Summary Compare different sizes of shells and learn about how shells grow. Dissect a clam and discover that inside a familiar clam shell, often seen on the beach, there is a living animal. Identify the major body parts of a clam, and compare their function to equivalent organs in people. See a model of filter feeding to understand better how clams eat. Science content Biology: Features, Adaptations of Living Things (K, 1, 3, 7) Biology: Classification of Living Things, Biodiversity (1, 3) Biology: Life Cycles (2) Biology: Sensing, Organ Systems (4, 5, 6) Activities in this lesson Clams - looking at the shell Clam dissection (or mussel) Clams - filter feeding model Procedure Activity: looking at the outside of a clam. Activity: looking at the inside of a clam. Activity: filter feeding model to better understand how a clam eats. Closure Discussion: We see empty clam shells and maybe live clams on our local beaches. This lesson shows students what was or is inside every one of those shells: a living animal with body parts similar to their own that help the clam feed, breathe and move. Grades taught Gr 1 Gr 2
