Hey, Section 40! - Recently Updated Pages

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lawson2a — Mon, 11 May 2009 13:58:33 CDT

Hey, Section 40! The Website

> Lesson Plans
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** Updated May 11, 2009 **
Added new links to the resources page! Good luck with the job hunt, everybody. :) -Amy

Help! What do I do?

Go to the what do I do? HELP! page for a site introduction! You need to sign up for a wetpaint account first!
OR, if the editing thing weirds you out, e-mail me (lawson2a@uregina.ca) whatever you want to post and I will put it up here for you!

This wiki is a test runthrough of a lesson-sharing thing. The idea is that, eventually, we can all have access to a page where we can post lesson plans, unit ideas and whatever tickles our fancy... share whatever you feel like sharing! Ideally, when we make it to internship, then we'll have access to tons of ideas and lessons to work with from all of the grade levels. Sanity saving!

*Ames

Websites

lawson2a — Mon, 11 May 2009 13:57:15 CDT

LaFirHere's a list of some websites that might come in handy! Some contain lesson plans, some contain activity ideas and fun information. Please feel free to add your own! All of these websites should be free to access all or most of the material.

Arts Education

KinderArt
The Knack Faculty -- Part of Michaels.com, a craft store. You need to register (you may need to say that you live in the US), but it's free and has lesson ideas! Mostly Art-based.
Learning Through the Arts - Ronda sent this over -- arts lessons! I am sold on the "teaching math through dancing" thing.

Bullying and Abuse

Clip Art

Ace Clipart - To see the full files: view the galleries, left-click on a picture, click on "view image," and then save. Lots of clipart here!

Early Childhood Lessons and Ideas [All Subjects!]

Alberta Education - The great guide Shelley recommended.
CanTeach - Lesson plans, unit plans, resources on many subjects -- a great place. For a bonus: it's Canadian!
Early Childhood Educational Resource Project
The Educator's Reference Desk - Pretty incredible list of resources and lesson ideas for all grade levels.
Everything Preschool
Grade One Central
Family Fun
Kiddy House
Kindergarten Lessons.com
KinderKorner
Laternfish - Many great worksheets and printables... most come up as files you can open and edit with Microsoft Word. Very handy!
Learning to Give - The website Jane sent us -- amazing!
The Perpetual Preschool
Primary Teachers: Resources, Ideas, Stress Relief! - A facebook group! Look in the photo gallery section... lots of teachers have posted bulletin displays.
Teachers.net - Lots of stuff here, try checking out the lessons bank!
Teaching Ideas for Primary Teachers - A site from the UK. All subject areas!
TeAchnology - Many lesson plans for all grade levels.

First Nations Resources

Aboriginal Themed Lesson Plans
Canada's Native Peoples Webquest - Created for students in grade 5.
CanTeach First Nations Links - A great resource list for teachers.
GoodMinds - Focus on literary resources
First Nations Bands of Saskatchewan
First Nations of Canada Webquest - Created for students in grades 3/4.
First Nations Resource Collection - From Ecole Whitehorse Elementary, a fantastic resource list.
Four Directions Teaching - Oral histories and information. The resources section includes lesson plans.
Gathering Nations - Lots of information and photos about PowWows!
Gift of Language and Culture - Focuses on First Nations languages and integrating them into the school.
Hidden From History - A documentary about residential schools.
iPortal - Indigenous Studies Portal Research tool
Metissage
NativeWiki
Oyate Ta Olowan: The Songs of the People - Includes resources for teachers and a great source for music.
PowWows.com - More information about PowWows.
Sacred Stories and Legends
Saskatchewan Stories
Using First Nations Literature in the Classroom
Where are the Children? - Information about residential schools.

Health and Physical Education

Canadian Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (CAHPERD)
Daily Physical Activity: A Handbook for Grades 1-9 Schools - A huge list of Shelley's Brain Breaks! Link to the .pdf is here. Has cross-curricular linking, assessment ideas, and just tons of stuff.
Ever Active Schools - This seems to be the Albertan version of InMotion.
Games Kids Play
Health Canada - Lots of free resources!
Kids Health
Kids Running - Resources, curriculum links and lots of help with introducing kids to running!
Mission: Nutrition
Mr. Gym - Elementary PE Activities.
Multi-Media Resource- Here is the walk-through-it-yourself video from our Resisting Media Stereotypes framework presentation. There are links above it and may link to other topics in health from Sask. Learning as well.
National Diary Council (Tools for Schools)
OPHEA
PE Central
PE Zone
Public Health Agency of Canada
Saskatchewan In Motion
Saskatchewan Physical Education Association (SPEA)
Schools Come Alive
Street Play - Recess games.
Walking Tour of Canada
Wilderdom - Outdoor living activities and information.
Winter Active Schools - Also from Alberta, this site has winter-based ideas.
Yoga Kids: Educating the Whole Child Through Yoga

Language Arts

Local Things

Evergreen Curriculum
Real Renewal.org - Information about the upcoming school closures in Regina. The website opposes them... find out information here.
Regina Early Learning Center
Regina Public Library Search Database - Find out what books the RPL has in stock and which libraries they're located in.

