Explore Habitats With a House for a Hermit Crab Activity Pack

Invite young scientists to solve a real-world problem with this creative and design-based ‘A House for a Hermit Crab’ activity pack. Designed for early elementary learners, this hands-on House for a Hermit Crab Activity Pack encourages students to explore the needs of animals, habitats, and adaptations as they design a safe, comfortable home for a hermit crab.

Kick Off An Exciting ‘House for Hermit Crab’ Project

Hermit crabs rely on shells to stay safe and grow—and when they outgrow one shell, they must find another! In this ‘House for Hermit Crab’ Project, students step into the role of a biologist and eco-problem-solver to help a hermit crab find a new home. Students are tasked with the following:

• Reading simple informational text about hermit crabs and their homes
• Planning and designing a brand-new shell that meets the crab’s needs
• Explaining their design choices and the benefits of the features they chose
• Use a rubric to evaluate their work

This activity blends science and creativity in an engaging and fun way for young scientists.

We have included two variations of this activity…A Dice Roll Game and drawing template for older students who draw more independently, and another sheet with the hermit crab already in place for younger students needing drawing assistance.

Download Your Hermit Crab House Project

Ready to kick off your Hermit Crab House Project? It’s easy! 

This resource is available in both PDF and editable Google Slides format.  To get your copy, click the dropdown arrow on the download button and choose your preferred file type.

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

More Animal Habitat Activities and Resources

Looking for more Animal Habitat Activities and resources for teaching life science? We’ve got you covered. Make sure you check these out before you go!

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Develop a Habitat - Garden Project

A project-based assessment task for students to demonstrate their understanding of how habitats can be preserved and protected in and around where people live.

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Animals and Their Habitats - Cut and Paste Worksheets

Match the animals and their habitats with a pack of printable cut and paste worksheets.

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Animals and Their Habitats - Cut and Match Worksheets

Match animals with their habitats with a set of cut and paste worksheets.