Total Duration: |
31 to 60 Minutes |
Materials and Resources: |
What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?, a picture book by Steve Jenkins & Robin Page Animal Adaptations graphic organizer (see Attachments) Wanted Poster (see Attachments) Grading rubric for Wanted Poster (see Attachments) |
Technology Resources Needed: |
The teacher will need access to a computer and projector, in order to show the video. Students will need access to the internet to complete the research in the lesson. |
Background/Preparation: |
For Teacher: The teacher must be knowledgeable about the following: Adaptations are features that help organisms survive. These features develop from generation to generation. Adaptations can be external or internal and they happen naturally. Some examples of external adaptations are fins, fur, legs, necks, a bright color, a trunk, or shells. Examples of an internal adaptation are gills in fish and hollow bones in birds. For Students: This is an introductory lesson. No prior knowledge is needed. |
Engage: Introduce the topic of adaptations by asking the students if they have ever tried to kill a cockroach that seemed invincible? Allow students a few minutes to discuss experiences. Then explain that cockroaches can sometimes be hard to kill. Discuss the experiment the Myth Busters team conducted to determine whether or not cockroaches could survive underwater. Ask the students to predict what they think will happen to the cockroaches and write their predictions in their science journals. Show the video "Drowning Cockroaches" to the students to see if the cockroaches were able to survive underwater. Discuss how the ability to survive underwater is an animal adaptation the cockroaches possess which helps them to survive in their environment. Explore: Pass out the Animal Adaptations graphic organizer. Read What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? aloud to the students. Ask the students to listen as you read aloud for any animal adaptations in the book and write them in the graphic organizer. Explain: After reading the book, students will pick one animal adaptation, research it, and create a wanted poster to describe the adaptation and how it functions to support the animals growth, behavior, survival, or reproduction. Wanted posters should include: the animal's name, their physical description, where they are usually located (live), and the adaptation including its function. All Wanted Posters will be posted on the class bulletin board for display. |
Assessment Strategies |
This lesson will be assessed based on the rubric for the Wanted Poster (see Attachments).
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Acceleration: |
Students can put together a scrapbook containing multiple animals grouping them based on similar adaptations. |
Intervention: |
Students who need extra support may be assigned to a partner who is sensitive to the needs of that student. |
View the Special Education resources for
instructional guidance in providing modifications and adaptations
for students with significant cognitive disabilities who qualify for the Alabama Alternate Assessment.
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