Math

CanTeach Math Resources
Illuminations - Lots of math activities and lessons.
Math Central - Set up through the university, lots of resources here.
Math Links - Lots of math-related links for various grades
National Library of Virtual Manipulatives

Science

National Geographic Kids: Try This! - A great list of fun experiments you can do in a classroom, and other lesson ideas too.

School Divisions

Social Studies

CanTeach Social Studies Directory - Resources, links, plans for many grade levels.
Saskatchewan Stories

Homework

lawson2a — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:39:31 CST

Cl'All of the fun things we have to do so far... this is just what I had written down, and I'm really unorganized and lazy at keeping track of this stuff, sooooo if anything seems missing or you notice that an assignment date has been changed, please add it! I haven't put any of the assignments were different groups present on different days, but if you want to put yours down, or things like birthdays, please do!

NO MORE HOMEWORK

Units (By Grade Level)

lawson2a — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 17:19:12 CDT

Units!

Any and all units can go here! Frameworks (science, health), complete linked units (EPS), or anything in between. Upload whatever you think would be useful and is convenient for you! One of the most valuable things here might be the list of resources... knowing where to look, and what to look for, can be a huge help in the planning process.

Pre-Kindergarten
"Science Unit: Senses" (Carrie)
"Thematic Unit: The Farm" (Amy)
"Thematic Unit: Friendship" (Amy)

Kindergarten
"Science Unit: Animals" (Kim)
"Science Unit: The Earth" (Krystal)
"Science Unit: Plants" (Crystal)

Grade One
"Math Unit: Number Strand" (Amy)
"Thematic Unit: Motion" (Ronda)
"Science Unit: Animals" (Stacey)
"Science Unit: Animal Adaptations" (Garett)
"Science Unit: The Earth" (Annette)*
"Science Unit: Plants" (Amberlee)
"Science Unit: Plants" (Cheri)
"Science Unit [Matter]: Pumpkins Matter" (Amy)
"Science Unit: Senses" (Gillian)
"Science Unit: The Sky" (Rita)

Grade Two
"Heatlh Unit: Social Relationships" (Amy)
"Science Unit: Animal Habitats" (Jamie)
"Science Unit: Magnets" (Amanda)
"Science Unit: Measuring Matter" (Krista)
"Science Unit: Plant Growth" (Marlee)
"Science Unit: Weather" (Nancy)
"Thematic Unit: Cardiovascular Activity - Heart and Lungs" (Krista)
"Thematic Unit: Decision Making" (Jane)
"Thematic Unit: Needs and Wants" (Rita)
"Thematic Unit: Penguins" (Rita)

Grade Three
"Science Unit: Animals" (Ronda)
"Science Unit: Earth" (Dave)
"Science Unit: Endangered Animals" (Laurie)
"Science Unit [Plants]: Strawberries" (Fraser)

Grade Four
"Science Unit: Fossils and Rocks" (Erin) - I don't have this! Will get a copy
"Science Unit: The Human Body" (Becky)
"Science Unit: Senses" (Jane)

Animal Habitats (Grade 2, Jamie)

lawson2a — Mon, 19 May 2008 23:26:08 CDT

Animal Habitats: A Grade Two Science Unit
By Jamie

Continue to...

[picture!]

