First Grade Foray Into Animal Features and Needs

Engage

This lesson should be taught at the whole-group instructional spot like a large carpeted area.

“Boys and girls we are going to be starting a new project in science.” 

“Today you are going to have a big challenge.  We’re going to pretend that something really extraordinary happened last night.  Close your eyes and think about what you were doing right after you ate dinner last night.  Were you reading in your bedroom?  Were you playing with your brothers and sisters?  Were you talking with your parents?  Now, imagine that the doorbell rang.  Your mom or dad or grandma went to the door and said there was a package there, just for you.  When you opened that big box, there was a WILD ANIMAL inside!  Open your eyes.  Here are your packages.” Let the children Discuss and Brainstorm any prior knowledge they have about their animal-There are 7 animals and the children can be grouped in groups-   Groups of 3 or 4

Teacher should have packaged up the animal pictures (or plastic animals) for each student.  Teachers could place them each in small boxes or small paper bags. 

Animal Cards should include:

Sea Lion

Flamingo

Cheetah

Panda

Zebra

Elephant

Frog

Explore

http://kids.sandiegozoo.org/animal-cams-videos

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/animals/

Let the children go to the computer lab and view videos of their animal (This can also be done in class using the iPads) –Resources:  The San Diego Zoo website and national geographic website (above.)  Their job is for each student to  come up with a true fun fact about their animal to share with the class.  They can help each other come up with different facts and they can illustrate.  Draw a picture of their animial and pick their favorite fact and include it as a fun fact to share with the class.

"Did you know..........???"

Explain

 The children will now work in groups of two to complete a research graphic organizer- On the front they will find out specific facts about their animal and on the back they will draw and label their animal. 

Research tools will be websites and books.  This will be done in the Media Center.

Elaborate

“When you are finished doing your drawing, get a sheet of paper to write a story about your animal living in its habitat.  Tell some of the interesting things you’ve learned by completing your research or include other details you know about your animal.  Your story should have at least 5 sentences.” The teacher should then hand out the paper.  When all students are settled, the teacher should proceed with: 

“We are going to write the sentence ‘A (blank) lives in the (blank).’  So, if my animal were a starfish, I would write ‘A starfish lives in the ocean.’”

Teacher should prompt students to write this sentence, putting the sentence on the Smartboard for children to copy if necessary.  Students should then be given time to complete their stories. They can then use the computer center in the classroom to make a slide using PIXIE about their animal.  The children can draw a picture of their animal in its habitat (using 3d tools and stamps,) and label their picture.  They will then record their stories taking turns in telling about their animal.  A classroom movie will be made to share on post on the classwebsite.  The children will also have their work posted to Voice Thread. 

Evaluate

Use the following Rubric to assess

Extend

Students go to the computer lab and look at the voice thread.  The students can give feedback in the form of  making connections, looking for similarities and differences to their animal, seeing if their animal is a predator or prey of any of the other animals presented, and asking and answering questions.   

Children can play and then make their own animal sorting games.

In this game you must teach the computer to recognize your animal (Logical Thinking)