OBJECTIVES:
The student should be able to:
• Identify animals’ habitats and what is in an animals’ habitat that the animal needs in order to survive. (Comprehension)
TIME: 60 minutes
MATERIALS
computer
television
PowerPoint program
shoeboxes
colored clay
yarn
pipe cleaners
construction paper
INTRODUCTION/PREPARATION/ANTICIPATORY SET:
The teacher will ask the students where do they live (AR: their house). The teacher will ask the students what is found in their house that are basic needs/things you need in order to live (AR: shelter, food, water, air).
ACTIVITY:
Teaching Model: The teacher will explain to the students that their home is their habitat. The teacher will write the word habitat on the board and will explain to the students that a habitat is where an animal lives. A habitat includes all the things that the animal needs in order to live (EX: shelter, food, water, and air). The teacher will show the students a PowerPoint on animals and their habitats
Guided Practice: The teacher will show the students a PowerPoint. The PowerPoint contains pictures of various animals. The students and the teacher will discuss each animal’s habitat, food source, etc.
Independent Practice: The students will be given a shoebox, colored clay, pipe cleaners, yarn, and construction paper. The students will construct a diorama inside of the shoebox of an animal in their habitat. The students will use the materials to create a scene for the habitat, sculpt their animal, show the animal’s shelter, and construct the animal’s food and water supply.
Closure: The students will share their dioramas with the rest of the class. The students will explain the animal and its habitat and also where the animal gets its food and water supply. The teacher will create a display of the dioramas.
EVALUATION/ASSESSMENT:
Informal: The teacher will informally assess the students through questions and observations throughout the lessons.
Formal: The teacher will use a rubric in order to formally assess the student’s dioramas and knowledge of animal habitats.
ART CONTENT/CONCEPTS:
Technology Integration: PowerPoints during Teach and Model and Guided Practice
Language Arts Integration: Students’ presentations
COMPREHENSIVE
CURRICULUM, GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATIONS AND STANDARDS/BENCHMARKS:
38. Classify groups of organisms based on common characteristics (LS-E-A4)
39. Compare organisms from different groups (e.g., birds with mammals, terrestrial plants with aquatic plants) (LS-E-A4)
57. Describe the interrelationships of living (biotic) and nonliving (abiotic) components within various ecosystems (e.g., terrarium, swamp, backyard) (SE-E-A1)
37. Use clear diction and tone and adjust volume and tempo to stress important ideas when speaking (ELA-4-E1)
42.Use active listening strategies, including: asking questions and responding to ideas/opinions, giving oral responses, such as explanations of written and/or spoken texts (ELA-4-E5)
3.Visual Arts Integration: Modeling an animal’s habitat by creating a diorama with a shoebox
Visual Arts GLEs:
VA-CE-E1 Explore and identify imagery from a variety of sources and create visual representations
VA-CE-E5 Draw on imagination, individual experience, and group activities to generate ideas for visual expression
Ongoing Standards:
Throughout the school year students will be working on these Science GLEs:
Ask questions about objects and events in the environment (e.g., plants, rocks, storms) (SI-E-A1)
Pose questions that can be answered by using students’ own observations, scientific knowledge, and testable scientific investigations (SI-E-A1)
Express data in a variety of ways by constructing illustrations, graphs, charts, tables, concept maps, and oral and written explanations as appropriate (SI-E-A5) (SI-E-B4)
MODIFICATIONS | ACCOMODATIONS:
The special education teacher and I will assist the special education students and any other students who need help. If needed the teacher will have a higher level student assist a special education student in creating their diorama. The teacher will call on students to answer questions equally according to race, gender, and ability.
VARIATIONS | ENHANCEMENTS:
none provided
TEACHER REFLECTION:
My integrated visual arts and science lesson went better than I had believed it would have. The students were very motivated and involved during the lesson. The students listened attentively to the lesson and participated during the teach and model and guided practice. The students were very interested in animals. This was evident by their participation and many questions and comments during the animal unit. I believe the visual arts integration sparked their creativity and added to the students’ interest in animals. It also enhanced and reinforced concepts in my lesson.
I believe the most important thing about the lesson was being prepared. Weeks before I taught the lesson, I had the students bring in shoeboxes. I had to make sure that all students had a shoebox prior to the lesson. I also had to buy several other supplies, such as modeling clay, in advance in order to complete the lesson. I also rearranged the students’ desks that morning so that the students would be able to share materials more easily. This preparation allowed the lesson to flow smoothly.
I will certainly do this lesson again next year. The only thing I would change is that I would plan to have about fifteen more minutes set aside for this lesson. I would still do it all in one day so that the materials would not have to be passed out and picked up twice. I would just add a few minutes. I had to end up giving the students more time than expected so that some students could finish their project. The extra time was worth it though. The students were very creative and designed some very attractive dioramas.
REFERENCES:
National Geographic <www.nationalgeographic.com>
Ezine Articles <www.ezinearticles.com>
Louisiana Curriculum <http://www.doe.state.la.us>
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