Week Three: Lesson Five

Lesson: Zoo design

Objective: Students will be able to construct their very own biome zoo design using their prior
background knowledge on biomes. Students will be able to learn to collaborate with other
students and create a biome zoo design.
Common Core Standards/Content Standards:
Content Standards: History-Social Science
4.1 Students demonstrate an understanding of the physical and human geographic features that
define places and regions in California
Common Core Standards: Science
Life Science
3. Living organisms depend on one another and on their environment for survival. As a basis
for understanding this concept:
3.a. Students know ecosystems can be characterized by their living and nonliving components.
3.b. Students know that in any particular environment, some kinds of plants and animals survive
well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.
Common Core Standards: Language Arts
Reading Standards for Informational Text : Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
7. Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively (e.g., in charts, graphs, diagrams, time
lines, animations, or interactive elements on Web pages) and explain how the information contributes to
an understanding of the text in which it appears.
Common Core Standards: Visual Arts
5.3 Construct diagrams, maps, graphs, timelines, and illustrations to communicate ideas or tell a story
about a historical event.
Technology Standards
1. Creativity and innovation
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and
processes using technology.
a. apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes
b. create original works as a means of personal or group expression
c. use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues
2. Communication and collaboration
Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a
distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.
a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital
environments and media
b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and
formats
d. contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems
3. Research and information fluency
Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.
a. plan strategies to guide inquiry
b. locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of
sources and media
Materials:
SmartBoard
ELMO
iPad
Overhead Projector
Construction paper
Biome zoo examples drawings
Crayons
Pencils
Markers

Lesson Preparation: Please be sure and turn on the SmartBoard, Overhead Projector and
ELMO. Please place the Biome zoo example under the ELMO (you will be showing students this
later in the assignment explanation). Please also get all iPads out from the back crate, turn them.
Please place one iPad on each students desk according to the number on the back and the number on
each students name tag.

Anticipatory Set: Close your eyes and think about a time that you have gone to a zoo. What is
the first thing you do when before you go inside? Students should respond by saying, look at the
map. Well when you look at a zoo map, what do you notice? Animals are broken up into groups.
The animals are broken up into different groups based on their habitats. We have learned over
the past three weeks that animals and plants have different habitats that they live in, according to
their needs. With your group (from the previous day), you will be able to take all of your prior
background knowledge on biomes and create a biome zoo design, just like this example.
This is an example of what you will be doing today (have displayed on the SmartBoard the
biome zoo design).
Guided Instruction: In your group, you will need to draw your biome (include all physical
features-trees, water, sand, etc.), and include all plants and animals that belong in your biome.
Make sure you label the name of all plants and animals that are in your biome, so that others will
be able to identify them. Once every group have finished, you will present to the class and then
we will display them up on the board and it will be like our very own zoo is in class. Your biome
shall not look like anyone elses in the classroom. Each biome must present a minimum of five
different plants and animals into the drawing. Please assign each table a biome so that students
can work with their group. Once you have done this, please dismiss students to work with their
group. Once groups are settled, pass out one white construction paper to each group, one package
of markers and one package of colored pencils.

Independent Activity: Students will be working at their table with their group members the
whole class period. Students will need to draw their very own zoo design and incorporate the
correct plants and animals that can only be found in their biome. Students will need to make it
colorful and label the name of each animal and plant in the drawing. Allow students to work for
45-60 minutes on their zoo design depending on the timing. Students will present their zoo
design to the whole class the following day.

Student Work/Outcome: At the end of this lesson, students will get a better understanding into
what a zoo biome looks like and how to work with other students. Students will be able to
correctly construct their own biome zoo design but drawing the correct plants, animals and
background features for each biome. Students will need to use all their prior background
knowledge from the past three weeks, as well as collaboration with other students to create their
very own zoo. Students will be graded on: their creativity, notes from the week, classroom
management time, as well as their overall presentation. Below is an example of what students
will need to be creating with their table group.
Rubric: Zoo Design Total Points: 40
Category Excellent 5 Satisfactory 4 Average 3 Unsatisfactory 1-2
Creativity of zoo
design-15 points
The overall
appearance of the
biome zoo design
Zoo design was
colorful, but not
easy to see or
Zoo design was
colorful but the
student only
Zoo design
provided no color
and was not
is colorful, easy to
see, each biome is
represented with
the correct
animals and plants
in each biome.
understand. More
then 90% of the
plants and animals
were correctly
labeled and put in
the correct biome.
provided 80% of
the correct plants
and animals for
each biome.
complete. Student
provided less then
70% of the plants
and animals.
Notes/Facts-10
points
Student provided
clear and concise
notes, detailing all
of the six biomes.
Student provided
notes that were
clear but not
concise and only
addressed five of
the six biomes.
Student provided
notes that were not
clear and only
addressed three to
four of the six
biomes.
Student provided
details to only one
or two of the
biomes. Notes were
not clear, not
concise and did not
address all the
information.
Use of Time Classroom time
was used
effectively to
work on their
project.
Classroom time
was used to work
on project about
90% of the time.
Classroom time
was used to work
on project about
80% of the time.
Student was
distracted and
talking with other
students.
Student did not use
classroom time
effectively.
Worked about 70%
of the time on their
project. Was very
distracted and
talked with other
students a majority
of the class time.
Presentation-10
points
Student was able
to present with
clear, concise
details. Presented
with a loud voice
and with easy to
understand and
follow details.
Student presented
with clear, concise
details. Presented
with a low voice
and made it
difficult to follow
and understand
details.
Student presented
project but rushed
through the
presentation.
Details were not
clear or concise.
Student presented
but did not share
any details.