TITLE: Rain Forest Animal Habitat Museum
By Jamie LaPorte

1. LEARNING CONTEXT
Describe the purpose, objective, or focus of the learning experience, including:

• The focus of the Rain Forest Animal Habitat Museum is in putting the students in grades 3-5 in the role of the rain forest animal in its habitat as a narrator from the animal's perspective. With this, he or she can teach others about the animal, its needs, and its habitat in an authentic and entertaining manner. Standards include: ELA1, ELA2, ELA3, ELA4, ART1, ART2. In addition, MST4 will be included. The project requires that the students have a thorough understanding of one specific rain forest animal and its needs. They will be required to make a mask and costume which closely represents their animal of study and interpret information about the animal from the 1^st person at their exhibit area. Effective communication skills, poise, and confidence will be developed through this experience. All students will need to know how to use research materials such as electronic encyclopedia tools such as Encarta, Compton's, or Golden Book effectively, including the internet, so that they may acquire sufficient information to deliver information on their topic to the visitors.

2. PROCEDURE
Describe, in narrative form, the actions of students and teachers and the interactions among and between students and teachers, including how the learning experience:

The students will research a rain forest animal of their choice by note taking and summarizing information on the animal and its basic needs. They will acquire specific details about the animal, its adaptations for survival, its place in the food chain, requirements for food, water, shelter, and its habitat. The teacher will provide a 5 W's graphic organizer outline with who, what, when, where, and why questions pertaining to the animal to be researched. The teacher will support students in their research efforts through various trade books, encyclopedia, magazines, and the Internet. Students will organize note cards for support during their oral presentations.

After the information has been gathered the students will design a paper mache mask to be worn during their presentation. In addition, visuals such as posters of the animal's food sources, shelter design, and any other interesting visual displays may be included.

Communication skills including eye contact, articulation, voice projection, and poise will be modeled by the teacher. Students will practice.

The students will be encouraged to memorize their part of the program. Each student will be video taped at his or her museum exhibit during his or her presentation. The video tape will be used in the evaluation. The living museum will be open for viewing by K-3 during the school day and an evening program will follow for parents.

Useful books include:

The Great Kapok Tree by Lynn Cherry

South American Birds: A Photographic Aid to Identification by Dunning

Neotropical Rainforest Mammals - A Field Guide by Louise Emmons

The Fishes and the Forest: Explorations in Amazonian Natural History by M. Goulding

Life Above the Jungle Floor by D. Perry

Useful Internet sites include:

http://www.exploratorium.edu

http://www.ran.org/rain/kids_actionindex.html

http://www.jasonproject.org/

3. INSTRUCTIONAL/ENVIRONMENTAL MODIFICATIONS
Describe the procedures used to accommodate the range of abilities in the classroom, including students with disabilities, limited English proficiency, or bilingual student

Students with educational limitations will work with a partner for the Animal Habitat Museum. Research and presentation preparation will be done with a partner, along with necessary teacher support. Each student's strengths will be discussed during a student/teacher conference in order to facilitate student responsibilities for the project. After the responsibilities are determined, any other modifications which may be necessary will be made. Contributions made by all students will be based on specific strengths (i.e. writing, artwork) Students with physical limitations will have the room arranged accordingly to meet their needs appropriately.

4. TIME REQUIRED
For each aspect of the learning experience, state the amount of time for:

Planning

1. Acquisition of resource materials 1hour

2. Location of useful Internet sites 3 hours

3. Gathering materials for the masks 1/2 hour

4. Setting the room up as a museum 4 hours

Implementation

1. Student Research 45 minutes/day for 1 week

2. Mask and Costume Design 1/2 hour / day for 1 week

3. Practice for Interpretive Program 3 sessions of 1/2 hour each

Assessment- Observe research in progress, view practice sessions and final video presentation. Use rubric.

5. RESOURCES
Please note any extraordinary or unique resources (human or material) needed to successfully complete this experience:

Resources include but are not limited to: trade books, videos, encyclopedias, computers, Internet, magazines, non-fiction pamphlets on the topic.

Art supplies such as paper mache, construction paper, pipe cleaners, tissue paper.

6. ASSESSMENT PLAN
Describe the:

Students will be given a rubric stating the criteria for their performance prior to the learning experience. This will be discussed as a class and any questions regarding expectations will be clarified. RUBRIC: A

Many scientific facts about the animal were noted

Mask and costume very detailed and very accurately represent animal. Highly creative

Great amount of effort was shown in research and artwork

Project was completed on time, presentation excellent. Very thorough and well prepared

B

Some scientific facts about the animal were noted

Mask and costume have some details representing the animal. Some creativity

Fair amount of effort shown in research and artwork

Project was completed on time with a complete presentation

C

Few scientific facts about the animal

Completed mask, little detail, little effort with costume, minimal creativity

Little effort shown in research and artwork.

Was done on time, or one day late. Presentation complete, but unpolished

D

Limited science facts

Incomplete mask, no costume, creativity missing

No effort shown in research or artwork

Late project-more than 1 day late, very weak presentation

Observations will be made during research and note taking sessions. The student note cards will be evaluated for detail and accuracy. A video tape of the practice session will be tool for self assessment and teacher feedback. The students' delivery and performance will be evaluated. Class discussion and critique will follow. A video tape of the final program, along with the rubric, will be the assessment tools for the culminating performance. A class discussion will follow and students will evaluate their program in an informal, but useful discussion or critique.

7. STUDENT WORK
Send three or four samples of student work:

Samples of student work will be documented with the digital camera. Video tape will be available upon request.

8. REFLECTION
Please offer personal comments on the learning experience:

This lesson was developed for the specific learning standards and performance indicators to provide students with and enjoyable means of expression of the content they have learned.

The lesson will be reviewed with team review members prior to submission. The peer review process will involve the 9 members and the format that these members have obtained during formal peer review training.

Standards addressed, but not limited to SS3