Week Three: Lesson Four

Lesson: Zoo design using Sheppards Software

Objective: Students will take their prior background knowledge about biomes and create a zoo
diagram online, using Sheppards Software. Students will know what a zoo looks like, how to
construct their own zoo and learn to collaborate with a group of students.
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: 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
c. evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks
d. process data and report results
5. Digital citizenship
Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and
ethical behavior.
a. advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology
b. exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and
productivity
6. Technology operations and concepts
Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations.
a. understand and use technology systems
b. select and use applications effectively and productively
Materials:
SmartBoard
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/kidscorner3.htm
Computer
iPad
Overhead Projector
i-nigma QR code app
Microsoft Word

Lesson Preparation: Please be sure and turn on the SmartBoard, computer and Overhead
Projector. Please have the following website up
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/kidscorner3.htm. Click on the link that
says Paint and make, this is what students will be doing today in the computer lab on their own. Please
open up Microsoft Word and locate the file that is entitled Sheppards Software. Display the QR code up
for students to gain access to the website (they will be doing this later). Please also get all iPads out from
the back crate, turn them on and have the app i-nigma QR code up. 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: Who likes to draw? (Every student should raise their hand). Well lucky for
you, today you get to draw and create your own biome drawing. Since you are now all biome
experts and familiar with each biome, you will be broken up into random groups and will be able
to create you very own zoo biome drawing on one biome. Before we can start working though,
you need to know what you will be doing today (display the website Sheppards Software onto
the SmartBoard and go over the website with the students, discussing how they will need to
explore the website and than create their own zoo creation).

Guided Instruction: Now that you are familiar with the website, you will be broken up into
random groups (please draw five-six names from the Popsicle sticks and assign students to one
of the biomes: Tundra, Desert, Tropical Rain Forest, Taiga, Grassland and Temperate Forest).
There should be an even number of boys and girls in each group. Once students have been
assigned a group, allow students to meet at one table and discuss how they want their zoo biome
to look (please assign each biome a table to work quietly at). Today will be a rough draft for
what students will be creating tomorrow. Allow students to discuss with their group for about ten
to fifteen minutes before going to the computer lab. Students should be discussing which animals
live in their biome, what plants live in their biome and looking up what their biome looks like
from their iPad notes. Once students have discussed with their group, you may dismiss students
one group at a time to come up front, get the QR code onto their iPad and then line up to go to
the computer lab.

Independent Activity: Once in the computer lab, students will be working on an individual
basis using their iPads and the Sheppards Software website. Students will be using the
computers to explore actual zoos and look up different zoo maps (this will be the students
project for the following day). Once students have explored online, they should use the website
Sheppards Software to construct what they think their zoo will look like. Once students have
finished they need to show you first (check and make sure they picked the right biome
background, placed animals, plants and color into the picture), save it onto their iPad and then
they may have fun and explore the website. Allow students the remainder of the class period to
explore the website.
Student Work/Outcome: At the end of this lesson, students will be able to draw their own zoo
design using the Sheppards Software website. Students will also be able to get a better idea of
how a zoo map looks, what animals and plants are used for their specific biome and be able
collaborate with a group of students. Students will be graded on the completion of their
Sheppards Software design out of ten points. Below is an example of the work that students will
be creating:















Rubric: Sheppards Software Biome Drawings Total Points: 10
Category Excellent 5 Satisfactory 4 Average 3 Unsatisfactory 1-2
Drawings Student completed
a rough draft
drawing.
Student completed
the drawing but did
not provide either
plants or animals.
Student did not
provide any color
but did complete
the drawing.
Student did not
complete a
drawing.