Supplement to WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE Wesselman Nature Society Program Written by USI Pre-service Teachers Title of lesson or book used: Habitats Materials: chalk or dry erase board, markers dictionary mini books assembled chart paper Project WILD handbook or website (not necessary to complete lesson but helpful) large open area construction paper paper scissors glue markers, colored pencils, and/or crayons fasteners Books on Animals Forest Explorer: A Life-Sized Field Guide By: Bishop, Nic (Depicts in detail several different deciduous forest habitats, with field notes about the insects and animals shown, as well as tips on how to explore a real forest) (Note: Book can be found at the local Vanderburgh library.) Date: Pre- and Post-Field Trip Content Standards: Target Audience: 1 st grade Science Language Arts Social Studies Visual Art 1.4.4 - Explain that most living things need water food and air. 1.5.4 - Use descriptive words when writing (core standard) 1.3.4 - Places and Regions: Identify and describe physical features and human features of the local community including home, school and neighborhood. (core standard) 1.6.6 - Respect personal work and the work of others.
Resources: Objectives: http://www.projectwild.org/ (Contains lessons and other activities that involve wild life.) http://www.iknowthat.com/com/l3?area=habitats (Students are able to test their knowledge with interactive games.) http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/earth.html (This site provides beautiful pictures of animals in their natural habitat. This would be great for students to help them with their animal picture books.) http://ths.sps.lane.edu/biomes/deciduous3/deciduous3.html (This site goes into much more detail. There are links for climate, location, vegetation, health issues, and animals. If you click on the animals they have pictures of these animals in their natural habitats and common facts about each. This would also be a great tool to aid the students in their creation of the animal picture books.) After instruction students will be able to describe the basic necessities for an animal s survival including: air, water, food, and shelter, as evidenced by the creation a mini picture book containing pictures of the animals and the habitats they live in. Introduction/Motivation: Pre-Field Trip Activity The teacher will place the word habitat on the board. The word will be read aloud to students and used in a sentence. Then students will be asked to write on a small sticky note what they think the word habitat means. The students will then have about 5 minutes to take part in a think-pair-share on what they know, or believe they know about habitats. After the students have shared with a neighbor what they believe a habitat is, A student will locate the word habitat in a dictionary and read it aloud to the other students. The students will then put the definitions into their own words and write a definition of the word habitat in their habitat mini-books. The teacher will ask students what things are essential for their survival and the students will brainstorm answers to the question aloud. Then the teacher will pose the question, What things do animals need to survive? Students will respond to this aloud and the teacher will record the students ideas on an animal needs chart. Teacher will ask, What about people? Do we need those same things to survive? Students will respond to this aloud and the teacher will record the students ideas on an animal needs chart. The teacher will then return to the animal needs chart and discuss with students how these needs are met in habitats. The teacher will explain to the students how the different parts of the habitat work together to create and optimal living space for animals. To illustrate the importance of habitat components to the students the teacher will arrange students into a tight circle in a large open space to perform the Habitat Lap Sit activity (from Project WILD). Habitat Lap Sit Activity The teacher will then randomly assign students to be water, food, shelter, or space within the
circle. Ensuring that the students are spaced close together, the teacher will instruct the students to sit at one time. Hopefully, the students will end up sitting in one big circle upon one another s laps. The teacher will then instruct the students to all stand at the same time and will remove one group from the circle, such as the food kids. Then the teacher will again instruct the remaining students in the circle to sit down. The students will attempt to sit down again. The teacher will ask the students to explain what happened. Students will respond about why the circle sit didn t work the second time. Finally, the teacher will end the lesson with a brief oral review of what a habitat is and what things make up a habitat.
Procedure/Activity: Field Trip (Focus on adaptations and effect on growth and survival in tits habitat) Closure: Post-Field Trip Activity Students will read the book Forest Explorer: A Life-Sized Field Guide By: Bishop, Nic as a reminder of all they have learned the past two days. Students will then go back to their seats and begin making their picture books. Each picture book should have the definition of a habitat on the first page. The other pages should include the drawings of the animals in their habitats, and a sentence explaining the picture. Students should provide descriptive sentences telling where these animals live, and why. After completion of the mini picture books students are able to share their books with others in the classroom. Evaluation/Assessment: Think-pair-share Informal assessment The teacher can use information obtained from the discussions to clarify what they need to review before-during-after the field trip to ensure student learning. Animal Picture Books These books can be used to clarify that the students have developed an understanding of what a habitat is, what it consists of, and why it is needed for an animal s survival. Rubric Included below
1 st Grade Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve Rubric Exceptional Adequate Inadequate Knowledge Student s definition in picture book is correct. All animals used are correctly placed in their correct habitats. Students understand that animals also need air, food, and water to survive. Student is able to tell what a habitat is correct. Some animals may not be in correct habitats. Understands air, food, and water are also needed for animals survival. Student s definition is incorrect. Animals are not placed in correct habitat, and have no understanding that animals also need air, food, and water to survive. Skills Student correctly identified animals in habitat. Illustrations in picture book are accurate. Student is able to identify physical features that make up the habitats. Student correctly identifies most animals in correctly in habitat. Most illustrations are accurate. Student is able to identify some physical features that make up the habitats. Student is unable to correctly identify many animals that belong in habitats covered. Few to none of the students Illustrations are accurate. Student is unable to identify physical features that make up the habitats. Perform Student is able to show final animal book and recite the new information learned from unit. Student is able to show final animal book and recite some of the new information learned from unit. Student is unable to show final animal book and unable to recite the new information learned from unit. Grammar Student has very few to no grammatical errors in picture book. Students has small amount of grammatical errors in picture book. Student has several grammatical errors in picture book. TOTAL