What do animals eat? What do humans eat? Are animal diets and human diets similar, different, or both? Explore the answers to these questions with Pinky Jackalope and various Smithsonian museums including the National Zoo, National Museum of African American History and Culture, National Museum of American History, National Museum of Asian Art, and the National Museum of Natural History!

Content Unit:

Food

Featured Creature:

Red ruffed lemur, California sea lion

ELOF Standards:

I/T: C 1 & 3, PMP 4 & 11; Pre: SCI 2, PMP 1 & 5

Smithsonian Partners:

National Museum of African American History and Culture; National Museum of American History; National Museum of Asian Art; National Museum of Natural History


Resources and Activities

Check out fun and easy classroom activities to help teachers, families, and children further explore the topic of food with other Smithsonian museums!

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Learn about Food with NMAAHC Kids

Food has the power to express cultural values, tell stories about history and bring people together. What's a special dish your family makes? How does food bring people together in your community? Discover Chef Leah Chase and start a food conversation with your early learners!

 

Resource Description:
Type: Lesson Plan, Activity, Recommended Reads
ELOF Standards: IT-ATL 7, IT-C 13, IT-PMP 11, P-ATL 11, P-PMP 5  
Project Time: 10+
Best for Ages: 2+

 

National Museum of Asian Art

Mochi Making with the National Museum of Asian Art

Celebrations are a time to share tasty meals with family and friends.  Do you have a favorite sweet treat for the holidays?  Join the National Museum of Asian Art to discover one of Japan’s special treats for the New Year celebration.  Look closely and explore a work of art to discover this special treat and how it is made.

 

Resource Description:
Type: Video
ELOF Standards: IT-ATL 7, IT-C 13, IT-PMP 11, P-ATL 11, P-PMP 5  
Length: 5:02
Best for Ages: 2+
National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Feed the Animals!

Let's have a real teddy bear picnic! Gather your stuffed animals and make them a meal, just like the Zoo keepers in the commissary. Use the downloadable template to create a Zoo Commissary Cookbook, with simple actions to engage even our youngest friends.

Video Description:
Type:Video
Length:2:02
Lesson Plan Description:
Type:Dramatic Play, Customizable Templates
ELOF Standards:Infant/Toddler ATL 9; LC 1, 10, 11, 12; C 12 13; PMP 6, 7; 8, 11; Preschool ATL 8, 10, 13; PMP 3, 5
Project Time:10+
Best for Ages:1+
National Museum of American History

Pick Your Plate

This resource includes a pdf lesson plan and an e-course lesson plan both with different content! You can use either resource on its own, or if you are interested in completing both, we recommend you start with "Pick Your Plate PDF" and then continue to "Pick Your Plate E-Course." 

 

Pick Your Plate PDF 
The following lesson plan is developed to help students learn about nutrition! Through recommended reads, a discussion about food using MyPlate from the Department of U.S. Agriculture, and a "Pick Your Plate" activity, you will learn about the different food groups and factors that affect our food choices.

Pick Your Plate E-Course
Explore how humans and animals choose their food and why humans and animals eat their food. This resource provides content for young learners that covers:

  • the considerations that affect the foods we eat
  • how people cultivate their diet and nutrition
  • extension activities to further learning about foods that were not covered in this lesson
PDF & E-Course Resource Description:
Type:Lesson Plan, Activities, Recommended Reads
ELOF Standards:IT-PMP 11, Goal P-PMP 5
Project Time:10+ minutes
Best for Ages:3+
National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Take a Tour of the Zoo Grocery Store

Have you ever wondered where the Zoo keeps the food for its animals? It's called the commissary, and it's a large grocery store just for Zoo animals! In this video, join keeper Antar and Pinky Jackalope as they chat about what food the animals eat. Follow along as they prepare a special birthday meal for Zahra, the gorilla. Then, create your own gorilla birthday cake using the downloadable lesson below!

Video Description:
Type:Video
Length:7:28
Lesson Plan Description:
Type:Activity, Arts and Crafts
ELOF Standards:P-ATL 10, P-ATL 11, P-ATL 12, P-SCI 1, P-SCI 2, P-PMP 4, P-PMP 5
Project Time:10+
Best for Ages:2+

Explore More Programs

December 11, 2024 at 2 pm ET

Suited for Survival

Suited for Survival explores animal adaptations from prehensile-tailed porcupines to super soft chinchillas. Students will learn how unique adaptations help animals survive.

