National Geographic Society

Find lesson plans for your classroom on all the habitats: cities and suburbs; deserts and tundra; forests; fresh water; oceans and coasts; and prairies.

Cities and Suburbs

Who lives in cities and suburbs? People, of course! But that's not the only answer. Although urban areas are built by and for humans, wildlife also has to share the same spaces.

• K-2 The Three Little Pigs in Earthquake Land
• 3-5 Design Your Own Suburb
• 6-8 What to Do About Sprawl
• 9-12 Planning for a City's Future

Deserts and Tundra

Not all habitats are friendly. Earth is home to several "extreme" environments where mere survival is a constant struggle. Two such habitats are deserts and tundra, where extremes of temperature and rainfall are the norm.

• K-2 How's the Weather—In Africa
• 3-5 Ferocious Felines
• 6-8 Kings of the Kalahari
• 9-12 Environmental Issues in the Polar Regions

Forests

There are many types of forest habitats. Forests are home to lots of wildlife, as well as plants that people use for food and medicine. Trees produce large amounts of oxygen that we all need to breathe.

• K-2 Forest Features
• 3-5 If a Tree Falls in the Forest…
• 6-8 Using Venn Diagrams to Compare Two Ecosystems
• 9-12 Human Impacts in the African Rain Forest: What Can We Do?

Fresh Water

Water is not only refreshing—it's essential. For people and wildlife alike, fresh water means life—but supplies are limited.

• K-2 Can We Keep the Lake Clean?
• 3-5 Create a Wetland Scene
• 6-8 Aquatic Invaders
• 9-12 The Aral Sea: What's Happening to Whom?

Oceans and Coasts

Oceans cover almost 75 percent of the world's surface and create Earth’s blue appearance when seen from outer space. While not Earth’s only source of water, oceans contain 97 percent of all the water on the planet.

• K-2 Into the Ocean
• 3-5 Changing With the Tide
• 6-8 The Ocean: Our Global Connector
• 9-12 Estuaries: Finding the Balance

Prairies

Every continent except Antarctica has grasslands, which are called by many names—savannas, pampas, plains, and steppes. Grasslands are usually located in the interior of continents. North America's grasslands are called "prairie."

• K-2 The Incredible Prairie Picture Show
• 3-5 Prairie-Chicken Pageant
• 6-8 Microclimate in the Schoolyard
• 9-12 Wildlife Conflicts