5th grade animal research project template

• ELEMENTARY TEACHING , INTEGRATED CURRICULUM ACTIVITIES

Animal Research Project for Kids at the Elementary Level in 2024

Whether you are doing a simple animal study or a fully integrated science, reading, and writing unit, this animal research project for kids includes everything you need. From the graphic organizer worksheets and guided note templates to the writing stationary, printable activities, projects, and rubrics.

Thousands of teachers have used this 5-star resource to have students complete self-guided animal research projects to learn about any animal they choose. The best part is, the resource can be used over and over again all year long by just picking a new animal! Learn all about this animal research project for kids at the elementary level below!

What is the Animal Research Project?

The animal research project is a resource that is packed with printable and digital activities and projects to choose from. It is perfect for elementary teachers doing a simple animal study or a month-long, fully integrated unit. It’s open-ended nature allows it to be used over and over again throughout the school year. In addition, it includes tons of differentiated materials so you can continue to use it even if you change grade levels. Learn about what’s included in it below!

What is Included in the Animal Research Project

The following resources are included in the animal research project :

Teacher’s Guide

The teacher’s guide includes tips and instructions to support you with your lesson planning and delivery.

Parent Letter

The parent communication letter promotes family involvement.

Graphic Organizers

There are graphic organizers for brainstorming a topic, activating schema, taking notes, and drafting writing.

Research Report

There are research report publishing printables including a cover, writing templates, and resource pages.

There is a grading rubric so expectations are clear for students and grading is quick and easy for you.

Research Activities

The research activities include a KWL chart, can have are chart, compare and contrast venn diagram, habitat map, vocabulary pages, illustration page, and life cycle charts.

Animal Flip Book Project

There are animal flip book project printables to give an additional choice of how students can demonstrate their understanding.

Animal Flap Book Project

There is an animal flap book project printables that offers students yet another way to demonstrate their learning.

Animal Research Poster

The animal research poster serves as an additional way to demonstrate student understanding.

Poetry Activities

The resource includes poetry activities to offer students an alternative way to demonstrate their learning.

Digital Versions

There is a digital version of the resource so your students can access this resource in school or at home.

Why Teachers love the Animal Research Project

Teachers love this animal research project because of the following reasons:

• This resource guides students through the research and writing process, so they can confidently work their way through this project.
• It is a great value because it can be used over and over again throughout the school year because the pages can be used to learn about any animal.
• It offers several ways students can demonstrate their learning.
• It includes a ton of resources, so you can pick and choose which ones work best for you and your students.
• It is printable and digital so it can be used for in-class and at-home learning.

This animal research packet is great because it can be used over and over again using absolutely any animal at all. The printables in this packet are ideal to use with your entire class in school, as an at-home learning extension project or as a purposeful, open-ended, independent choice for your students who often finish early and need an enrichment activity that is so much more than “busy work.”

The Research Report Process

This animal research project packet was designed in a manner that allows you to use all of the components when studying any animal. Because the printables can be used over and over, I will often work through the entire researching and writing process with the whole class focusing on one animal together, This allows me to model the procedure and provide them with support as they “get their feet wet” as researchers. Afterwards I then have them work through the process with an animal of choice. You may find it helpful to have them select from a specific category (i.e. ocean animals, rainforest animals, etc) as this will help to streamline the resources you’ll need to obtain.

Step 1: Brainstorm a list of animals to research. Select one animal.

During this stage you may want to provide the students with a collection of books and magazines to explore and help them narrow down their choice.

Step 2: Set a purpose and activate schema.

Students share why they selected the animal and tell what they already know about it. Next, they generate a list of things they are wondering about the animal. This will help to guide their research.

Step 3: Send home the family letter.

To save you time, involve families, and communicate what is happening in the classroom, you may want to send home a copy of the family letter. It’s so helpful when they send in additional research materials for the students.

Step 4: Research and take notes.

The two-column notes template is a research-based tool that helps the kids organize their notes. I added bulleted prompts to guide the students in finding specific information within each category. This method has proven to be highly effective with all students, but is especially useful with writers who need extra support.

I have included two versions of the organizers (with and without lines). I print a copy of the organizer for each student. I also copy the lined paper back to back so it is available to students who need more space.

Step 5: Write a draft.

Using the information gathered through the research process, the students next compose drafts. The draft papers were designed to guide the students through their writing by providing prompts in the form of questions. Answering these questions in complete sentences will result in strong paragraphs. It may be helpful to give them only one page at a time instead of a packet as it make the task more manageable.

Step 6: Edit the draft.

Editing can be done in many ways, but it is most effective when a qualified editor sits 1:1 with a student to provides effective feedback to them while editing.

Step 7: Publish.

Print several copies of the publishing pages. I like to have all my students start with the page that has a large space for an illustration, but then let them pick the pages they want to use in the order they prefer after that. I have them complete all the writing first and then add the illustrations.