Unit Information

Unit Overview:	Related Units:
In this unit, students gain an understanding of the intricate interactions that occur within the environment. They see how plants and animals interact with their surroundings. The natural environment is studied in detail.	Grade One: Plants (see Amberlee's Unit or Cheri's Unit), as well as some of the optional earth science units. dealing with The Sky, and Air and Water. Grade Two- Core unit on Plants (see Marlee's Unit) and Weather. Grade Three- Animals, and optional unit on Plant Structures and Adaptations. Grade Four- Fossils and Rocks. Grade Five- Optional unit on Communities and Ecosystems. Grade Six- Ecosystems.
Suggested Themes:	Factors of Scientific Literacy to be Emphasized:
Agriculture, animals, change, deserts, food chains, grasslands, living things around you, nature, oceans, plants, ponds, and woodlands.	A2- Historic A3- Holistic B1-Change B2- Interaction B3- Orderliness B4- Organism B6- Symmetry C2- Communicating C3- Observing and Describing C6- Questioning E2- Using Natural Environments F4- Valuing Natural Environments G1- Interest G3- Continuous Learner
Common Essential Learnings:	Foundational and Learning Objectives:
To develop students’ appreciation of the value and limitations of technology within society. (Technological Literacy) To support students in coming to a better understanding of the personal, moral, social, and cultural aspects of science. (Personal Social Values and Skills)	Appreciate the intricacy of the environment. Investigate the characteristics of the woodland, grassland, desert, pond, or ocean environments. Compare many different environments. Observe and describe the local environment. Recognize the interactions which occur within the environment. Show how the nonliving environment affects life. Describe how plants and animals adapt to changes in their environments. Recognize relationships which exist between plants and animals in an environment.
Resources:
The resources that I used in my unit plan are from the Project Wild Activity Guide, as well as the following Internet websites: www.sasked.gov.sk.ca www.lessonplanz.com www.uen.org http://school.discoveryeducation.com www.theteacherscorner.com For each lesson, I adapted the lesson ideas from these resources to better fit my objectives. My resources for the lessons include: Animals Around Us- video Animal Tracks by Arthur Dorros What Do Animals Do In Winter? by Melvin and Gilda Berger Possible field trip sites may include nature walks or hikes in largeparks, or museums to learn more about the habitats of animals. For this you may want to ask for the assistances of parent or guardian volunteers.

Animal Habitats: Lesson Eight (Jamie)

lawson2a — Mon, 19 May 2008 23:17:25 CDT

<< Lesson Seven ... Lesson Index ... Resources >>

Lesson Eight: Nature Hike

Concept/Topic:	Activities:
Nature Hike	Go on a nature hike at the closest possible location with sufficient evidence of nature. Observe and record what animals are seen, where they were, and what they were doing. You may also use tracks of animals or any other evidence that they were there. Observe different kinds of plants that are observable. Return back to class and find out more about an animal or plant that the students saw by using the Internet or books provided in the classroom. The teacher will use a camera to take a picture of the plant or animal that the students may wish to learn more about. It may be difficult to capture a picture of the animal, so you may wish to capture any tracks or trails from the animal. It depends on what you see on your hike that will determine what resources you can use for the students to research more about them, but I have included a few websites on certain things that you may come across. As an activity you could use the Animals of North America card guide, and have students predict before going on the hike of which animals they may see, or which animals that it could be possible for them to see.
Time Frame:	Other Areas of Study:
One hour	Language Arts: Writing stories about what they saw Arts. Ed: Creating collages about the hike
Scientific Literacy Factors:	Objectives:
A3- Holistic B1-Change B2- Interaction B3- Orderliness B4- Organism C3- Observing and Describing C6- Questioning E2- Using Natural Environments F4- Valuing Natural Environments G1- Interest G3- Continuous Learner	Observe and describe the local environment. Investigate more about an animal or plant of their choice.
Common Essential Learnings:	Organization:
(IL)- Students create appropriate products and chose a plant or animal to learn more about. (T)- Recognizes the impact of technology on human lifestyle, and discovers the uses of a digital camera and the uses of the Internet.	It would be helpful to have parent helpers come along with you on the nature hike to help with student organization and taking pictures. It may also be advisable to send a note home so the parents are aware of what will be going on and they can dress their children appropriately for the weather.
Resources:	Materials:
Evergreen Curriculum (adapted) www.acacamps.org/staff/games/cm/005hike.php www.regina.ca/trees/index.html www.squirrels.org Animals of North America Card Guide	Digital camera (teacher use) Computers with internet access Animal and plant information books

Tips for Beginning Hikers

A great way to implement this animal unit involves taking children outside. It is one of the best ways for children to learn and gain meaningful experiences. Before you go outside it is important to discuss safety issues, therefore I have attached a Hiking Tips guide that will help when taking children into the outdoors.

Retrieved from: http://health.kaboose.com/active-kids/hiking_tips
There's nothing quite like the sound of a summer breeze in leaves, the sight of a sparkling stream in the sun, or the sounds of birds singing and animals scurrying through the underbrush. But the experienced hiker knows to beware of munching mosquitoes, itchy ivy, and falling rocks. With the right knowledge, adventurers avoid blisters, rashes, and injury in the wilderness while enjoying all the experiences of nature.

