LIFE ON THE EDGE, Author(s): Cynthia Bogerd, Jeanette Pawlik, Grade Level: 3-6, Subject Area: Science, - Each student will receive a fact sheet describing an endangered animal with the name missing. The students are to draw the animal based on the facts. Students with the same fact sheet will get into group and compare and discuss their drawings and what they think their animal may be.

Planning Guide

Creating Learner-Focused
Schools

* Madison-Oneida BOCES- This document may not be reproduced in any form without the expressed written consent of the District Superintendent or his designee.

LU Title: Life on the Edge	Author(s): Cynthia Bogerd, Jeanette Pawlik
Grade Level: 3-6	School Address: Slawson Street, Dolgeville, NY 13329
Subject Area: Science	School Phone/Fax: (315) 429-3155

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

Declarative	Procedural
Identification of endangered animals	Create a flyer containing information about endangered animals
habitat of endangered animals	using the internet, cd-roms, and other library materials, identify and discuss facts about endangered animals
reasons for endangerment, human and environmental	keep a record containing observations of an endangered animal (video and/or zoo visit)
what is being done to help endangered animals	keep a learning log of researched information on endangered animal
what more can be done to help endangered animals	keep a journal of researched information comparing consequences of extinction in the past to what may happen in the future if today's endangered animals become extinct
known and possible consequences of animals becoming extinct	have a bake sale to raise money to benefit an organization that supports the species survival plan, such as the Utica Zoo, with student created flyers available to educate the public

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

Why do animals become endangered?
What can be done to help endangered animals not become extinct?
What impact is there on the world when animals become extinct?

INITIATING ACTIVITY

Each student will receive a fact sheet describing an endangered animal with the name missing. The students are to draw the animal based on the facts. Students with the same fact sheet will get into group and compare and discuss their drawings and what they think their animal may be. Each group will present their animal to the rest of the class. After each group has presented their animal, the teacher will post pictures of the endangered animals around the room. Each group will need to decide which is their animal, based on their fact sheet, and go to the picture.

Connection to State Learning Standards

Content Area: Science, Social Studies, Language Arts

Level: 3-6

Benchmarks: demonstrates understanding of role habitat changes play in animals' survival (learning log)

demonstrates understanding of roll animal characteristics play in survival (learning log)

use internet, cd roms, other resources to locate information on animal topic and habitat topic

using acquired knowledge students will address issues of animal endangerment and its impact on the world

Benchmarks: demonstrates understanding of geography of where endangered animals live

Standard: Math, Science, Technology 4,5,7

Standard: Social Studies 3

Unit Theme: Life on the Edge

Standard: Language Arts 1,3

Standard:

Benchmarks: students will listen and read to collect information on endangered animals and their habitats (learning log)

students will speak and write (log) to show understanding of inter-relationship between living thins, their environment, and each other

students will reflect and present theirs and others' opinions on the importance of the saving of endangered animals

Benchmarks: all indicated standards will be addressed in the culminating activity

Learning Experiences

Declarative Knowledge

What declarative knowledge should studentsbe 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.

Identification: -endangered animals -physical appearance/characteristics -habitat

Reasons for Endangerment

-human -environmental

What is being done to help endangered animals.

What more can be done to help endangered animals.

What is the impact on our world when animals become extinct.

Videos

Internet

Books, including reference materials

Big Books such as Ranger Rick big books

Magazines

Internet/cd-roms

Teacher collection/books

Field trip to local zoo

KWL

3 minute pause

Class Discussion

Comparison

QAD

Teacher or expert lecture

Graphic organizer

Guided reading lesson

Class discussion

3 minute pause

brainstorming

Using the computer and an overhead display device a KWL will be completed on endangered animals. Print out a copy for each student.

Teacher will present big book(s) on endangered animals. Students, in small groups, will do a 3 minute pause through out the reading of the book. Students will then go back to the KWL and fill in the information that they have learned.

Students will look at video(es) on endangered animals, get into collaborative pairs and decide on an endangered animal to research.

Students will then use the internet/cd-roms or other reference materials to find information to fill out a brief questionnaire on their animal containing such information as geography, physical characteristics and type of habitat. This will become part of their learning log.

Students will then use the information gathered and make a 2 slide presentation. The first slide containing clues on their endangered animal and the second slide will be a picture of the animal that can be scanned, drawn or downloaded from the internet. The teacher will then put all of the slide shows together and present it to the class.

Teacher or other expert, such as local zoo person, will provide a pause procedure lecture where students will take notes on a graphic organizer. They will compare their organizer with a partner and add it to their learning log.

Students will take a field trip to the local zoo to observe the endangered animals. Students will record their observations. Following the zoo trip, the students will get into cooperative groups, discuss their observations, and formulate ways endangered animals can be helped.

Teacher will go to the library and create a collection of books on endangered animals. Students will then use the information from the books or internet/cd-roms to fill out a QAD (questions, answer, details) form. The class will be divided in half to answer the questions: What is being done to help endangered animals OR What if the impact on the world when animals become extinct. Using the computer and overhead display device, the teacher will compile the various information into two tables that will be printed out for each student to add to their journal.

