary words, and a writing prompt.

Llamas

Llamas are are very helpful to man. They work as pack animals that carry heavy goods. They also provide
wool for clothing. Some even help ranchers protect their sheep from coyotes.

Mandrills
Mandrills, with their bright blue and red noses, are perhaps the most colorful mammals in the world.

Meerkats

Did you ever wonder what those funny little meerkats are doing when they stand up straight and tall?
Discover the answer and many other interesting facts about meerkats in this reading comprehension
article. Worksheet includes a writing prompt, comprehension questions, and vocabulary terms.

Muntjac (Barking Deer)

Have you ever heard of a barking deer? If you visit South America you may see muntjacs - small deer that
like dogs.

Narwhals

Narwhals are sometimes called "Unicorns of the Sea," but do you know why? It's because they have a
nine-foot tusk that looks like a unicorn's horn.

Okapi

The Okapi is a strange animal that looks like a mix between a giraffe and a zebra.

Orcas (Killer Whales)

Orcas, or killer whales, are known as wolves of the sea because of their hunting practices.

Ostriches

Did you know that an ostrich's eyes weigh weigh twice as much as its brain? Learn interesting facts about
ostriches in this nonfiction article. This reading comprehension worksheet is designed for fourth grade level
readers and includes reading comprehension questions, vocabulary exercises, and a writing prompt. Learn
about the big and exciting ostrich!

Pink Fairy Armadillos

Have you ever heard of the pink fairy armadillo? Learn all about this miniature armadillo! This article
includes short answer and multiple choice questions, vocabulary words, and a writing prompt.

Platypus

Learn about the unusual life of world's strangest-looking mammal.

Polar Bears

Discover how polar bears have adapted to live in the Arctic.

Polecats

Learn about the weasel-like animal known as the polecat.

Porcupines FREE

It rattles like a rattlesnake and it it gives off a fowl odor like a skunk. What is it? A porcupine!

World's Largest Marsupial

This article will teach students about the red kangaroo. Measuring 6 feet tall and weighing 200 pounds, it is
the world's largest marsupial.

Skunk Alert

Learn many fascinating facts about skunks! Did you know that skunks are actually very shy? Discover this
and much more!

Skunks

Learn dozens of fascinating facts about stinky, smelly skunks.

Sloths

Read about the slow-moving sloth from Central and South America.

Spectacled Bear

Bears don't wear glasses, but the spectacled bear from South America has circular markings that make it
look like it's got spectacles.

Spiny Anteaters (Echidnas)

Echidnas are one of only two mammals they lay eggs. Females also have a pouch to carry their babies,
just like kangaroos.

Tamanduas

This strange looking animal has four legs, a long snout, large ears,and lurks in the forests of Central and
South America.

Tigers

Learn all about the beautiful and powerful tiger in this reading comprehension article with short answer
questions, vocabulary words, and a writing prompt.

Visayan Warty Pigs

The Visayan warty pig is wild pig that is native to the Visayan Islands of the Philippines. It is one of the
world's most endangered animals.

Wolverines

The wolverine is a solitary, but fierce, hunter who lives in snowy, northern climates across the world.

Zebras

How to zebras protect themselves from predators? They run, kick, and bite. They even sleep standing up
so they're ready to run at any sign of danger.

Reptiles

Alligators and Crocodiles

Learn how alligators and crocodiles are different and how they're similar.

Alligator Snapping Turtle

This prehistoric reptile looks like a small dinosaur. It has a thick tail, clawed feet, and strong jaws.
Underwater, they keep their mouths open, and use their worm-like tongue to lure in prey.

Boas and Pythons

Learn the similarities and differences between boas and pythons with this compare/contrast article.

Chameleons

Chameleons can change color, rotate their eyes, and have toes that are specially adapted for climbing.

Cobras

Did you know that a king cobra can inject enough venom to kill an elephant? Learn this, and many more fun
facts about cobras.

Desert Tortoise

The desert tortoise lives in the Mojave and Sonara Deserts of the southwestern USA. They get most of
their water from food and can live over 50 years.

Gila Monster

Lurking in the deserts of the Southwestern United States is a colorful monster with a forked tongue, big
head, and powerful claws.

Green Anaconda
The green anaconda is the largest snake in the world! It lives in South American swamps, weighs 500
pounds and eats pigs, deer, and even jaguars!

Horned Lizards

Learn tons of fascinating facts about horned lizards in this article.

Iguanas

Learn some fascinating facts about wild and pet iguanas.

Komodo Dragons

Are dragons real? You bet they are. Indonesians know all about the fierce lizard known as the Komodo
dragon.

Rattlesnakes

Rattlesnakes are efficient predators, but they can also be prey to larger, desert-dwelling animals. They use
their rattle to warn predators of their venom.

