Nocturnal Animals, Nocturnal Animals, Everywhere!

Welcome preschool and early years educators! Chances are you are on the hunt for new and inviting resources to help you teach your biological science standards surrounding animals and their adaptations for survival. One aspect that many early years classrooms focus on is the behavioural adaptation known as nocturnality. Little ones love learning about the animals of the night, and this year, Teach Starter is here to help you plan those nocturnal animal lessons from beginning to end!

The Easiest Way to Explain Nocturnal Animals for Kids!

This printable resource pack is just what you need to plan your lessons in a snap! It contains five different activities to help your students learn about nocturnal animals, their body parts, unique adaptations, and more! We’ve even included ways to integrate your Maths and Measurement standards into your science lessons! This resource pack includes

• Nocturnal Animal Adaptation Anchor Charts 

• • •  Each half-size chart focuses on characteristics of nocturnal animals, such as enhanced sense of smell, good eyesight, and more. (6 mini-charts)

• About Nocturnal Animals Vocabulary Cards 

• • • Each page includes four nocturnal animal-related terms and a photograph depicting the words’ meaning. These are great for word wall writing centres, or you can use them as Guess Who? Prompts when trying to fill in those few extra minutes of time. (16 cards)

• Nocturnal and Diurnal Animals Sorting Activity 

• • • Two sorting activities in one! Depending on your preference, your students can complete this activity as a sorting station with animal picture cards and sorting mats (nocturnal vs. diurnal) or as a printable cut-and-paste worksheet-style activity. (18 cards, two sorting mats, one worksheet)

• Parts of an Animal Worksheet Pack 

• • Students will use a word bank to identify the parts of an animal, focusing specifically on features of nocturnal animals. (4 worksheets – owl, porcupine, fox, bat)

• Nocturnal Animal Investigation 

• • The perfect addition to your science centre! Students will use magnifying glasses to investigate photos of different nocturnal animals and note their features. Then, they will extend their learning by measuring how tall and wide each animal is using counting cubes. (14 cards, two instructional prompts)

Download and Print Your No-Prep Nocturnal Animal Worksheet Pack Today!

This resource is available as an easy-to-use Google Slides or Printable PDF Resource file. To get your copy, click the dropdown arrow on the download button to select your preferred file format. Make your copies, pass them out to your students, and you’re ready to begin!

This resource was created by Lindsey Phillips, a teacher and Teach Starter Collaborator.

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