Organizer
How do animals
thrive and survive?
Academic
Expectations
1.1 Students use reference tools such as
dictionaries, almanacs, encyclopedias, and computer reference programs and
research tools such as interviews and surveys to find the information they need
to meet specific demands, explore interests, or solve specific problems.
1.11 Students write using appropriate
forms, conventions, and styles to communicate ideas and information to different
audiences for different purposes.
1.16 Students use computers and other
kinds of technology to collect, organize, and communicate information and ideas.
2.3:
Students identify and analyze systems and the ways their components work
together or affect each other.
2.5: Students
understand that under certain conditions nature tends to remain the same or move
toward a balance.
Essential
Questions
What type of environment/habitat does your animal need to live?
What are the eating habits of your animal?
What behavioral adaptations
does your animal exhibit in order to survive in its environment?
Culminating
activity
Our
class has been reading informational articles through various sources
(magazines, books, journals, Internet sites).
You will choose an animal based on your interests.
You will then research and write a feature article about how your animal
“thrives and survives” in their world.
These articles will be shared with Rosa Parks students and students
world-wide through several publications (class magazine, Internet publication).
Rubric
The scoring guide provided by your teacher will assess your writing.
| Animal Survival |
5
points |
10
points |
15 points | 20 points |
|
Target
Objective 1 Audience/Purpose |
Level 1
Indicator Little evidence of focus throughout the article a clear sense of writing for Rosa Park students and students world-wide about how animals thrive and survive. |
Level 2
Indicator Lapses in focus throughout the article a clear sense of writing for Rosa Park students and students world-wide about how animals thrive and survive. |
Level 3 Indicator Focuses throughout the article a clear sense of writing for Rosa Park students and students world-wide about how animals thrive and survive. |
Level 4
Indicator Establishes and maintains throughout the article a clear sense of writing for Rosa Park students and students world-wide about how animals thrive and survive. |
|
Target
Objective 2 Idea Development |
Level 1
Indicator Details and information are partially developed with little or no support of main ideas. Details and information are not relevant and logical. |
Level 2
Indicator Details and information are partially developed and support main ideas. Details and information are partially relevant and logical. |
Level 3
Indicator Focuses throughout the article a clear sense of writing for Rosa Park students and students world-wide about how animals thrive and survive. |
Level 4
Indicator Details and information are well developed and support main ideas. Details and information are relevant and logical. |
|
Target
Objective 3 Organization |
Level 1
Indicator Article lacks organization and transitions; writer attempts a closing paragraph |
Level 2
Indicator Article not written in a logical sequence but some organization present; transitions are attempted; contains a closing paragraph |
Level 3
Indicator Article follows a logical pattern; transitions are present, but not smooth; contains an effective closing paragraph |
Level 4
Indicator Article follows a logical pattern; smooth transitions between headings; contains an effective closing paragraph |
|
Target
Objective 4 Correctness |
Level 1
Indicator Few sentences are complete with minimal evidence of effective grammar usage. Most spelling, capitalization and punctuation is incorrect. |
Level 2
Indicator Sentences lack variety and length. Few sentences are complete and correct with little evidence of effective grammar usage. Errors in spelling, capitalization and punctuation affect readability. |
Level 3
Indicator Most sentences are varied in structure and length; Sentences are complete and correct and show some evidence of effective grammar usage. Few errors in spelling, capitalization and punctuation. |
Level 4
Indicator Sentences are varied in structure and length; Sentences are complete and correct with effective grammar usage. Correct spelling, capitalization and punctuation. |
|
Target
Objective 5 Neatness |
Level 1
Indicator No title or headings; messy and hand written |
Level 2
Indicator Title or headings do not relate to information; hand written |
Level 3
Indicator Appropriate title and headings used; word processed |
Level 4
Indicator Descriptive title and headings used; word processed and formatted for easy reading. |
|
Target
Objective 6 Organization |
Level 1
Indicator Article lacks organization and transitions; writer attempts a closing paragraph |
Level 2
Indicator Article not written in a logical sequence but some organization present; transitions are attempted; contains a closing paragraph |
Level 3
Indicator Article follows a logical pattern; transitions are present, but not smooth; contains an effective closing paragraph |
Level 4
Indicator Article follows a logical pattern; smooth transitions between headings; contains an effective closing paragraph |
Content
Knowledge
Animals’
basic needs (air, water, food)
Physical
characteristics/adaptations of animals
Behavioral
characteristics/adaptations of animals
Environment/Habitats
Interrelationship
of environments and characteristics of animals
Diet and
eating habits of animals
Skills
Observe
objects’ properties
Use data
to construct reasonable explanations
Writing
and speaking skills
Formulate
and incorporate research questions
Obtain
media, print, technology, and community resources.
