Structures and Behaviors Activities for 5th Grade Science

The Kesler Science Structures and Behavior 5th Grade Complete 5E Lesson provides everything you need for a thorough, student-centered lesson on structures and behavior. With minimal prep, your students will engage in an interactive, hands-on experience that encourages exploration and deepens their understanding of how organisms' structures and behaviors help them survive in their environments.

This lesson plan includes differentiated materials to support all learners, with flexible formats that allow you to tailor the content to your classroom needs. Students will explore key concepts through multiple modalities, including reading, videos, experiments, and hands-on activities. The 5E model ensures they engage in meaningful learning experiences while answering essential questions about structure and function in living organisms.

Incorporating both input and output stations, the lesson encourages students to absorb and apply information in a variety of ways. With opportunities for hands-on learning, digital resources, and assessment tools, this lesson can be delivered in both physical and virtual classrooms. Plus, Spanish translations and editable resources ensure maximum accessibility for all learners.

The Kesler Science Structures and Behaviors Station Lab offers a student-led, modular approach to learning that will keep your 5th grade class engaged throughout the lesson. Students explore how the structures and behaviors of different species, such as hooves or webbed feet, help them survive in specific environments. With these comprehensive materials, students can direct their own learning while you save prep time.

The lab features eight differentiated activities and a bonus challenge station for early finishers. Each station encourages independent or small group work, promoting a student-centered learning environment where the teacher facilitates rather than directs. Materials include signage, resources, and task cards for hands-on exploration of structures and behaviors.

The station setup includes a variety of input and output stations that cater to different learning styles. Students can engage in activities like hands-on experiments, reading and research tasks, and even drawing or writing exercises to demonstrate their understanding. The stations can be completed in person or virtually, offering flexibility in any learning environment.

The Kesler Science Structures and Behaviors Student Choice Projects offer 5th-grade students the opportunity to select a project that suits their learning style, with options ranging from six different project types to a “design your own” project. The flexible and dynamic nature of these projects allows teachers to tailor grading rubrics to their needs, while multimodal choices ensure students can demonstrate their knowledge in personalized, creative ways.

The project pack includes nine choice board options, teacher directions for support, and editable rubrics that assess vocabulary, concepts, presentation, clarity, and accuracy. Differentiated versions of the project allow for remediation or challenge, making it suitable for all learners. Teachers can mix and match projects while maintaining consistent assessments.

Designed with ease in mind, the projects require basic classroom materials like paper, markers, and scissors, though many can also be completed digitally. Some projects may involve crafting supplies for building models, offering students a variety of hands-on and digital learning experiences.

The Kesler Science 5th Grade Life Science Interactive Notebook Bundle provides engaging, hands-on learning for key life science topics. This comprehensive resource includes both print and digital versions, making it perfect for traditional classrooms, 1:1 environments, and distance learning.  

The digital interactive notebook features a unique PowerPoint format, Google Slides compatibility, reflection pages, space for notes, and a modified version for students with accommodations. The paper version includes blank and pre-filled templates, plus color photo examples for easy implementation.  

Covering topics like plant growth, ecosystems, fossil evidence, and inherited traits, this bundle helps students organize their learning while giving teachers flexible, high-quality materials to enhance instruction.