Plan Ahead. -Know your hike and your terrain. Plan for the journey by researching the area on the web. Simply type the park's name into a search engine, and see what you find. Chances are, the park's site will offer loads of online information about their best season, activities, trails, and even numbers for contacting the Park Rangers. Some of these sites will even offer printable trail maps online. Be sure to talk to a local Ranger prior to the hike, and ask for information regarding safety and environmental issues. The Park Ranger knows the area well enough to steer you clear of danger and towards the best sites on the trail.
Know your environment. -Whether you are hiking the Everglades, or the back yard, you must know your environment. Any time humans interact with nature, there is a chance of injury. It's best to know which plants and animals in the area should be avoided.
It's also important to be very aware of weather. Research the weather patterns in your park before the hike. This way you can avoid the camping nightmare of waking up in a flooded tent. Although swimming may be on the adventure agenda, most hikers find they prefer to do it during the day and with prior planning.
Always start small. -The first hike of the season should be a short excursion. Those who are just learning about surviving a night in the wilderness should not be very far from their basecamp (home, car, campsite). Until a hiker completes their first aid training, they should never venture very far from proper medical attention. It's also good precaution to camp close enough to home for a quick sprint away from a rummaging raccoon or a spooky snake, or even a midnight trip to the restroom.
Know your water. -We all have visions of drinking from the crystal clear mountain brook babbling over the rocks after a hot hike, but beware of the water! Although it appears safe and clean to drink, most natural water sources have huge amounts of bacteria that can make brave adventurers very sick. Be sure to bring your own water or water filter for drinking. Although it may be fine to wash in the stream, a smart hiker will only drink purified water.
Be smart with food. -A backpack dinner of a smashed ham sandwich, chip crumbs, and a half of a granola bar can be compared to fine gourmet cooking when exploring the wilderness. After a hard day's hike, many adventurers thank their lucky stars for a feast from plastic, so good planning should surround the brave backpacker's dinner. Whether hiking in an area known to have bears or sloshing through streams, it's a good idea to keep all food in tightly sealed containers. If animals can smell your rations, they may want to explore further, and a hiker is generally very disappointed to find a fat, happy squirrel in their pack, rather than a salami sandwich.

Learn First Aid and carry a kit. -The best medicine for adventurers is that of prevention. By avoiding injury in the wild, everyone has fun and no one ends up in the hospital instead of swimming in the lake. But hikers can't plan for every instance, and sometimes there are accidents.
By using first aid, a quick-thinking kid can save a friend's life. First aid training teaches ways to overcome stress in an emergency and react with the courage of a hero. It also gives the knowledge of how to deal with specific types of injuries.
Carry field guides. -When you step into the alien world of a wilderness environment, you are likely to see plants, insects, and animals you never noticed before. Instead of trying to remember what the creatures looked liked until you get home, take a field guide for nature and look up the information on the spot. Find out if a plant is poisonous, match an animal to it's name, or identify a species you've never seen. Field guides offer the opportunity for great outdoor study, and exceptional advice for mingling with nature.
Be careful what you pack! -The most important rule of hiking- be smart about what you pack. A beginning hiker generally becomes exhausted carrying a sack full of trail munchies, games, a portable CD player, three sweaters, and a video camera. Although pictures are nice, consider carrying a disposable camera for a more enjoyable hike.
Think before you step. -Complete common sense is sometimes lost in the excitement of the adventure. A mesmerized hiker may be staring at local wildlife, and trip over a tree root causing serious injury. This doesn't mean adventure walkers should stare only at the trail while hiking, but rather that they should be constantly aware of their surroundings.
Keep an eye on the trail well in front of where you are walking, and always consider the path before bounding forward, or you may find yourself lost in the briar patch with Brer Rabbit. Stop moving long enough to take pictures of wildlife or research in a field guide. This allows all members of the group to grab a breath and enjoy the scenery before hitting the trail again.
Always carry out what you carry in. -The first rule with interacting with the environment is: Leave it as you found it. This rule applies to the trees, the earth, the animals, the campsite, and even the flowers. The caretakers of the wilderness areas and parks have dedicated their lives to preserving what one careless hand could destroy in a second. Show repect to Mother Nature. Carry out all of the garbage you carry in, don't feed the animals, and leave only footsteps when you go. If everyone works together to preserve parks, wilderness, and other hiking areas, we will all be able to enjoy breathtaking hiking adventures in the future as well.
Never hike alone. -NEVER- under any circumstances venture into the woods by yourself. Outdoor adventures are fun for the family, but hiking is only a group sport. The chances of becoming lost, sustaining injury, or losing supplies is much higher when alone, making the sport extemely dangerous. Always go with a group, tell someone where you are going and when you plan to return, and check in at the ranger station so they are aware of your location.
Put the slowest hiker in front and pace the group to that person. -This works great in a group of differing ages! With the fast hikers in the front, they have a tendency to spread out too much. Then someone small at the back gets exhausted running to keep up. If you do divide into faster and slower groups, the one ahead should never get too far ahead and should stop and let the others catch up on a regular basis.
Take regular breaks. -Make sure that kids are drinking water. In very hot areas dehydration is especially dangerous.
Avoid sunburn. -Wear a head and arm coverings in sunny or high altitude areas, and use sunblock.
Pace Yourself! - Encourage kids not to exhaust themselves early in a hike. Sometimes little ones run at the beginning, run out of energy and have to be carried. Remember: it is not the destination that teaches, but the journey itself! Although we may never reach the continental divide via granola bars and hiking boots, the time spent traversing nature is special family time. We talk, explore, learn, and exercise as a group. There are interesting people and animals along the way. We even learn to help a friend who is hurt through first aid training. We all work together to achieve the end of the trail as brave and seasoned outdoor adventurers.