Finally, have the children design a cover for the report. Add that to the front and add the resources citation page to the back. Use the criteria for success scoring rubric to assign a grade. The rubric was designed using a 20 point total so you can simply multiply their score by 5 to obtain a percentage grade. The end result is a beautiful product that showcases their new learning as well as documents their reading and writing skills.

In closing, we hope you found this animal research project for kids helpful! If you did, then you may also be interested in these posts:

• How to Teach Research Skills to Elementary Students
• 15 Animals in Winter Picture Books for Elementary Teachers
• How to Teach Informative Writing at the Elementary Level

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Research Project Templates

Research projects are easy and fun with these templates. Students can learn about dinosaurs, states, provinces, and more. Each template guides students through the research process by asking simple questions and requiring basic drawings. Each file also has a bibliography form that students can fill out at the end of each project, as well as a rubric to help teachers with grading.

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Free Printable Animal Report Template for Kids

By: Author Elizabeth Lampman

Posted on January 21, 2022

Writing a report on animals can be fun and educational with this free printable animal report template! Perfect for grade school students!

As a parent, you know how important it is for kids to learn about animals. And one of the best ways to do that is by writing reports about them! But coming up with a report format can be tough, especially if you don’t have much experience with it. That’s why we’ve created this handy free printable animal report template for kids.

This handy animal research template provides kids all the prompts they need to research and write reports on their favourite creatures. With sections for habitat, diet, and more, it’s perfect for any budding zoologist.

Kids learn best when they are engaged and having fun, which is why animal reports can be a great way to teach them about different species. This free printable animal report template makes the process easy and enjoyable for both parents and kids. With plenty of space to record facts about each animal, it’s perfect for elementary-aged students.

With all the sections and prompts kids need, it’ll make creating reports a breeze – and they’ll even be fun to write! So go ahead and download our template today. Your little ones will love getting creative and learning all about their favourite animals in the process!

Plus, it’s a great way to practice writing skills. So download the template today and get started!

★WHAT YOU GET …………………………………………………………. 3 page PDF file including the following:

• Coloured Animal Report
• Black and White Animal Report

★ ★ You can download all 3 pages for FREE at the end of the article. ★ ★

The printable animal research template offers plenty of space for kids to draw the animal of topic as well as their habitat. Kids can record what type of animal they are, what they typically measure, their colour, diet, habitat, and more.

Use the cover page in a binder or paper folder so kids can store all their reports in the form of an animal research journal as they study more and more different animals.

I have included a colour version of the animal report printable, as well as black and white. You can print the cover in grey-scale by choosing that option when you print.

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DOWNLOAD THE FREE ANIMAL REPORT TEMPLATE

★HOW TO USE THIS FILE: ………………………………………………………….

• Download the Free Printable Animal Report Templates to your computer to a secure, easily accessible folder.
• Print at home, office (if allowed) or at a professional printing service

★TERMS OF USE: …………………………………………………………. You may use this file for your own PERSONAL USE ONLY. File sharing, distribution, and commercial use of this file or of the printed work from this file are prohibited. You are welcome to print as many copies as you like for yourself. The designs can not be used for any commercial purpose or resold. You may NOT use these files for publishing on any platform under any circumstances.

Elizabeth Lampman is a coffee-fuelled Mom of 2 girls and lives in Hamilton, Ontario. She enjoys travelling, developing easy recipes, crafting, taking on diy projects, travelling and saving money!

Friday 5th of April 2024

Thank you for sharing this amazing template!

Monday 29th of August 2022

Thank you for this! I was short on time to make one myself so this certainly came in handy. The colors were also a fun yet simple touch to it. My son even commented that it looked fun for his research!

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Free Animal Report Printables and Notebooking Pages

Published: June 8, 2018

Contributor: Sarah Shelton

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase via my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. See my disclosure for more info.

Do you  have a child that loves learning about animals but may struggle with writing? If so, then having them write a report on their favorite animal may be a great way to get them out of their writing funk and help them to get excited about writing. These free animal report templates and printables can help them organize their thoughts for a fun writing assignment.

Get Kids Excited to Learn About Animals

I have two daughters that are struggling learners. They are also amazing animal lovers and will soak up all of the information and facts on animals that they can. 

My favorite part of homeschooling is how we can tailor our learning experiences to our children’s interests and to things that are important to them. If you have an animal lover that struggles with reading and writing, try having them do some research and write a report about their favorite animal.

Writing an Animal Report

You may find that children get excited about what they are learning and want to share it in their report. When working on their report, they won’t even realize that they are doing “school” and that real learning is getting done! This is a great alternative to a textbook and works wonderfully for struggling learners that don’t like feeling “pushed”. 

What to Include in an Animal Report

Of course your student will cover the basics about each individual animal in his report, but here’s an idea of some of the topics your child can write about:

• Geography – where is the animal found in the world?
• Habitat – what is the habitat like for your animal?
• Lifespan – what is the animal’s lifespan?
• Lifecycle – what does the lifecycle look like for the animal?
• Animal Kingdom – where in the animal kingdom is your topic animal?
• Diet – what does your animal eat?
• Appearance – what does your animal look like?
• Food chain – where does the animal fit on the food chain?
• Animal tracks – what does the animals tracks look like? You can grab our free unit study on identifying animal tracks to learn more and incorporate into your report. 

