Why do animals need teeth? How do they use their teeth? And how do they keep them healthy just like we do?
Resources and Activities
Check out fun and easy classroom activities to help teachers, families, and children further explore the topic of teeth with other Smithsonian museums!
Letter to Families
Print or send this letter home with your students to help them share what they learned during the "Healthy Teeth" virtual field trip and how families can continue the learning at home!
Resources
Carnivore Teeth
Teeth come in different shapes and sizes. The shape of a tooth helps scientists know what food the animal eats or ate when it was alive. In this lesson, students will join learn about different shapes and sizes of teeth from prehistoric carnivores. Students will also make and share observations of different teeth, go on a fossil hunt in their classroom, and make their own fossil teeth necklace.
How to Brush Sloth Bear Teeth
In this video, learn why and how National Zoo keepers brush the teeth of their sloth bears. Afterward, watch Pinky learn how to brush her own teeth!
Additional details
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Age Group:
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Preschool
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Animal:
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Mammals
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ELOF Domain:
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Cognition
Perceptual, Motor, and Physical Development
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Format:
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Video
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Language:
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English
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Museum:
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National Zoo
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Topic:
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Teeth
Healthy Bodies
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Animal Adaptations: Tusks
Additional details
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Age Group:
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Preschool
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Animal:
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Mammals
Dinosaurs and Prehistoric
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ELOF Domain:
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Cognition
Perceptual, Motor, and Physical Development
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Format:
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PDF
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Language:
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English
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Museum:
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Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center
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Topic:
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Teeth
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African Elephant, Woolly Mammoth, & Mastodon Teeth
In this lesson, explore two extinct relatives of modern elephants: woolly mammoths and mastodons! Using pictures and puppets, discover how mastodon, woolly mammoth, and African elephant teeth differ and how each helps these animals eat. Start by watching a video of an educator leading the lesson, then download the PDF lesson plan to try it yourself.