Synthesize
information from multiple sources
Science
skills: communicating, gathering,
organizing and processing data
Instructional Activities (lesson goals, student work, and unit schedule)
Timeline
for Unit: 4-6 weeks
**The
week before beginning the unit, the teacher needs to prepare terrariums for
organisms-plant grass so that it will germinate by the time the terrariums are
needed for science activities later in the unit. **
Unit
Website: /survival/default.htm
Science lessons
Lesson
1: Introduction of Organisms (1 day)
Objective:
Students will distinguish between living and non-living things and will
know what constitutes an organism.
Description:
1.
Teacher
reads a science feature article to class.
2.
Small
group activity-students are given a set of objects/pictures and will group them
based on characteristics they observe.
3.
As a whole group, students will share their observations. Teacher will lead to a discussion of living and non-living things by
classifying the objects/pictures.
4.
Generate a chart showing the characteristics of living
and non-living.
5.
Introduce the term organism.
6.
Brainstorm
types of organisms.
7.
Introduce
unit by organizer question: How do
animals “Thrive and Survive”?
8.
Introduce
mystery lesson (Teacher sets up 4 jars with: all 3 basic needs; food/water; food/air; air/water.
The jars will be placed on a table for students to observe and try to
solve the mystery of the basic needs that organisms need to survive. Their ideas will be shared in the next lesson).
Lesson
2: Basic needs of Organisms (Mystery jars)
(1
day)
Objective:
Students will understand that all living things need air, food and water. (Science Block)
Description:
1.
Teacher
reads a science feature article.
2.
Review
organisms and characteristics
3.
Teacher
brings mystery jars out for discussion.
4.
Students
share what they believe is the missing basic need for organisms shown in each
jar.
5.
Teacher
reveals the solutions to the mystery: All
living things need food, water and air.
Lesson
3: Terrariums/habitats (2 or more days)
Objective:
Students will learn how crickets survive within their
habitat/environment.
Description:
1.
Review
basic needs of living organisms.
2.
Using
terrariums previously set up by teacher, small groups of students will add
living organisms (crickets) to a terrarium.
3.
Introduce/discuss
the term habitat/environment.
4.
Discuss
the physical and behavioral characteristics of the crickets and how these help
them survive in their environment.
Lesson
4: Terrariums/habitats (2 days)
Objective:
Students will learn how chameleons survive within their habitat/environment.
Description:
1.
Review
basic needs of living organisms.
2.
Using
terrariums previously set up by teacher, small groups of students will add
another living organism (chameleons) to a terrarium.
3.
Introduce/discuss
the term habitat/environment.
4.
Discuss
the physical and behavioral characteristics of the chameleons and how these help
them survive in their environment.
Lesson
5: Organisms’ Survival (2 days)
Objective:
Students will demonstrate an understanding that certain characteristics enable
organisms to survive (mobility, eat/obtain food, shelter, protection).
Materials
needed:
1.
Pair
of clean socks
2.
Items to
make PBJ cracker sandwiches
3.
