Unit

 Plan  by  Mary  Moss  

Pre-­‐assessment:  Students  will  be  assessed  on  a  multiple-­‐choice  quiz  about  topics,  such  as  
habitat,  adaptations,  and  so  forth.  

Final  assessment:  Students  will  be  assessed  between  data  from  their  animal  report  booklet  
(rubric)  and    the  same  multiple-­‐choice  quiz  given  as  a  pre-­‐assessment.  

Lesson  #   1:  How  are  animals  who  live  in  our  area  different  than  other  
animals  around  the  world?  

Standard    
Standard  -­‐  4.1.2.E  Identify  how  living  things  survive  changes  in  their  
environment.  
Standard  -­‐  3.1.2.C2  Explain  that  living  things  can  only  survive  if  their  
needs  are  being  met.  
 

Objective   o   Students  will  be  able  to  identify  and  describe  

animals  in  our  (Erie)  environment.  
o   Students  will  be  able  to  explain  how  animals  are  
relocated  by  weather  and  mankind.  
o   Students  will  be  able  to  identify  animals  that  live  in  
the  jungle  and  African  plain  environment.  
 

Activity   •   Teacher  will  do  a  mini  lesson  on  environments  (  our  

environment,  African  plains,  and  jungle)  
•   Students  will  go  through  a  powerpoint  with  the  teacher  and  
see  different  pictures  of  animals.  Teacher  will  ask  students  if  
these  animals  live  in  our  area,  and  if  not  where  they  live  
(African  plains  or  jungle).  
•   Teacher  will  explain  that  animals  sometimes  move  due  to  
environmental  factors  or  migration.  Teacher  will  play  
mission  migration  game  with  students  
(https://www.audubon.org/play-­‐audubons-­‐mission-­‐
migration-­‐game).  
 
Lesson  #   2:  Scientist  language  

Standard    
Standard - CC.1.2.2.K: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and
multiple-meaning word and phrases based on grade-level reading and
content, choosing from a range of strategies and tools

Standard - 4.5.2.F Distinguish between scientific fact and opinion.

 

Objective   o   Students will be able to define group ( ex. Animals with

backbones).
o   Students will be able to define habitat ( a home of an
animal or a plant).
o   Students will be able to describe the difference between
carnivore, omnivore, and herbivore.
o   Students will be able to define adaptations (a special skill
that helps animals to survive or a physical change that
helps them survive).

Activity   •   Teacher  will  ask  students  why  we  might  want  to  be  able  to  
group  animals.  
•   Teacher  will  explain  what  habitats  are    
•   Students  will  do  a  habitat  sorting  page  
•   Teacher  will  go  through  the  slideshow  about  what  animals  
eat  meat,  plants,  etc.  
•   http://www.esolhelp.com/carnivore-­‐herbivore-­‐
omnivore.html  game  on  board.  
 Teacher  will  play:  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDSFlRunlrU  Living  
Things  Change:  Crash  Course  Kids  #41.1  
 

Lesson  #   3:  Why  do  we  want  to  label  animals?  And  how  long  are  animals  
babies?  
Standard    
Standard - CC.1.2.2.K: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and
multiple-meaning word and phrases based on grade-level reading and
content, choosing from a range of strategies and tools

Standard - 4.5.2.F Distinguish between scientific fact and opinion.

 
Objective   * Students will be able to explain how the timeline for an animal being a
baby can vary (some animals are babies only for a few months and some
are for years).

o   Students  will  be  able  explain  why  it  is  important  to  be  able  to  
label  an  animal  (so  we  all  are  describing  features  with  the  same  
language).  

Activity   •   Teacher  will  label  the  three  animals  with  students.  

•   Teacher  will  ask  students  why  it  is  helpful  to  label  these  
parts.  
•   Teacher  will  explain  that  some  animals  are  babies  for  a  
short  time  and  others  are  babies  for  longer.  
•   Teacher  will  read  two  passages  to  compare  it  with  students  
 

Lesson  #   4:  Non-­‐fiction/  fiction  writing  about  an  animal  

Standard    
Standard - CC.1.2.2.K: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and
multiple-meaning word and phrases based on grade-level reading and
content, choosing from a range of strategies and tools

Standard - 4.5.2.F Distinguish between scientific fact and opinion.

 

Objective   o   * Students will be able to compare and contrast the

language used in non-fiction text and fiction text about
animals.
o   Students will be able to use context clues in non-fiction
text to understand complex words about animals and to
determine their meanings.
  

Activity   •   Mini  lesson  on  fiction  vs  non-­‐fiction  

•   Teacher  will  read  the  Siberian  tiger  passage  
•   Teacher  will  read  the  don’t  tickle  a  tiger  book  
•   Teacher  will  have  students  compare  and  contrast  the  two  
texts.  
 