Those are just some basic ideas – you can really take it however far you’d like when writing a report about animals. 

Observing Live Animals

Obviously you are not likely able to travel the world viewing animals live in their habitats, but that doesn’t mean you have to miss out! Watching animals via live animal cams is a fun way to get a glimpse into every day life for animals. 

Free Animal Report Templates and Notebooking Pages

I have compiled a list of some great free animal reports and notebooking pages that you can use without a curriculum, and for extra learning fun:

Animal Report Forms

Animal Report Form – This is a great form if your student wants to outline facts on zoo animals.

Rainforest Animal Research Report Form  – If you are researching animals specific to the rainforest, then this free printable animal report is perfect for your early elementary or beginning writer as it uses primary lines. 

Ocean Animal Mini Reports – Studying the animals of the ocean? These ocean animals report pages would be a perfect companion to your study of the ocean .

Animal Report Pages

Animal Report Writing Printable and Rubric – I like that this printable animal report also contains a rubric so that you can determine if your child put enough effort into their animal research project.

Animal Research Booklet – This 9-page animal report printable pack has blank templates that you can make your own.

Printable Animal Report Page – This animal report sheet has some decorative boxes and lines and a world map.

Animal Report Outlines

Animal Report Outline for Grades 3 – 5 – This freebie contains cute card prompts that will assist your elementary students in outlining their animal facts into categories.

Animal Report Printable – These free animal report pages are my favorite. I think even a middle school student could have fun researching a particular animal and then writing a paper using these sheets.

Animal Research for Kids with Zoey and Sassafrass Printable – Do your kids enjoy reading the Zoey and Sassafras series? If so, these animal research pages printable will be sure to delight them to no end. 

Animal Report Worksheets

Zoo Field trip Worksheets – Going on a field trip to the zoo? Take along these free zoo field trip worksheets so your kids can report on the animals they saw and learned about.

Animal Report Worksheet with Geography Map – This free animal report worksheet is simple. but contains all the spaces for the animal facts that your kids gather. 

ABC Animal Report 26 Printables – Young children can practice the alphabet and learn about animals at the same time with this freebie. 

Animal Research Websites

Kids National Geographic: Animals – is a great animal research site. You can quickly search for animals by type and there are facts and amazing photographs and videos.  San Diego Zoo Kids has amazing photos and easy to read simple facts on the different animals. Science Kids Animal Facts has simple animal facts for each animal as well as fun facts.

Animal Fact Guide has photos of each animal that you click on. It will give you very detailed facts of the animal and it’s scientific name, as well as geographical location, and conservation status.

More Free Animal Printables and Downloads

Animal Behavior Copywork Pack – Discover some terminology related to how animals act and behave in the wild. 

Animal Families Notebook Journal – Learn more about animal families using this printable research journal. This set of animal family worksheets would make a great addition to your report.

Animal Parts Vocabulary Copywork – Help your kids learn the meanings of 25 animal-related words with this Free Animal Parts Vocabulary Copywork.

Animals Science Notebook Journals   – Check out our free series of research notebooks on various animals and habitats.

Curriculum & Unit Studies About Animals

Discovering Plants and Animals Volume One: Africa and Asia –  Your elementary and middle school students can have fun learning about some of the many animals and plants that live in more than 100 countries with  Discovering Plants and Animals of the World, Volume One . It’s  perfect for students in 3th-6th grade , but it can easily be adapted for younger or older students.

Migration – Explore the Amazing Journeys of Animals –  This unit study   is a fun way to introduce your kids to migration and help them discover how 18 different animals migrate. It’s perfect for students in 4 th -8 th  grade, but it can easily be adapted for younger or older students.

From birds to mammals, insects to reptiles, your students will learn about pilchards, penguins, wildebeests, butterflies, and much more.

Sarah Shelton

Sarah is a wife, daughter of the King and Mama to 4 children (two homeschool graduates) She is a an eclectic, Charlotte Mason style homeschooler that has been homeschooling for over 20 years.. She is still trying to find the balance between work and keeping a home and gardens. She can only do it by the Grace of God, coffee and green juice

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Animal Research Projects

The students then put their information into a paragraph, each paragraph covering one topic.  We practiced this quite a bit together as a class.  We also discussed proper paragraph format, using an opening and closing sentence.

As students were researching, I noticed that they find quite a bit of information that didn’t quite fit into their 3 topics.  The students wanted to include these interesting facts, but weren’t sure where to put them.  So we created a “Fun Facts” page!

The students also created diagrams of their animal, labeling its parts.

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Animal Research Project

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Research different animals using this fun animal research brochure! An optional rubric is included. This product also includes a blank brochure that can be used for future projects in any subject area!

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