At The Zoo I Saw...

Objectives: Students are able to identify different kinds of animals in the zoo based
on animals body covering. Students are able to understand functions of different
animals body covering and why scientist using animal body covering to study animal
characteristics.
Grade Level: 6th Grade
Time: 60 min
Materials: Activity Worksheets. Pencils.
Resources: Fort Wayne Children Zoo. (n.d.) Lesson Plans. At The Zoo I Saw....
Retrieved from:
http://kidszoo.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/At-the-Zoo-I-Saw.pdf

Teaching Standards:
Michigan Curriculum Standards:
Science Education
S.IP.06.11.: Generate scientific questions based on observations, investigations and
research.
S.IP.06.13.: Communicate and defend findings of observations and investigations
using evidence.
Introduction: (15 min)
A. Introducing basic knowledge of different kinds of animals and their body covering
features start with questions like: Do you think rabbits and fishes both belong to the
same animal category? Why or why not? What is the most obvious body feature of
birds separated them from other kinds animals? Who can provide several examples of
mammals? Which body feature of mammals help people separate them from other
kinds of animals such as birds and reptiles?

B. Illustrating knowledge about why different kinds of animals have different body
covering and how these coverings help them surviving in the nature environment. Ex.
Mammals have fur or hair to keep body warm during cold weather; Birds use feathers
to help them fly. And why scientist need to study animals body covering in order to
study animal characteristics. Asking questions to make sure students fully understand
about the project: Why mammals have fur or hair as their body covering? What are
some examples of animal body covering? (Hair, fur, scales, etc.) What are different
functions of each type of body covering?

C. Talking about worksheet and safety rules. Students need to fill out their working
sheet and identify each animal they saw in the zoo and separate these animals into
five categories (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish) by observing their
body covering. During the zoo field trip each student need to follow the team, stay in
the certain area, following instructions from the team leader or adult in the group, etc.
Using safe transportation to go to the observation space.

Field Activity: (25 min)

1. Counting numbers of students and create small groups of 5 or 6. Illustrating safety
rules and zoo map. Choose a group leader and assign an tutor/adult for each group.
2. Sending school staff and parents to the observation field and make sure each
student can be monitored by adults at anytime during observation.
3. Sending students to the observation field and starting observation.
4. The whole process will take 25 minutes which will be timed by instructors.
5. 25 minutes later, ending observations. Gather students and start counting numbers.
6. Making sure no one left behind.
Small Group meeting (Discussions and an activity) (5 min)
A. Small Group Discussion. Instructors will divided students to into six groups. (Total
Number of students: 30) Students are going to discuss what they saw during their field
trips and answers of worksheet with group members. After they finished, each group
need to choose a secret animal they saw in the zoo and prepare several clues or
feathers which can be used to identify this animal.
(Did you finished your worksheet? Is there any animal you have hard time identify?
Discussing and comparing your answers with your group members and finish your
worksheet. Is there any difference between your answers and other group members
answers? )
B. Activity. Each group has a chance to describe their secret animal by using its
features to the whole class. Each student in the group should describe one feature of
the animal. After all the students in the presenting group described all the feathers of
the animal they choose, the rest of the class will guess what is their secret animal by
using clues provided.
(Option: The group wins if no one identified their secret animal. OR The group which
provide the most reasonable features of their animal wins.)
Reflection: (10 min)
Instructors monitor students group meeting and discussions. How students do in the
activity? Did everyone finished their worksheet? Which kind of animals is hard for
students to identify? Which animal is hard for students to identify? Finding students
questions by observation and solve these questions by providing correct answers.

Conclusion: (5 min)
Instructor talks about things happened during the observation. Which part is good?
Which part still need to improve? What do students learned from this field trip? What
they saw in the zoo? What is the main feature of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians
and fish? How these features help animals living in the world of nature? What is the
secret animal for your group, and why did your group choose that animal? Why
scientist study animals body coverings in order to study their characteristics?