Lesson  #   5:  Research  day  1  –  Pick  animal  and  complete  the  fun  facts  page  

Standard  
§   Standards:  Standard - CC.1.3.2.B
•   Ask and answer questions such as who,
what, where, when, why, and how to
demonstrate understanding of key details
in a text.
 

Objective   o   Students  will  be  able  to  describe  key  characteristics  

of  their  animal  (group,  habitat,  babies,  food,  
adaptations,  labels  of  the  animal’s  features,  and  fun  
facts)  through  the  use  of  word  wall  words  and  
descriptive  language.  
•   Students  will  be  able  to  create  a  visual  of  their  animal.  

Activity   •   Passing  out  animals  

•   Explaining  the  cover  and  fun  facts  page  
•   Students  work  time  with  teacher  support  

Lesson  #   5:  Research  day  2  –  habitat  and  group  

Standard  
§   Standards:  Standard - CC.1.3.2.B
•   Ask and answer questions such as who,
what, where, when, why, and how to
demonstrate understanding of key details
in a text.
 

Objective   o   Students  will  be  able  to  describe  key  characteristics  

of  their  animal  (group,  habitat,  babies,  food,  
adaptations,  labels  of  the  animal’s  features,  and  fun  
facts)  through  the  use  of  word  wall  words  and  
descriptive  language.  
•   Students  will  create  visuals  to  explain  their  information.  

Activity   •   Teacher  will  have  students  find  their  habitat  and  group  page  
from  their  research  packet  to  use  to  fill  out  their  booklet.  
•   Teacher  will  model  how  to  transfer  the  information.  
•   Teacher  will  help  students  work  as  needed.  

Lesson  #   6:  Research  Day  3  –  Food  and  adaptations  

Standard  
§   Standards:  Standard - CC.1.3.2.B
•   Ask and answer questions such as who,
what, where, when, why, and how to
demonstrate understanding of key details
in a text.
 

Objective   o   Students  will  be  able  to  describe  key  characteristics  

of  jungle  or  African  animals  using  scientific  language  
(adaptations,  environment,  etc.)  
•    

Activity   •   Teacher  will  have  students  find  their  food  and  adaptations  
page  from  their  research  packet  to  use  to  fill  out  their  
booklet.  
•   Teacher  will  model  how  to  transfer  the  information.  
 •   Teacher  will  help  students  work  as  needed.  

Lesson  #   7:  Research  Day  4  –  Label  

Standard  

§   Standards:  Standard - CC.1.3.2.B

Ask and answer questions such as who, what, where, when, why, and
how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text    

Objective   o   Students  will  be  able  to  describe  key  characteristics  

of  their  animal  (group,  habitat,  babies,  food,  
adaptations,  labels  of  the  animal’s  features,  and  fun  
facts)  through  the  use  of  word  wall  words  and  
descriptive  language.  
•    

Activity   •   Teacher  will  model  how  students  will  create  their  own  
drawing  and  label  parts  of  their  animal.  
•   Teacher  will  give  students  time  to  work.  

Lesson  #   7:  Research  Day  5–  Babies  

Standard  

§   Standards:  Standard - CC.1.3.2.B

Ask and answer questions such as who, what, where, when, why, and
how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text    

Objective   •   Students  will  be  able  to  identify  key  characteristics  of  their  
jungle  or  African  plains  animal  (group,  habitat,  babies,  
food,  adaptations,  labels  of  the  animal’s  features,  and  fun  
facts).  
Activity   •   Teacher  will  have  students  find  their  page  about  their  
animal’s  baby  phase.  
•   Teacher  will  have  students  draw  a  picture  of  their  animal  as  
a  baby  versus  an  adult.  
•   Teacher  will  have  students  write  how  long  they  are  a  baby  
for.  

Lesson  #   8:  Research  Day  6  -­‐  Revise  

Standard  

§   Standards:  Standard - CC.1.3.2.B

Ask and answer questions such as who, what, where, when, why, and
how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text    

Objective   •   Students  will  be  able  to  revise  their  booklet  to  convey  
scientific  language  and  information  about  their  animal  

Activity   •   Teacher  will  give  students  a  check  list.  

•   Students  will  go  through  and  finish  missing  pieces  or  edit  
mistakes.  

Lesson  #   9:  Sharing  Day  

Standard   §   Standard  -­‐  CC.1.4.2.A  

•   Write  informative/  explanatory  texts  
to  examine  a  topic  and  convey  ideas  
and  information  clearly.  
 

Objective   o   Students  will  be  able  to  inform  their  audience  about  
plains  animal  (Jaguar,  Leopard,  Okapi)  or  (Lion,  
hippo,  giraffe).  
  

Activity   •   Students  will  sit  on  the  carpet  and  share  their  report.