Laritza Suero

ELED 3221--‐003
March 17, 2018

INDIRECT INSTRUCTION (STRUCTURED DISCOVERY) LESSON PLAN FORMAT

Animal needs and habitats

Elementary Science
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Big Idea: Ecosystems

Grade Level: 4th grade

Rationale: Students need to learn about the basic needs of organisms. Not only will this
information be necessary for them to develop a foundation for future science courses, but it will
allow them to make connections with real life situations. For example, as pet owners, many
students will be able to better understand the needs of those animals and how to provide
opportunities for those needs to be met. Students will additionally identify how animal needs
compare to their own needs. Furthermore, learning about ways that habitats are affected will help
students come up with ways in which they can promote healthy habitats for animals.

NC Essential Standard(s): Understand the effects of environmental changes, adaptations and

behaviors that enable animals (including humans) to survive in changing habitats. 4.L.1

Give examples of changes in an organism’s environment that are beneficial to it and some that
are harmful. 4.L.1.1

Instructional Objective: Students will be able to identify resources that animals need to survive
and how changes in their environment can affect their survival. Students will draw a picture of
an animal in their natural habitat, and a short explanation summarizing what resources their
animal needs to survive in that habitat as well as one thing that could cause a disruption in
availability of resources. Students are expected to earn 4 out of 5 points to demonstrate mastery.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills: Students should have an idea of where certain animals live,
and they should be able to name some of their basic needs. The teacher should know what an
ecosystem is, and how organisms interact with one another and are dependent of non-living
things in the ecosystem to meet their needs. Also, the teacher should be aware of different kinds
of changes and natural disasters that can affect habitats.

Materials/Resources: 1 piece of poster paper, markers, crayons, paper for drawings

Source of your lesson: “Oh Deer” activity idea from ELED 3221

Estimated Time: 45 minutes-1 hour

Accommodation for Special Needs/different learning styles:
For ELL students, I will create cards with pictures of the vocabulary words involved in the
lesson. For students with visual or hearing impairments, I will have them sit in the front of the
room. If students finish early with their exit ticket, I will have them research other animal
habitats that we didn’t talk about on their Chromebooks.

Safety considerations: I will monitor students at all times. I will make sure to be very clear
about rules and expectations, especially during the “Oh Deer” game, to prevent students from
hurting themselves and/or each other.
Laritza Suero
ELED 3221--‐003
March 17, 2018
______________________________________________________________________________

Content and Strategies (Procedure)

Engage: The teacher will start off the lesson by telling students that they will be talking about
the things that animals need to survive, and changes in their environment that can affect them.
The students will turn and talk to their peers about what they think are some basic animal needs.
Once they have discussed with each other, the students will be asked to share their ideas, and the
teacher will list the student’s responses to make an anchor chart.

Explore: The students will be involved in a simulation activity. Half of the students will pretend
to be deer, and the other half will pretend to be the resources for the deer’s’ survival. Students
will form two lines and will need to turn their backs to each other. The teacher will explain three
different signs to represent the resources. For food, students will need to place their hands on
their belly; for water, they will place their hands on their mouth; and for shelter they will place
their hands over their heads. Both, the resources and the deer will make a sign of their choice.
When the teacher counts to “three,” the students will face each other and the deer will need to
run to their resource. If a deer fails to get ahold of their resource, they do not survive and
automatically become part of the resource group. The deer that do get a hold of their resource,
take that student back with them and also become a deer (this symbolizes the success of meeting
their needs and then reproducing). After a couple rounds of students choosing their own signs,
the teacher will tell the resource group what they should be (for example, in one round the
teacher might say for all of them to be shelters). The teacher will continue to change things up
and keep track of the deer population after each round. During the game, the teacher will ask
students questions such as:
- What happened to the amount of deer?
o There are a lot more deer now
- How many deer did not survive?
- Why didn’t all the deer get what they were looking for?
o There were more deer than there were food, water, or shelter
- Why do you think there wasn’t any food or water available during this round?
o Maybe something happened that contaminated the water
o There was no food available

Explanation: Once the students return to their seats, the teacher will facilitate a group discussion
about the activity. In order to have points of view from both sides, the teacher will first ask for
volunteers from each of the groups to share their experience. For example, the students that were
the deer will explain how they felt when trying to find food, shelter, or water. Likewise, the
students that were the resources, will have the opportunity to share how it was like for them.
Once students have had a few minutes to share their experience, the teacher will present some
questions similar to the ones during the activity:
 - What did you notice happened at the end of the first round?
o There was more deer
- What do you think caused the increase of deer?
o They were able to find what they were looking for and the other person also
became a deer
- Because there were more deer now, what happened at the end of the second round?
o There wasn’t enough food, water, or shelter for all of them
- What happened to the deer when the only thing available for them was shelter? Why do
you think that was the only thing available?
o A lot of deer died because many were looking for food and water and there wasn’t
any
 The teacher will tell the students that the things that animals need to survive are called
resources, and that the places where animals live are called habitats.

- Now that we understand the needs of animals to survive, what are some things that could
cause resources to be limited or disappear?
o Forest fires can destroy habitats
o Droughts can cause there to be no water supply or food
o Floods
o Pollution
o Too many deer living in one area
o Another species

Elaborate: Students will compare and contrast animal needs to their own. The teacher will
provide a sheet with a T-chart, that students will fill out with a partner. As the students work on
this, the teacher will circle around the room and interview students to understand their thoughts.
Students will be given a few minutes to complete the chart and the teacher will ask for volunteers
to share with the whole class.

Evaluate: The students will be asked to draw a picture of an animal (other than deer) in their
natural habitat, showing all the resources it needs to survive in that particular habitat. At the
bottom, the students will need to write a short paragraph summarizing the picture and using the
vocabulary learned. In addition, they will also need to describe an environmental change that
could hurt their habitat. Students should earn 4 out of 5 points (80%) to demonstrate mastery.

Closure: At this time, the teacher will give opportunity for questions that students might have
about the topic. Also, the teacher will ask the students what they thought was the purpose for the
lesson. If time allows, students will have the opportunity to show their pictures in front of the
class.