Learning Experience
"Surprise in a Suitcase"

I. Learning Context

The purpose of this learning experience is for students to develop a habitat for an animal from Australia. The student will select an animal, and then because many of these animals are unfamiliar to him/her, the student will have to research carefully to make the proper habitat for his/her new pet. The habitat may be in the form of a diorama or other alternative such as a poster, mobile or a pamphlet.

Standards:

ELA 1 Students will read, write, listen and speak for information and understanding.

ELA 2 Students will read, write, listen and speak for literary response and expression.

Benchmarks:

• Students gather and interpret information from children’s reference books, magazines, textbooks, electronic bulletin boards, audio and media presentations.
• Students select information appropriate to the purpose of their investigation.
• Students monitor and adjust their own oral and written presentations to meet the criteria for competent performance.

MST 2 Students will access, generate, process and transfer information using appropriate technologies.

MST 4 to the Students will understand and apply scientific concepts, principles and theories pertaining physical setting and living environment and recognize the historical development of ideas in science.

MST 7 Students will apply the knowledge and thinking skills of mathematics, science and technology to address real-life problems and make informed decisions.

Benchmarks:

• Students use a variety of equipment and software packages to enter, process and display information.
• Students access needed information from printed media.
• Students justify their answers and solution processes.
• Students use logical reasoning to reach simple conclusions.

SST 3 Students will use a variety of skills to demonstrate their understanding of the geography of the interdependent world.

Benchmark:

• Students ask geographic questions about where places are located, why they are located where they are, and what is important about their location.

II. Procedure

Students will receive the following information.

The funniest thing happened on my return from the Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. I opened my suitcase and was I ever surprised to see a (an) ______________!

Your job is to fill in the blank with the kind of animal that you found in your suitcase amongst all those dirty clothes. Some choices might be kookaburra, numbat, echidna, platypus, wombat, lorikeet, or wallaby. After you select your Australian animal, you need to make a proper habitat for it to live and survive (since it would be too expensive to take it all the way back to Australia!).

Before you can start making the home for your pet, you need to find out exactly what kind of home it needs. Using all the research skills (library and classroom materials including the Internet and electronic encyclopedia) that you have learned, find out what would make the best home for your new pet (The home should make your pet thrive and grow well and happily). Then make that home for your pet. You may use a shoebox and make a diorama. If you choose you could display the habitat as a mobile, a poster or a pamphlet.

Be sure to make a great home in the right type of habitat. Include a food supply, along with plants and animals that would be close to what your pet would live with in Australia. Prepare a label for your animal’s home so visitors will know a little about your new pet. Use the computer and use Word Art to do this if you like.

You must write a short report that tells about the habitat. Be sure to include the plants, animals, and the pet’s food. Your report should be typed on the computer. Lastly, be sure to make a model of your pet to be placed in your habitat.

3. Instructional/Environmental Modifications

One modification that could be made is to have this activity done in pairs. Two students could work together if any students were in need of more guidance. Assistance from an ESL, Reading or Resource Room teacher could help students who might need it.

This activity lends itself well to the classroom because some students may be doing research in the library, while others research on the classroom computers or begin to build their habitat.

Another modification is that this kind of report could be used for animals from any country and not just for an Olympic experience.

• Time Required

Planning: It should take approximately an hour for the teacher to set up for this learning experience, especially if it is done during the Olympic Unit, while the classroom is full of Olympic materials and resources about Australia.

Implementation:

Introduction-1class period (approximately 40 min.)

Research-3 class periods

Building the home-3 class periods

Assessment: 1 class period

There are two rubrics. One is for the actual home including the written work. The other is for the oral presentation.

V. Resources

Classroom computers

Library computers

Electronic encyclopedias

Print material on Australia

Internet

Internet sites

www.godzilla.zeta.org

www.bushnet.qld.edu

www.ozemail.com

www.about-australia.com

www.mag-nify.educ.monash.edu

Art Materials

Construction paper

Markers, crayons, and/or colored pencils

Glue

Scissors

Clay

Other student requested art materials

• Assessment

4

• Animal home shows evidence of careful research.
• Animal home includes the correct plants and animals for the chosen pet, along with a correct food supply for the animal.
• Animal home includes a careful model of the chosen animal.
• Animal home includes an informative label and paragraph.
• All work is carefully done, above and beyond what was assigned.

3

• Animal home shows evidence of research.
• Animal home includes plants and animals for the chosen pet, along with a food supply for the animal.
• Animal home includes a model of the chosen animal.
• Animal home includes a label and a paragraph.
• All work is carefully and neatly done.

2

• Animal home shows evidence of some research, though it may be incomplete.
• Animal home includes some plants and animals for the chosen pet, along with some kind of food supply for the animal.
• Animal home includes a model of the chosen animal.
• Animal home includes a label and a paragraph.
• Work may not be as carefully or neatly done.

1

• Animal home shows evidence of little research, which may be incomplete or inaccurate.
• Animal home does not include plants and animals for the chosen pet, along with a food supply for the animal.
• Animal home includes a poorly constructed model of the chosen animal.
• Animal home does not include a label or paragraph.
• Work is not carefully or neatly done.

Oral Report Rubric

4

• Speaker is heard by everyone.
• Speaker is interesting and enthusiastic.
• Speaker makes eye contact with audience.
• Pace of speaking is not too fast or too slow.

3

• Speaker is heard by everyone.
• Speaker shows some interest and enthusiasm.
• Speaker makes occasional eye contact.
• Pace of speaking may vary.

2

• Speaker may not be heard by everyone.
• Speaker may not show interest or enthusiasm.
• Speaker may not make eye contact.
• Pace of speaking is too slow or too fast.

1

• Speaker is not heard by everyone.
• Speaker does not show interest or enthusiasm.
• Speaker does not make eye contact.
• Pace of speaking is too fast or too slow.

• Student Work

As this is a learning experience designed to complement a learning unit on the 2000 Olympic Games, there is no student work at this time.

• Reflection

This lesson was developed to extend and refine an activity in the learning unit on the Olympics in 2000 entitled Going for the Gold. During the course of that unit, the students are taught research skills, and this learning unit gives another chance for guided practice using those research skills. It also integrates science into reading, writing and art.

After reading this, one of the cohort team members suggested we add the paragraph on the animal home, to integrate a bit more writing into this research activity.