Teacher Education Lesson Plan-Science #1

Teacher Candidate School Alison Haynes Date and Time of Lesson Subject/Grade Level Friday, Oct. 12, 2012 Science/3rd Grade

Mathews Elementary School

Description of Lesson: Students will organize different species of animals according

to certain characteristics. Students will also determine how certain characteristics help species adapt to environmental conditions.

Lesson Title: What am I? Animal Characteristics Curriculum Standards Addressed: National Standard(s):
Content Standard C: Life Science a. Characteristics of organisms - Organisms have basic needs. For example, animals need air, water, and food; plants require air, water, nutrients, and light. Organisms can survive only in environments in which their needs can be met. The world has many different environments, and distinct environments support the life of different types of organisms. SC Curriculum Standard(s): Standard 3-2 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the structures, characteristics, and adaptations of organisms that allow them to function and survive within their habitats. SC Academic Indicator(s): Indicator 3-2.2 Explain how physical and behavioral adaptations allow organisms to survive (including hibernation, defense, locomotion, movement, food obtainment, and camouflage for animals and seed dispersal, color, and response to light for plants).

Cross Curricular Connections:

ELA-We will connect an animals movement type to a verb. MATH-Multiplication: columns and rows in an array

Instructional Objective(s) Criteria:

When given a chart and different animal characteristics, the student will be able to identify and explain how physical and behavioral adaptations allow organisms to survive (including hibernation, defense, locomotion, movement, food obtainment, and camouflage for animals and seed dispersal, color, and response to light for plants).

Assessment(s) of the Objectives:

Students will cut the squares from the student worksheet and paste them on the construction paper into the appropriate column. The pictures in the rows must flow together and flow. Each student will be given a name

3-2.2

tag with an animal on it. The student will then use the given paper to fill in the chart for their specific animal: Where it lives, How it moves, and What it wears. Students will also write 2-3 sentences to summarize the chart they filled in about their given animal. These will be taken up.

Materials/Resources:
Construction paper, scissors, glue, student page from PLT with animal characteristic cards, animal name tags, handout, Elmo projector

Prerequisites (Prior Knowledge):

Students have been learning about animal and plant adaptations, so they should already understand what they are looking for in the chart: habitat, movement, and physical traits.

References: Project Learning Tree, Maggie McHugh Procedures:

1. Review animal adaptations: movement and defense. Lets review what you all learned yesterday about animal adaptations. Look at the chart we made. Animals have how many adaptations.6.right! But today we are going to only focus on two of the six: movement and defense, and also, an animals habitat. Specifically, we are going to talk about where animals live, how animals move, and what it wears.what do we mean by what it wears?......................*Take answers from a few students* 2. Give each student a copy of the student page from PLT with the animal characteristics and a piece of construction paper. I am passing out a worksheet and a piece of construction paper. Make sure everybody in your group has one of each. While I pass those out, take out your scissors and glue. 3. Fold the construction paper in half, hamburger style. Then fold it in half again. Students cut each square from the student worksheet. Start with the first column and paste the squares in the column for Habitat. Now, look in the second column, Locomotion and paste the square that matches the first column. Do the same for the third column, physical trait; make sure it matches the first two columns. Then, make sure the third column matches the first two. Look at me-hold your paper long ways, and fold it hamburger style. Then, fold it hamburger style again. When you open it up, you should have four columns. Raise your hand if you need help. After you fold your paper, cut the

squares out on the worksheet. Now lets look at our first column. We will label this column Habitat. Look through your squares and take out the ones that are a habitat-there are four. What are they? Grassland, forest, water, and desert--Lets paste them in the first column. It does not matter what order. Lets look at the second column, and label it Locomotion. What is locomotion again?...Now, look through your squares and find the ones that have locomotion on them. There are four. Ok, before we paste those we have to look to see if they match the first column. For example, find the square that says swims. Do you think an animal that SWIMS would live in the grasslands, forests, deserts, and water?..Water..Ok, so lets put swims in column 2 beside water. *Continue to do the last 3 squares for locomotion* Lets look at column 3. Lets label this column physical trait. We have four squares left-what are they?...exoskeleton, fur, scales or slimy skin, and feathers. Do you all know what exoskeleton is? Think about skeletonand exo means outside. So exoskeleton means a skeleton or bones/hard covering on the outside of the animals body. Usually, insects or sea animals (crabs, lobster, etc.) have exoskeletons. Which physical trait do you think goes in the first row-what kind of skin does an animal have that lives in the water and swims? (*ex*)feathers? scales or slimy skin? fur? or exoskeleton?...*continue to fill in the rest of the rows*.

4. In the last column, What am I, take examples from students. Before we look at column 4, lets make a connection. Do you notice how we have FOUR columns and FOUR rows? When have we talked about columns and rows?....MathWhat were we learning in math that has columns and rows?....multiplication and arrays. GOOD! Now, lets look at column 4, and label this column WHAT AM I? Look at the first row, and think about an animal that has all of these characteristics: lives in (habitat), moves/travels by (locomotion), and looks like/has skin like (physical

trait)give me an example of an animal that has all of these traits. *continue

to do all rows until an example has been given for each* (examples will vary because they are given by the students) 5. Pass out name tags. Explain that students will think as if they are the animal they have been given. Pass out the sheet with pictures of each animal. Go over the worksheet. Part A is a chart. Students fill in the chart for their specific animal. Nobody has the same animal. In Part B, students write 2-3 sentences explaining their chart.

Ok, please put your construction paper in the corner of your desk. I am going to pass out name tags to each group. The name tags have an animal on them. Pick one; do not trade with any other group. I have picked these animals for your group. I also am going to pass out a sheet of paper with some pictures on it. These pictures are of the animals in your group. The pictures show each animal in their natural habitat. There is only one copy per group, so please share. I am also going to pass out a worksheet-it looks like this (projected on the smart board). In part A, you have a chart. The first column says What am I? This time we are going backwards-we will start with an animal then fill in the habitat, locomotion, and physical traits. The second column is labeled habitat. I want you to use the picture I have given you of your animal and think about where your animal lives. Then, think about how your animal moves. If you have a fish, of course it will swim. It definitely doesnt walk, right? And the last column says What do I look like? Think about what your animal wearsdoes it have feathers, fur, exoskeleton, or scaled/slimy skin? Remember, everyone has a different animal, so your chart will not look like your neighbors. In Part B, I want you to summarize or explain your chart. Write it in first person-which means write it as if you are the animal. My animal is an elephant, so lets read my example. I wrote it as if I am the elephant: I am an elephant. I live in the grasslands. Sometimes I walk and sometimes I run! My skin is tough and wrinkly. When Im young, my hair is fuzzy and thick, but it gets thinner as I get older. If you finish early, draw a picture of your animal at the bottom of your paper.

6. Take up construction worksheets. Students are to put their construction paper and name tags in their chair pocket.

Accommodations: Early finishers should review their own work, and draw a picture of
their animal. If they finish that, they may help anyone in their group that is not done or read. There is a hearing impaired child, so a microphone will be used. Also, some students need help cutting straight, and some need help writing quickly. Repeat and modify

instructions as needed.