Sea Turtles

Did you know that sea turtles have been around since the time of the dinosaurs? Learn all about the
fascinating world of sea turtles. Discover the names of the seven sea turtle species, learn about the
obstacles baby sea turtles face when they hatch, and find out the dangers sea turtles face today.

Sea Snakes

Learn all about sea snakes in this fascinating article. Did you know there are more than 60 species of sea
snakes? Discover this and other interesting facts about sea snakes. Worksheet includes reading
comprehension questions, vocabulary terms, and a writing prompt.

Skink

Have you ever heard of the blue-tongued skink? This unusual Australian animal is surprisingly gentle and
can even regrow its own tail! Find out more about this amazing reptile in this reading comprehension
article. Worksheet includes multiple choice questions, vocabulary words, and a writing prompt.

Tamanduas

A tamandua is an unusual-looking animal with four legs, a long snout, big ears, and a flexible tail.

Tuatara
The tuatara is a rare reptile found only in New Zealand. While it looks like a lizard, it's really more closely
related to a snake.
Plant and Animal Cell Worksheets
Download and print worksheets for teaching students about animal and plant cells. We have cell
diagrams with and without labels, as well as vocabulary activities.

Animal Cells
(Basic)

Identify Animal Cell Parts

Write the name of each animal cell part shown in the diagram. The illustration includes definitions.

Animal Cell Coloring

Color the animal cell picture. Use the color-key at the bottom of the page.

Cut-and-Glue Animal Cell

Cut out the organelles and glue them in the animal cell.

Animal Cell Parts (Color Poster)

This is a poster with a diagram of basic animal cell parts. Hang it in your classroom, or have students glue it
into their notebook.

Animal Cell Vocabulary Cards

These cards can be used as a matching game or glued into students' science notebooks. Words include
vacuole, mitochondria, nucleus, cytoplasm, and membrane.

Plant Cells
(Basic)

Identify Plant Cell Parts

Identify each part of the plant cell. A diagram is shown, along with definitions. Students write the name of
the cell parts in the boxes.

Plant Cell Coloring

Color the picture of the plant cell according to the key at the bottom. Diagram includes words and
definitions.

Cut-and-Glue Plant Cell

Cut out the organelles and glue them onto the plant cell. Color the cell and its parts.

Plant Cell Parts (Color Poster) FREE

This is a basic illustration of a plant cell with major parts labeled. Labels include nucleus, chloroplast,
cytoplasm, membrane, cell wall, and vacuole, and mitochondrion. Use it as a poster in your classroom or
have students glue it into their science notebooks.

Plant Cell Vocabulary Cards

This file has 14 vocabulary cards (7 words and 7 definitions). Use them to play a matching games, as
flashcards, or as foldables for student notebooks.

Science Worksheets

We have science worksheets for many topics, including animal classifications, food chains, electricity,
magnetism, human body, and simple machines.

Human Body Worksheets

This page has worksheets, articles, and activities to use when teaching students about the human body.
There are worksheets for teaching about the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, bones, intestines, and stomach.

Sample Images of
Cell Worksheets

Projects & Activities

Dinosaur Research Project

Students choose a dinosaur species and research its size, weight, habitat, and other interesting
information.

1st through 3rd Grades

Dinosaur Mini-Book

Color the dinosaur pictures. Then cut and assemble the mini-book. Read interesting facts about seven
different dino species.

1st through 3rd Grades

Carnivore & Herbivore Dinos FREE

Cut out the names and pictures of six dinosaurs. Then categorize them into two groups - carnivores and
herbivores. Then glue them onto the graphic organizer.

1st through 3rd Grades

Reading Comprehension

Ankylosaurus

The Ankylosaurus was a heavy, armored, plant-eating dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous period. It was
known for its clubbed tail.

1st through 3rd Grades

Brachiosaurus

The Brachiosaurus was one of the largest dinosaurs. It had a long neck and was twice as tall as a giraffe.
This plant-eater had no real predators.

1st through 3rd Grades

Pteranodon

The Pteranodon was a giant, flying lizard that lived in the late Cretaceous period. It probably ate fish, crabs,
squid, and dead animals.

1st through 3rd Grades

Spinosaurus

The Spinosaurus was a gigantic meat-eating dinosaur that was even larger than T-rex. It had a crocodile-
shaped snout with sharp teeth for eating fish.
1st through 3rd Grades

Stegosaurus

The Stegosaurus was a large, plant-eating dinosaur that lived in the Late Jurassic period. It had large
spikes on its tail to fight predators.

