Title III Technology Literacy Challenge Grant

Learning Unit

LU Title:"Fall Into Winter" Author(s): Schreene Babcock, Julie Kealy, Lynn Kellogg, Scott Storey,Frank Whithead, Stephanie Widrick
Grade Level: Primary Grades 1-3
School Address:
South Jefferson Central  School District
P.O. Box 457
Adams Center,NY 13606

Subject Area: Science

School Phone/Fax:

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

Declarative Procedural
Animal habitats Classifying and sorting
Animal needs Comparing and contrasting
Some animals migrate Sequencing
Some animals hibernate Story writing
Some habitats change from Fall to Winter Role playing
Some animals adapt to the changing of seasons Graphing

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

How do animals prepare for winter?

What characteristics do animals have that enable them to adapt to various conditions?

How are animals dependent on their environment and habitat for survival?


INITIATING ACTIVITY

The teachers will dress up and role play  examples of three animal types ( squirrel - a hibernating animal, Canadian goose - a migrating animal, and a cardinal - an adapting animal).  Each teacher will   also carry a suitcase containing clues that will help the students figure out what kind of animal he/she is pretending to be.  As the students apply the given clues to identify each animal and how it adapts to the changing season, a group-generated attribute web will be made with information about each one.  These webs will be used throughout the unit.

LEARNING EXPERIENCES

See above Declarative and Procedural Knowledge.

CULMINATING PERFORMANCE

Students will choose one of the following to present to the class:

1. Students will create a diorama showing:

a) How an animal (of their choice) adapts to its changing habitat.

b) How the animal's habitat changes from fall to winter.

2.Students will write a journal entry from the point of view of a selected animal, explaining what it does to prepare for winter.

3. Students will prepare a role play or skit by writing a script which shows how a particular animal adapts to its changing environment.

CONNECTIONS TO STANDARDS

MST   4, 6, 7

ELA   1, 2, 3, 4

Arts   1, 2, 3

S.S.    3, 5



THEME: 


"Fall Into Winter"

Unit Type: Knowledge based

Declarative Knowledge:

Procedural Knowledge

Culminating Performance:

* Animal habitats change when fall changes into winter.

* Animals have needs.

* Some animals hibernats.

* Some animals adapt to their changing habitat.

* Some animals migrate.

* Habitats change with the seasons.

* Classification

* Sorting

* Comparing/contrasting

* Story writing

*  Role playing

*  Graphing

Students will apply the knowledge they have acquired to show their understanding of how animals react  due to the changes that occur when fall moves into winter.  Students will choose one of the following activities:

1. Create a diorama which reflects the changes in the habitat and the animal's way of dealing with those changes.

2.  Write and/or draw a journal entry that does the same.

3.  Prepare a skit or role play that shows the same.

Essential Questions:

How do animals prepare for  winter?

What characteristics do animals have that enable them to adapt to various conditions?

How are animals dependent on their environment and habitat for survival?

     


Connection to Learning Standards

Content Area:      Science

Level:                   K - 3

Benchmarks:  Students will understand that animals are interdependent upon their habitat.                                               

Benchmarks:  Students will read and listen to information about animal adaptaions and apply it to their written work.                                                 

Standard:  MST #  4, 5, 7

Standard:  ELA # 1, 2, 3, 4

UNIT THEME:

"Fall Into Winter"

Standard:  Arts #1, 2, 3                      Standard:  Social Studies #3, 5                

Benchmarks:  Students will create a diorama, picture, report, or play to show their understanding of the topic. 

Benchmarks:  Students will understand the importance of preserving our natural habitats for animals and plants. 

Integration Issues

Curriculum Map

MST:  research and observation, guest speakers, graphic organizers, create diorama,brainstorming, predicting ELA:  graphic organizers (KWL), , listen  to stories,  reading books, listen to speakers, prepare skit or role play for presentation, write a journal entry, make group chart.

Arts:  create and perform a play or role play, design diorama or characters for play to show animal and its habitat,  draw animal and habitat, make a flip book, UNIT THEME: SS: make a group chart, look at a globe and find where we live, apply understanding of where we live to topic of local habitats, field trip to Nature Center, understanding their role in the conservation of  natural  habitats

Type text here:  Stated above.

Learning Experiences

Declarative Knowledge

What declarative knowledge should students

be in the process of acquiring & integrating?  As a result of the unit, the student will know or understand

What experiences or activities will be used to help students acquire & integrate this knowledge? What strategies will be used to help students construct meaning, organize and/or store the knowledge? Describe what will be done.

1.Concept:  Animal Needs

2. Concept:  Animal Habitats

4. Concept: Habitats change from fall to winter, hibernation, migration, and adaptation

5.Some animals migrate.

6. Some animals hibernate.

7. Some animals adapt.

Teacher Read Aloud  Frederick by  Leo Lionni

Field trip

Guest speakers

Teacher read aloud:

Animals That Build  Homes By Robert McClung

Crinkleroot's Guide To Knowing Animal Habitats By Jim Arnosky

Animal Homes By Illa Podendorf

Filmstrip: Animal Houses By Bowmar Records

Read Aloud:  What Do Animals Do In Winter By Melvin and Gilda Berger

Teacher read aloud:

Animals That Travel

By Jennifer Urquhart

Animals In Winter

By Henrietta Bancroft

Why Birds Migrate

By Jillian May

Read Sleepy Bear

By

and Animals In The Fall

By

Play a game of "What if?"

  webbing, discussion, learning log

Brainstorming

Predicting

KWL

Role play

listing

graphing

charting

discussion

playing a game,

discussion

1. Teacher will read Frederick aloud to students  and discuss.  Class will complete web showing animal needs.  Students will record information in Learning Log.