Students will synthesize acquired knowledge to formulate possible plans to help save endangered species. The teacher will lead them to a practical solution of raising money by holding a bake sale where the student's endangered animal flyers will be available. Proceeds will go to the local zoo, earmarked for the animals that are part of the species survival plan.

By utilizing their knowledge of the impact that animals becoming extinct had on the world, students will predict the impact on the environment if present day endangered animals became extinct.

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.

Use the internet to research given topic

Use the CD-ROM to research a given topic

Use a publishing or presentation program to communicate what they have learned to an audience of their peers and the community.

Read for a specific purpose

Integrate and organize information from carious sources.

Brainstorm possible solutions to problems

Demonstration and hands on practice using computers

Teacher models reading for specific purposes

Demonstrate and provide practice using a variety of organizational skills

Thinking aloud technique

Students will go to a predetermined website that the teacher has researched. Using this site, the students will find information on their assigned topic. They will then share with the class the most interesting information that they found.

Students will use CD-ROMs to search for information on their assigned topic. They will then share with the class at least one new idea that they learned, using their own words.

Students will be able to use a publishing or presentation program independently to produce a flyer/sign or slides that includes graphics, text and borders.

Provides students with questions on a specific topic that they must research and answer using at least two different sources. The questions will be answered in note form as the student reads the information.

Using graphic organizers such as a gathering grid, QAD, Venn Diagram, or Word Web, the teacher will demonstrate and provide practice in integrating and organizing acquired knowledge.

Teacher will present problems to the class. The children will brainstorm everything they know about the problem. They will then think of possible ways to solve the problem. The class will then brainstorm which idea is the best possible solution.

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.

Endangerment of animals and their habitats

Life webs

The student's role and responsibility in the world to protect life

Comparing

Classifying

Inductive Reasoning

Deductive Reasoning

Error Analysis

Analyzing Perspectives

Constructing Support
Abstracting
Other:

Students will identify the physical characteristics of an endangered animal and its habitat.

Through an exploration of animals that have become extinct or endangered, students will reason what will happen to the life web if animals presently endangered are allowed to become extinct.

Students will brainstorm what they can do to help endangered animals by formulating a project to increase public awareness.

Planning Guide

Unit:

Step 1	Step 2	Step 3
*What knowledge* will students be using meaningfully? Specifically, they will be demonstrating their understanding of and ability to...........**	What reasoning process will they be using?	Describe student's products and performances and the criteria for evaluation.
	[ ] Decision Making (selecting from seemingly equal alternatives or examining the decisions of others) [ ] Problem Solving (seeking to achieve a goal by overcomming constraints or lmiting conditions) [ ] Invention (creating something to meet a need or improve on a situation) [ ] Experimental Inquiry (generating an explanation for a phenomenon and testing the explanation) [ ] Investigation (resolving confusions or contradictions related to a historical event, a hypothetical past or future event, or to the defining characteristics of something) [ ] Systems Analysis (analyzing the parts of a system and how they interact) [ ] Other:	Products/Performances
		Criteria for evaluation

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	Diorama-habitat	Diorama-animal	Diorama-habitat locator, attachment	Diorama-Presentation
Weights	2	2	1	1
4	Shows detailed knowledge of the following: -plant life -water source -food source -landforms -climate -other animals	Shows detailed knowledge of physical characteristics: -covering -size -coloring -special characteristics	Exact location of all habitats of endangered animal	Neat Very detailed Accurate proportions
3	Shows knowledge at least 5 of the following: -plant life -water source -food source -landforms -climate -other animals	Shows general knowledge of at least 4 of the following physical characteristics: -covering -size -coloring -special characteristics	Accurate location of most habitats of endangered animal	Neat Detailed Proportioned
2	Shows knowledge of at least 4 of the following: -plant life -water source -food source -landforms -climate -other animals	Shows general knowledge of at least 3 of the following physical characteristics: -covering -size -coloring -special characteristics	General location of habitat indicated, not completely accurate	Acceptable neatness Some details Mostly in proportion
1	Shows knowledge of at least 3 of the following: -plant life -water source -food source -landforms -climate -other animals	Shows general knowledge of at least 2 of the following physical characteristics: -covering -size -coloring -special characteristics	Location of endangered animal is inaccurate	Carelessly done Few details Objects not in proportion

NOTE: Rubric or other performance asessment instruments may be used.

Constructing a Holistic
Scoring Tool
(Rubric or Activity Specific Key)

Key Questions:

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

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

Score Point 4	Score Point 3
[ ] Flyer shows: complete and accurate information on human and environmental causes of endangerment of animals	[ ] Flyer shows accurate information on human and environmental causes of endangerment on animals
[ ] Complete and accurate description of animal's characteristics leading to endangerment	[ ] Accurate description of animal's characteristics leading to endangerment
[ ] Informational text is clear and well organized	[ ] Informational text is clear and organized
[ ]	[ ]

Score Point 2	Score Point 1
[ ] Flyer shows accurate but limited amount of information on human and environmental causes of endangerment of animals.	[ ] Flyer shows inaccurate information on human and environmental causes of endangerment of animals
[ ] Accurate but limited description of animal's characteristics leading to endangerment	[ ] Inaccurate description of animal's characteristics leading to endangerment
[ ] Informational text is understandable	[ ] Informational text is confusing
[ ]	[ ]

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