1st through 3rd Grades

Triceratops

The Triceratops is very similar to the modern day rhinoceros. They both had large bodies, ate plants, and
had horns on their heads. The triceratops was ten feet long and weighed as much as two elephants.

1st through 3rd Grades

Tyrannosaurus Rex FREE

Discover one of the largest and meanest meat-eating dinosaurs. Did you know a t-rex had 60 sharp teeth,
and each one is the size of a banana?

1st through 3rd Grades

Velociraptor

Did you know that the Velociraptor was a dinosaur that was covered in feathers? Learn all about raptors
with this informative article.

1st through 3rd Grades

Dino
Fact Files

Brachiosaurus Fact File

Color the large Brachiosaurus on this page. Then read the interesting facts in the fact file.

Pteranodon Fact File

Use crayons to color the Pteranodon and read the fascinating facts on the right.

Spinosaurus Fact File

Read the Spinosaurus fact file, then color the diagram.

Stegosaurus Fact File

Color the Stegosaurus in the picture and read the fascinating facts in the sidebar.

Triceratops Fact File

Color the large Triceratops picture and discover fun facts about this dinosaur.

Tyrannosaurus Fact File

Color in the Tyrannosaurus rex illustration, then read the t-rex fact file.

Velociraptor Fact File

Learn about the fierce, feathered Velociraptor with this fact file worksheet.

Here is our collection of printable science worksheets for teaching students about static and
current electricity.

Current Electricity

Conductors and Insulators FREE

Test each object to determine if it is a conductor of electricity or an insulator

Series and Parallel Circuits

Draw arrows to show the path of electricity in the series and parallel circuits.

4th Grade

Series and Parallel Circuits 2

Tell whether each circuit is a series circuit or a parallel circuit.

Current Electricity Mini-Book

An 8-page mini book about circuits and current electricity

4th Grade

Electrical Circuits

Examine each circuit and tell whether each light bulb will light or will not light.

Current Electricity - Multiple Choice

Answer the multiple choice questions about circuits and current electricity.

Current Electricity - Fill-in-the-Blank

Complete each sentence with the best word from the word bank.

Broken Circuits

Draw arrows to show the path of electricity in the series and parallel circuits.

With these printable worksheets and activities, students will learn about their 5 senses: seeing,
hearing, smelling, touching, and tasting.

Cut & Glue Activities

Cut-and-Glue: Senses #1 FREE

Read the sentences and determine which of the five senses the statement is describing. This worksheet
has an outdoor, park-theme. Cut and paste each sense next to the correct statement.

1st and 2nd Grades

Cut and Glue: Senses #2

Cut out the five senses and glue each next to the corresponding sentence. The sentences on worksheet
have a cooking/kitchen theme.

1st and 2nd Grades

Cut & Glue: Insects

The cricket chirps. What do I use to hear the cricket? (ears) The ladybug is red. What do I use to see the
ladybug? (eyes) Bees make honey. What do I use to taste the honey? (tongue)

1st and 2nd Grades

Worksheets

Senses: Fill in the Words

Complete each sentence with the word eyes, ears, tongue, skin, or nose.

1st and 2nd Grades

Sense of Smell FREE

Color the items that you can smell. Items on the page include a skunk, pizza, hamburger, and a flower.

Kindergarten and 1st Grade

Sense of Hearing

Color the items that you can hear (bell, jet, bee, balloon popping, rain).

Five Senses Song

Sing this song about the five senses to the tune of "Three Blind Mice."

Kindergarten and 1st Grade

Early Literacy

Build Sentences

Build sentences with these word cards. Cards include senses-themed words (such as smell, nose, taste,
tongue, see, eyes) and basic sight words (such as me, they, we, can, my).

Kindergarten to 2nd Grade

Reading Comprehension

Pop, Poppity, Pop!

Reader's Theater Script
Student will enjoy reading and acting out this story about a popcorn salesman. This story focus on the
sights, sounds, smells, and taste of popcorn!

The Garden

In this story, the narrator observes her summer garden with her 5 senses. She describes pleasant sounds,
colorful sights, rich aromas, and delicious food around her.

Puzzles

Senses Word Search

Find the vocabulary words hidden in the puzzle. All words are related to the 5 senses, such as: sweet, sour,
tongue, ears, eyes, light, dark, colors, smell, odor, nose, skin, feel.

Word-Maze: 5 Senses

Draw a line through the words sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. The unused letters in the puzzle will
teach you about a 6th sense that sharks have!

https://www.superteacherworksheets.com/five-senses.html

https://www.superteacherworksheets.com/full-science.html

https://www.superteacherworksheets.com/animals.html

https://www.superteacherworksheets.com/animal-articles.html

https://www.superteacherworksheets.com/cells.html

https://www.superteacherworksheets.com/electricity.html