2. Field trip to Minna Anthony Nature Center.

3. Invite farmers and zoo keepers in to talk about what they do to animal homes to prepare them for winter.

Review animal needs. View filmstrip or read one of the listed books.  Each child should choose an animal from the book or filmstrip and draw a picture of it in its home or habitat.

Then, the whole class should share their pictures.  Students will group themselves according to the animal's habitat.  Extend the concept of "habitat" through group discussion.

Do KWL chart with group first.  Then read story to students.  Together, complete the L column using information from the book.  Develop concept that animals adapt in 3 ways.

Role play the concept of "migration".

Journal entry: write why some birds migrate and why some don't. Children will then use the word processor to write and print their ideas.

1. Write: "What do the animals who don't migrate do in order to deal with the changes that occur in winter?"

2. Read the story.

3. Review yesterday's migration lesson.

4.  List all animals in the story and create a graph indicating whether the animal migrates, hibernates, or adapts.

Play the game by sitting in a circle and taking turns answering the question, "What would happen if ______".  Give several scenarios of animals that normally stay in the same habitat and have to adapt in order to find food, deal with the weather, etc..

Learning Experiences

Procedural Knowledge

What procedural knowledge will students be in the process of acquiring & integrating?  As a result of this unit, students will be able to:

What will be done to help students construct models, shape & internalize the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

3. Classify animals and sort them by habitat.

8. Students will create a graphic organizer.

Collaborative grouping

Classifying

Writing in a learning log

Making a chart that reviews animals and animal habitats

review previous knowledge

KWL chart

making flip books

As a class we  will create a chart of different animals and their habitats.

Students will use their knowledge to make a flip book.  Pages will show animals in the three groups wer'e studying -

those that migrate, hibernate, and adapt.

Learning Experiences

Extending and Refining

What knowledge will students be extending and refining?  Specifically, they will be extending and refining their understanding of What reasoning process will they be using? Describe what will be done.
 

Comparing

Classifying

Inductive Reasoning

Deductive Reasoning

Error Analysis

Analyzing Perspectives

Constructing Support

Abstracting

Other:

      

Blueprint for
Performance Task Vignette

Title of task:  Habitat Creation                                                                           Recommended grade level(s):  k - 2

Curriculum areas: science, language                                                                   Approximate time frame:    2 weeks

Developed by/Adapted from:  Schreene Babcock, Julie Kealy, Lynn Kellogg, Scott Storey, Frank Whitehead, Stephanie Widrick

Resources/materials:  listed with specific lessons)

Learner Outcomes/Content Standards/Benchmarks

Science: Students will demonstrate an understanding of animal adaptations.

Language:  Students will create a product  (writing, art, or performance), and present it to the  class.

 
          
     
     

Description of the task using a prompt format (FAT –P-form, audience, topic, purpose)
Students have just finished a unit on animal adaptations. They have learned that  animals and their habitats change from fall to winter.  They will choose from three different activities to complete and then share with the class.  The purpose of the activity is to demonstrate each child's understanding of of animal adaptations and effectively express that understanding to the class.  Students will be expected to 1. be accurate 2. be neat 3. use their time wisely 4. prepare and share their product.

Student products/performances

Create a diorama showing: Keep an ongiong journal Performance skit

1. How an animal of choice adapts to its changing environment.

2. How the habitat changes from fall to winter.

Write  and/or draw a series of journal entries expressing how a given animal prepares/adapts as fall changes to winter. Prepare a skit or play that shows how a particular animal adapts to its changing environment.  May include migration, hibernation, or adaptation.
     
     

Criteria for  evaluating student products/performances

see rubric below              
                     
                
                 

Rubric:

      Key Questions:

What are the key elements, traits, or dimensions that will be evaluated?

Are the identified elements of equal importance or will they be weighed differently?

          Element #1          Element #2          Element #3          Element #4

           Elements

Scale

Product contains accurate information Oral Presentation Neatness/Time Management       

Weights

50% 30% 20%      
4 You developed concepts fully. Showed both 1) the animal in its proper habitat and 2)showed what it does to prepare for winter. You spoke clearly and information was easy to understand. Your presentation contained accurate information and showed an understanding through teacher/peer questioning. You used all of  your time effectively. Your product contains many details. Your information is accurate and presented neatly.      
3 You accurately showed both numbers 1&2 from above. You spoke clearly and were easy to understand. Your presentation contained accurate information but showed a lack of understanding teacher/peer questioning. You used most of the time given for your task effectively. Your product contains a satisfactory amount of details shown in a accurate and neat manner.      
2 You accurately showed either #1 or #2 from above. You spoke clearly and were easy to understand but your presentation lacked in accurate information. You used some of the time given for your task effectively. Your product contains few details but is shown in an accurate and neat manner.      
1 Your animal and its habitat do not correlate. You made an attempt to present to the class, but had difficulty expressing ideas. You used little of  the time given for your task effectively. Your product contains few details and is not accurate or neat.      

Constructing a Holistic

Scoring Tool

(Rubric or Activity Specific Key)

Key Questions:

* How many score points are needed to discriminate among the fully range of different degrees of understanding, proficiency, or quality?

FThis response, product, or performance provides evidence of understanding of concept/principle/generalization or proficiency in skill/process/strategy.

Score Point 4                                                                Score Point 3

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     



Score Point 2                                                                Score Point 1

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     







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Learn to Learn Skills:

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