Drinking
cup with water
Description:
Day One:
Physical survival characteristics:
Students are given materials to change their physical characteristics (for example, students wear socks on their hands and attempt to make a PBJ sandwich or drink water). They will then role-play survival techniques (obtaining food, shelter, protection, mobility).
Day Two:
Behavioral survival characteristics: Role-play using different scenarios, children will display behaviors used
to survive. (Armadillo rolls up
when threatened, hippo rolls in mud to cool off, camouflage)
Language
Arts:
Lesson
1: Reading Science informational
articles
(1
day)
Objective:
Students will recall information about various animals after reading articles on
the Internet.
Description:
1. Web-based activity “Animals on the Loose” http://www,
2.
Students are exposed to feature articles on the Internet.
3.
Students
will write three or four interesting facts that they read about the animal.
4.
Students
share what they discovered after reading the articles.
5.
Students
will choose an animal to research (homework). They will need to submit 3 reasons to support why they chose it.
Parent will need to sign off.
6.
Teacher
prints out articles that students read for use in future writing lessons.
Lesson
2: Classifying informational
articles and literary stories (1 day)
Objective:
Students will compare and contrast informational articles and literary stories.
Description:
1.
Students
read feature articles and literary stories (provided by the teacher)
2.
Students
will discuss characteristics of the articles/stories they read.
3.
As a
whole group activity, teacher will create with students a Venn Diagram comparing
and contrasting story characteristic and articles. The teacher will use Inspiration, a computer and projection device to
model how to create a Venn diagram electronically.
4.
Teacher
reveals the culminating performance for the unit (creation of a feature article
about the student’s animal for publication in a class magazine, on the
Internet and possibly submitted to trade magazines).
Lesson
3: Gather research information about animal (library & computer lab)
(3-4
days)
Objective:
Students will gather information about their animal.
Description:
1.
Librarian
will teach research techniques.
2.
Teacher
will provide guideline questions for research.
Day 1-2:
Students will conduct research in the library.
Check out books.
Day 3-4:
Students will go to the computer lab to do research on the KCVL (Kentucky
Commonwealth Virtual Library) and Internet sites provided by teacher.
Continue research until
finished.
Lesson
4: Pre-Writing (3 days minimum)
Objective:
Students will create an Inspiration web
Description:
1.
Review
topics researched (environments/habitat, physical and behavioral characteristics
of animals, eating habits)
2.
Brainstorm
related headings for feature articles.
3.
Teacher
models different types of webs that can be used for pre-writing (Inspiration
model)
4.
As a
pre-writing strategy, students will use Inspiration to create a web. Teacher
will also model how to write transitions and add them to their web using
Inspiration.
Lesson
5: Lead and closing (2 days)
Objective:
Students will generate a lead and closing for their feature article.
Description:
Day
1:
1.
Given
criteria for effective leads and ineffective leads, students will categorize
sample leads provided by the teacher.
2.
Students
write their own lead for their feature article.
Day 2:
3.
Given
criteria for effective closings and ineffective closings, students will
categorize sample closings provided by the teacher.
4.
Students
write their own closing for their feature article.
Lesson
6: Writing, conferencing and
publishing feature article. (5-7 days)
Objective:
Students will publish final feature article for inclusion in a class
magazine.
Description:
1.
From
their pre-writing and drafts, students will use MS Word to create a rough draft
of their feature article.
2.
Students
will peer-conference and then conference with the teacher.
3.
Publish
final copy.
Lesson
7: Publish magazine (2 days)
Objective:
Students will use their final copy to publish their article in a class
magazine as well as online publication.
Description:
1.
From
printed articles, magazines will be created. These magazines will be distributed in various locations within the
school to be shared with peers.
2.
Students
will copy/paste their article into an online class magazine using Microsoft FrontPage.
Extension Activity:
An
extension activity for use of the magazines would be to sell them at Parent
night. Students could create
advertisements for the magazine and set up a booth with student-generated
strategies for marketing.