Animal Studies Essential Standards:

September 23rd, 2013

4.L.1 Understand the effects of environmental changes, adaptations and behaviors that enable animals (including humans) to survive in changing habitats. Goals/Objectives: Students will discuss essential elements to a habitat Students will compare and contrast the differences and similarities between a habitat and an environment

Materials Needed: Chart Paper Markers SMART board and Animal Studies SMART file located in resources tab

Procedures: Open the lesson using the smart file for animal studies. Open to the slide with the vocabulary words in it. Using a think-pair-share, have the students discuss environment and habitat by reading the definitions and thinking through how they are similar and how they are different from each other. Once students share a few of their ideas, open to the next few slides that give more details about environment and habitats. Give examples of specific environments and habitats, for instance the dwarf African frog lives in a rain forest (the environment) while its habitat is a pond or lake. Another example would an owl lives in a forest, while its habitat is in a tree. Tell students that they are going to work in groups. Tell them how important it is to do ones fair share during group work. Tell them that each person is going to have a task. Those tasks are 1) time keeper: The time keeper will make sure that students are getting enough done in time and will be given a specific time allotment for completing tasks 2) recorder: the recorder will write information down on the chart paper 3) manager: the manager will guide discussion and make sure that all necessary elements are taken care of for the task. 4) Presenter: the presenter will present the information to the class. Break students into groups of 4 by numbering them. One group will have 5 members, this group can have 2 people on one task. Give each group a chart paper and marker. Instruct students to make a Venn diagram and compare the term habitat with the term environment. To ensure that students are on task, tell the timekeeper that they are going to have exactly 7 minutes to complete this task. Tell the manager that there needs to be at least 3 elements in each part of the Venn diagram. While students are working, filter throughout the room with an observational checklist (included in appendix) and check off which groups are on task.

After 7 minutes is up, instruct groups to head back to their seats. Call on each group to share their chart paper. After each group is finished sharing, ask other classmates if they have anything to comment in regards to the presentation. Once all groups have shared, conclude the lesson by telling the students that the following day they will learn more about the frogs and have an opportunity to observe the frog in its habitat.

Assessment: For this lesson, the students will be informally assessed using an observational checklist. Groups On Task? Displays understanding of content during presentation? Is this group able to move to the next lesson?

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Differentiation: ESL Students: The ESL student in the classroom is pulled out during science and is working on an alternative science project in the area of animal studies with her peers in the ESL class. Students with disabilities: Notes from the SMART board will be printed for student with visual impairment and student with autism. Furthermore, the student with autism will have repeated directions and progress will be monitored more closely. AIG Students: If students finish work early, they will be instructed to observe the frog habitats and record their observations.