Microteaching

Lesson Plan Guide

SCE 4310.1412
Spring 2009

1. Carolina Diaz and Stacey Tuttle

2. Lesson Topic: Classifying animals
3. Grade: 3
4. Sunshine State Standards:
Big Idea: A. Earth is home to a great diversity of living things, but changes in the environment
can affect their survival
SC.3.L.15.1 Classify animals into major groups (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish,
arthropods, vertebrates and invertebrates, those having live births and those which lay eggs)
according to their physical characteristics and behaviors.
5. Objectives:
• Given 6 pictures of different animals students will be able to classify what type of group they
belong to with at least 80% accuracy.
• Given a list of 20 different characteristics of animals students will be able to match them with
the correct animal category with at least 80% accuracy.
6. Process Skills: Classifying; grouping objects or organisms according to properties is what
students will be expected to do as they learn more about the different types of animals groups in
nature.
7. Materials/Resources:
a. Pictures of animal parts
b. Computers
c. Animal classifying game
8. Background Information (for teacher):
a. Mammals: http://ezinearticles.com/?Characteristics-of-Mammals&id=244501
i. vertebrates (they are animals with backbones)
ii. have lungs and breathe in air
iii. warm-blooded (they are able to maintain a constant body temperature regardless
of the outside temperature)
iv. the capacity to produce milk
v. give birth to living young and most provide protection and care for them before
and after birth.
vi. have hair/fur
vii. differ in appearance in shape: some have four legs, some can fly, and some can
swim.
viii. four-chambered hearts that circulate blood efficiently to all parts of the body
b. Birds: http://www.ecnca.org/Animals/Birds/Bird_Characteristics.htm
i. Warm-blooded (a relatively high and constant body temperature mostly
independent of the surroundings)
ii. Vertebrates
iii. Skin is covered by feathers
iv. Have four chambered hearts (like mammals)
 v. Bones are lightweight and usually hollow
vi. Have wings
vii. Lay eggs
c. Reptiles: http://www.ecnca.org/Animals/Reptiles/Reptile_Characteristics.htm
i. Cold-blooded (variable body temperature which closely matches that of the
surroundings)
ii. Skin has scales, no feathers or fur
iii. Have three-chambered hearts (except alligators and crocodiles which have four-
chambered hearts)
iv. Have claws on their toes
v. First animal in evolution to develop an amniotic egg (A thin, membranous, fluid-
filled sac surrounding an embryo which keeps it from drying out) which allows
them to lay eggs on land
d. Amphibians:
http://www.ecnca.org/Animals/Amphibians/Amphibian_Characteristics.htm
i. Cold-blooded (variable body temperature which closely matches that of the
surroundings)
ii. Skin is usually smooth and lacks scales, hair, and feathers
iii. Dependent upon moisture, need moist skin to breathe
iv. Have three-chambered hearts
v. Lack claws on their toes
e. Fish: http://www.ecnca.org/Animals/Fish/Fish_Characteristics.htm
i. Cold-blooded (variable body temperature which closely matches that of the
surroundings)
ii. Aquatic (live in the water)
iii. Vertebrate (have backbone)
iv. Skin is covered with scales
v. Have fins for swimming
f. Vertebrate: animals having a bony or cartilaginous skeleton with a segmented spinal
column and a large brain enclosed in a skull or cranium.
http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=vertebrate
9. Detailed Lesson Plan:
a. Students should create groups of 4-5 students.
b. Teacher will pass out three pictures from each animal category in a random order to all
the student groups.
c. Students will then be instructed to match the three pictures from each animal category
that they believe should go together. Ask students: Match the pictures of the kinds of
animals that you think belong together, you must have 5 even groups with 3 pictures for
each group. Students should work collaboratively to arrive at a group consensus on why
they believe those pictures belong together. Students should be prepared to explain how
they categorized the pictures and why.
d. After students are done creating the animal groups, the teacher will create her own
groups with the class and discuss why they have decided to group those animals
together as opposed to another kind of grouping. This will help teacher assess what the
students already know about how animals are classified, as well as any misconceptions
that they might have in the classification of animals.
Sample Questions:
“How did you decide to group your animals?”
“What led you to these conclusions?”
 “What have you seen or experienced before that led you to this conclusion?”
e. Conclude by telling students that just like everything else in science, animals have been
classified by human being into different groups. At this juncture proceed to the power
point and explain the different characteristics of mammals, fish, reptiles, amphibians,
and birds. Discuss how these animals are alike and how they are different.
f. Also talk about those mammals that are different but are still considered mammals. Talk
about what makes them different but also what makes them the same.
g. Students will then play a scratch game where they have to classify different animals into
their own categories.
h. Finally, ask students what other animals still need to be covered such as invertebrates,
crustaceans, arthropods and insects.
10. Modifications: One of the great things about this lesson is that it incorporates a lot of
modifications within the lesson itself. 1) ADD/ADHD: students will have a better chance to
focus on their tasks as there will be more than one activity within this lesson, at the end of the
activity with the pictures, the materials will be collected as to not distract students from the
lesson that follows. 2) learning disabled: the visuals and discussion will help to scaffold these
students’ learning so that they can successfully learn the classification of animals. 3) gifted:
these students can start looking into the other types of animals that we will be study in the next
science class. 4) ELL: different visuals will help these students better understand the different
animal classifications, the teacher will also demonstrate as much as possible the different
characteristics of each animal group such as the meaning of vertebrate. 5) physically disabled:
as students will be working and discussing both is small and whole group, these students will
have the opportunity to participate in all aspects with the help of a previously assigned
classroom buddy.
a. The following are part of adapting instruction for all kinds of learners:
- Opportunities for participation and discussion
- Oral responses
- Variety of opportunities to excel
- Visual aids through pictures and presentation
- Plenty of opportunities for feedback
- Clear directions and expectations
- Opportunities for socialization
- Peer scaffolding
11. Technology:
a. Internet: using the internet students can search for the characteristics of these types of
animals themselves, and they can even look for more picture examples.
b. Using digital cameras students will be able to go outside and take pictures of all the
animals that they can find in school groups. If there are enough cameras students can
even take pictures of animals outside of school in their own time.
c. Using simulations and other games such as the one used in class students can enhance
their learning and understanding of classifying animals.
12. Curricular Integration:
Integrating with language arts:
LA.3.4.1.1 The student will write narratives based on real or imagined events or
observations that include characters, setting, plot, sensory details, and a logical
sequence of events.
After this lesson has been completed, allow the students to write a story on a
specific topic. A possible topic could be: Imagine you are a reptile that lives in the
desert. Based on your body characteristics, what could limit you from living healthily in
the desert? Explain what you would do to survive, what it takes for you to be in a more
suitable habitat, and what alterations could be made for you to live happily.
Integrating with social studies:
SS.K.A.1.1 Develop an understanding of how to use and create a timeline.
Students will research and create their own timeline on the evolution on animal
species, staring from dinosaurs to birds and mammals.