Endangered Animal Picture Book Lesson Nina Owens Title of Lesson: Endangered Animal Picture Book Grade: 3 STANDARDS

3-LS4-3. Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all. [Clarification Statement: Examples of evidence could include needs and characteristics of the organisms and habitats involved. The organisms and their habitat make up a system in which the parts depend on each other.] 3-LS4-4. Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem caused when the environment changes and the types of plants and animals that live there may change. [Clarification Statement: Examples of environmental changes could include changes in land characteristics, water distribution, temperature, food, and other organisms.] CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.2a Introduce a topic and group related information together; include illustrations when useful to aiding comprehension. LESSON SUMMARY/OVERVIEW The topic of this lesson is endangered animals. Students will first participate in a gummy bear hunt that represents the declining populations of animals. After the gummy bear hunt, students will be asked to select a slip of paper with an endangered animal written on it. This animal will become their assigned animal that they will research on the Internet. Students will then use the information they have collected about their assigned animal to create an illustrated and informative page for our class endangered animal picture book. To conclude the lesson, each student will participate in the read aloud of the completed endangered animals picture book, by sharing information about his or her specific animal. OBJECTIVES Students will be able to: Accurately define what an endangered animal is Gain knowledge of endangered animals in our world today Make observations to collect data which can be used to make comparisons Become an expert on their assigned endangered animal Investigate and identify what they can do to contribute and help animals around the world and in their community ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION

Successfully complete a page about their animal for the endangered animal picture book, that includes all of the following information: Name of the animal Where in the world it is located Habitat Food source What threatens its survival One thing we can do to help or contribute to the animal

Exit ticket: Each student must describe an interesting fact that they learned about 3 different endangered animals (3 facts total) PREREQUISITE KNOWLEDGE

Because this is the first lesson of the unit, students will not need much prerequisite knowledge. All they will need is basic background knowledge of wild animals around the world. MATERIALS Gummy Bears Notebook Paper Pencils Construction Paper (all colors) Crayons Markers Colored Pencils 3 Hole Punch String, Stapler, or another binding material to to put book together Computers With Internet Access VOCABULARY/KEY WORDS Endangered- To expose to harm or danger; imperil, to threaten with extinction Survival- a state of surviving; remaining alive Habitat- The area or environment where an organism or ecological community normally lives or occurs Threaten- To indicate danger or harm Contribute- To give or supply in common with others; give to a common fund or for a common purpose TEACHING PROCEDURES Place gummy bears around the room, hide some in easy to find places, and hide some in harder to find places (much like an Easter egg hunt) Have students hunt around the room for gummy bears After 2 minutes, have students stop hunting for gummy bears Count how many they found as a class Give the students 2 more minutes to hunt for gummy bears again

After the 2 minutes is up count the total again as a class Have the students hunt for gummy bears one last time for 2 minutes Discuss as a class what happened to the number of gummy bears after the 1rst, 2nd, and 3rd time around Describe how the gummy bears became increasingly harder to find because there were fewer of them. Tell them that the same is true about animals on our earth, and those animals are considered to be endangered animals Have folded slips of paper with endangered animals written on them cut up and in a basket in front of the room Have students draw one slip of paper, this will be their assigned animal Students will research their assigned animal on the internet and find that specific animals location, habitat, food source, what threatens its survival, and one way that we can help Have students record researched information on a piece of notebook paper After all of the information has been filled out and the criteria has been met, students will begin making their page for the endangered animal picture book on a piece of construction paper Students will illustrate their animal and write required information on their book page Students will accurately complete their endangered animal page, and turn it in so that entire class book can be put together After book containing every students page is put together, we will read the book aloud as a class Each student will describe what they wrote about their animal when we get to their specific page in the book Conclude lesson with an exit ticket: each student must describe an interesting fact that they learned about 3 different endangered animals (3 facts total) RESOURCES

Teacher vision. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.teachervision.com/endangered-species/lessonplan/6239.html WAYS OF THINKING CONNECTION My lesson involves all four ways of thinking: It incorporates strategic, futures, values, and systems thinking. It includes strategic thinking because this lesson involves setting goals, and making long-term plans for the future. Students will be learning about what role they play in the scheme of things, and what they can do in the future to help contribute and benefit wild animals around the world. My lesson also contains futures thinking, which allows us to examine the issues at hand, and to better plan for future possibilities. This is integrated into my lesson by teaching students the issue of animal endangerment, which leads them to want to make a change to save the animals. They will start to consider what they can do to make a difference in the lives of animals around the world and in their communities. Systems thinking describes how every system influences or affects another system within a whole. Everything is interconnected, such as in animal ecosystems. Endangered animals have been greatly affected by human activity such as deforestation and pollution. This results in loss of habitat and food sources. Students will realize just how great our impact as human beings is on the wildlife around us. Values thinking is also utilized in my lesson because it forces students to analyze the way they think about the world, and to evaluate whether or not they want to contribute to the cause of animal conservation, and exactly how they can contribute.