GRADE: ESAM: K-2

CONTENT STANDARD: Life Science

CONTENT TOPIC: Animals

CONCEPT: Animals live in a variety of habitats and change with the seasons.

CONTENT OBJECTIVE: E1.00 To understand animals have basic needs

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES: The learner will:

1.01 identify the basic needs an environment provides.

I. Animals meet their basic needs
II. Animals have different kinds of homes

TN COMPONENT OF SCIENCE: Process of Science

TN GOAL:

To enable students to demonstrate the processes of science by posing questions and investigating phenomena through language, methods and instruments of science.

1.5 EXPLAINING - Phenomena and related information are made understandable through discussion that culminates in a higher level of learning.

1.5c Information should be related to prior knowledge

BENCHMARK: New learning is developed from existing knowledge.

TIME REQUIRED:

30 minutes

Pictures of animals, pictures of animal homes (if possible, real animal homes such as nests, beehives, ant colonies, etc.), manila drawing paper, pictures of different habitats and animals

Everyone has a home. How does your home help you live? (Elicit responses such as shelter from cold and rain, food and water. Some you can get directly from your home, others, such as food, you may have to get from the neighborhood store.) Do animals have homes also? (response) Can you name some? (response) (Record the responses on a chart. Read "A House is a House for Me" by Mary Anne Hoberman. Add new ideas to the chart.

Every animal has a home from the tiny bee buzzing around its hive to the great blue whale swimming in the ocean. An animal's home, just like your home, helps the animal live. An animal's home is not just a "house" though. An animal's home and the surrounding area is called a HABITAT. (Write the word on the board.) It is usually outdoors and, for some animals, it is a big place. An animal's habitat has everything that it needs to live. A habitat provides shelter. (Have children hold their hands together over their heads.) A habitats also provides food, (clamp hands over stomach) water, (clamp hands over mouth) and enough space (spread arms out). All of these things must be in the right amounts - the right amount of food, water, and space. Scientists call this the proper arrangement. Animals homes are not just little houses. They might be in the water, such as an ocean or pond habitat. A forest is also a habitat for many animals as is the desert. (Display pictures of different habitats. Hold up a picture of an animal such as a bear, frog, lizard, whale, etc.) What habitat does a bear live in? (Repeat for other animals.) Name with me the things a habitat provides and sign with your hands as we did before. (Food, water, shelter, space - all in the proper arrangement.)

Today we studied about animals' homes. What are animals homes called? (response) Right! Habitats! Who can tell me something a habitat provides? (responses) (Have children make the signs as each need is mentioned.)

(Pass out manila drawing paper. Have each student choose one animal and draw it in its habitat or divide your class into teams to make murals of a forest, ocean, desert, or pond habitats. Remind your students to include the things that a habitat provides - food, water, shelter, space, all in the proper arrangement.)

(Make a game for the learning center that allows children to match animals with their habitats.)

(The following activities are suggested:

1. Play "Oh, Deer" from page 132 of Project Wild, 1983, 1985 Western Regional Environmental Education.

2. Make an insect habitat. You need: two clear plastic cups, tape, dirt, a leaf, a small stick, a rock, a bottle cap, water, and one insect. Fill one cup half way with dirt. Add the stick, leaf, and rock. Put water in the bottle cap. Put it in the cup. Find an insect. Put it in the cup. Tape the empty cup over the first cup. Punch in a few air holes.

3. Chant "I Am A Habitat".

I Am A Habitat
I am a habitat.
I meet your needs.
I am a habitat, I meet your needs.
And in my habitat,
You find some food. (Hands over your stomach)
You find some food to eat, eat, eat.
And in my habitat,
You find some water. (Pretend you are drinking)
You find some water to drink, drink, drink.
And in my habitat,
You find shelter. (Hands over your head)
You find shelter to keep you safe.
And in my habitat,
You find enough space. (Open arms wide)
You find enough space to live, live, live.
I am a habitat.
I meet your needs -
food, water, shelter, space. (all in the proper arrangement!)

4. Do traditional finger play, "Here is a Home":
Here is a house for a robin, (cup hands to make a nest)
Here is a house for a bee, (fold hands together to make a hive)
Here is a house for a bunny (make a round circle hole with your hands and fingers)
And here is a house for me! (Put hands and arms over head to form a roof)

Mary Anne Hoberman, "Here is a House for Me"

Dorling Kindersley, "What's Inside Animal Homes?"

This is the time this file has been accessed since 03/01/2004.

The University of Tennessee at Martin is not responsible for the information or views expressed here.

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