Grades:

K-5

Standards:

Supports NGSS K-LS1-1, K-ESS2-2, K-ESS3-1, 1-LS1-2, 2-LS4-1, 3-LS3-1, 3-LS3-2, 3-LS4-3, 4-LS1-1

Topics:

mammals, survival, adaptations, animal traits, animal behavior

Crosscutting Concepts:

patterns, structure and function

Cost:

Free

January 22, 2025 at 2 pm ET

Caring About Conservation

What is conservation? Why is it important? Caring About Conservation explores the meaning of "conservation," some of the animals Smithsonian scientists are trying to save, and what we can all do to protect wildlife.

Grades:

K-5

Standards:

Supports NGSS K-LS1-1, K-ESS2-2, K-ESS3-1, K-ESS3-3, K-2-ETS1-1, K-2-ETS1-2, 2-LS4-1, 3-LS2-1, 3-LS4-3, 3-LS4-4, 3-5-ETS1-2

Topics:

conservation, sustainability, animals, wildlife, science

Cost:

Free

February 6, 2025 at 2 pm ET

Healthy Teeth

Why do animals need teeth? How do they use their teeth? And how do they keep them healthy just like we do?

Content Unit:

Teeth

Featured Creature:

Elephants, Sloth Bears

Smithsonian Partners:

National Museum of Natural History

February 19, 2025 at 2 pm ET

Wild Medicine

What happens to a seal who has a toothache? How does an orangutan get a checkup? Wild Medicine invites students to Join our team of veterinarians and other animal health professionals to explore how animals go to the doctor, just like us!

Grades:

K-5

Standards:

Supports NGSS K-LS1-1, 3-LS1-1, 4-LS1-1

Topics:

Health, animal care, veterinary medicine

Crosscutting Concepts:

Patterns, cause and effect, systems and system models, structure and function

Cost:

Free

March 12, 2025 at 11 am ET

Explore the Rainforest

Fly, leap and swim along on an adventure through the Amazon Rainforest to explore the sights and sounds of plants and animals living in this unique ecosystem.

Grades:

K-5

Standards:

Supports NGSS K-LS1-1, K-ESS2-2, K-ESS3-1, K-ESS3-3, 2-LS2-2, 2-LS4-1, 3-LS1-1, 3-LS2-1, 3-LS4-3, 3-LS4-4, 4-LS1-1, 5-LS2-1

Topics:

Amazon, rainforest, biodiversity, rainforest layers, animals

Crosscutting Concepts:

Patterns, cause and effect, scale proportion and quantity, and systems and system models

Cost:

Free

April 3, 2025 at 2 pm ET

Colorful Creatures

What animals are colorful and why?

Content Unit:

Color

Smithsonian Partners:
Standards:

Supports Head Start ELOF Goals P-SCI-1; P-SCI-2; P-SCI-3

April 9, 2025 at 2 pm ET

Saving Endangered Species

What does it mean when an animal is endangered and what can we do to help? Meet one of the National Zoo’s most endangered species and learn how staff care for these special animals.

Grades:

K-5

Standards:

Supports NGSS K-LS1-1, K-ESS3-1, 1-LS1-2, 2-LS4-1, 3-LS3-1, 3-LS3-2, 3-LS4-3, 5-ESS3-1

Topics:

endangered species, conservation

Cost:

Free

May 7, 2025 at 2 pm ET

Discovering Amphibians

Join us as we celebrate Amphibian Week. Learn about amphibians, get an up-close look of some of them and chat with an amphibian expert.

Grades:

K-5

Standards:

Supports NGSS K-LS1-1, K-ESS2-2, K-ESS3-1, 1-LS1-2, 2-LS4-1, 3-LS3-1, 3-LS3-2, 3-LS4-3, 4-LS1-1

Topics:

amphibians, adaptations, habitats, life cycles

Cost:

Free

May 15, 2025 at 2 pm ET

Let's Celebrate!

Help us celebrate Head Start's 60th birthday by throwing a party with different Zoo animals!

Content Unit:

Celebrations

Smithsonian Partners:
Standards:

Supports Head Start ELOF Goals

May 21, 2025 at 12 pm ET

Exploring Neighborhood Birds

Birds are everywhere! Learn about some of our neighborhood birds and the techniques used to study them from a migratory bird scientist.

Grades:

2-8

Standards:

Supports NGSS 2-PS1-2, 2-LS2-2, 2-LS4-1, 3-LS1-1, 3-LS3-1, 3-LS3-2, 3-LS4-3, 4-LS1-1, 5-LS2-1, MS-LS1-4, MS-LS1-5, MS-LS2-A

Topics:

birds, migration, observation, tracking, bird banding

Crosscutting Concepts:

Patterns, Cause and Effect, Interdependence of science, engineering, and technology

Cost:

Free