Animal Habitats: Lesson Seven (Jamie)

lawson2a — Mon, 19 May 2008 23:14:17 CDT

<< Lesson Six ... Lesson Index ... Lesson Eight >>

Lesson Seven: Birds

Concept/Topic:	Activities:
Birds	Set up a bird feeder outside of the classroom. Observe the feeder regularly to observe and identify the different birds that use it. Record the amount of food everyday to see how much they are eating in journals. It may be necessary to have them just draw the amount they see. They can also draw the types of birds they see in their journals. At any time during this lesson, which will continue for a longer period of time, you can show the students a video which shows hummingbirds, woodpeckers, etc. and some of the birds you may see using your bird feeder. These videos are on the website http://video.nationalgeographic.com I also have a website on garden birds, where you can have the students look up information on robins and sparrows since they are quite common in Regina. That website is www.turning-earth.co.uk/birds.htm. Extension- Have the students research more on the birds that they see. You could also get them to write stories about the birds or what they could do to attract other birds. I have included some books on birds that you may come across while having the birdfeeder.
Time Frame:	Scientific Literacy Factors:
Twenty to thirty minutes daily	A2- Historic B4- Organism B2- Interaction C3- Observing and Describing F4- Valuing Natural Environments G1- Interest
Objectives:	Common Essential Learnings:
Observe how the nonliving environment affects life. Describe how animals adapt to changes in their environments.	(PSVS)- This activity helps to give students an appreciation and sensitivity to other living things. It also helps to reveal the beauty found in nature.
Resources:	Materials:
Evergreen Curriculum (adapted) http://video.nationalgeographic.com www.turning-earth.co.uk/birds.htm. Hummingbirds- by Katherine Grier Ruby Throated Hummingbirds- by James E. Gerholdt Downy Woodpeckers- by Katherine Grier Redheaded Woodpeckers- by James E. Gerholdt	Bird feeder Crayons/Markers/Pencil Crayons Journals
Organization:
If possible, have the bird feeder close to the room outside of the school so it is easier for the students to observe. Also, to not disturb the birds, don’t have all the children check the feeder everyday. Separate the children into groups and have one group each day go and observe.

Animal Habitats: Lesson Six (Jamie)

lawson2a — Mon, 19 May 2008 23:11:25 CDT

<< Lesson Five ... Lesson Index ... Lesson Seven >>

Lesson Six: Non-living vs. Living Things

Concept/Topic:	Activities:
Non-living vs. Living Things	Before going for a walk outside the school, have students learn more about living and nonliving things. Start with having them go on the website http://miksike/com to learn what is a living thing and a nonliving thing. Next have them go to the website http://animalspeek.blogspot.com where they can continue learning about living and nonliving things. It is a great website with a lot of information, and it mentions the importance of animals and classification of animals which could lead into extensions. Lastly before you go on the walk, have the students visit the website www.saburchitt.com for a quiz on living and nonliving things. Go for a walk outdoors near the school. Keep three lists of observation (nonliving things observed, living things observed, and signs that living things are around). When you return to class, compare the lists. Have students search for relationships to try and determine how living things and nonliving things are related. Make and compare a list of nonliving things that they need (ex- food, shelter, clothing etc.)
Time Frame:	Scientific Literacy Factors:
Forty-five minutes to an hour	A3- Holistic B2- Interaction B4- Organism C2- Communicating C3- Observing and Describing C6- Questioning E2- Using Natural Environments F4- Valuing Natural Environments G1- Interest
Objectives:	Common Essential Learnings:
Appreciate the intricacy of the environment. Observe and describe the local environment. Show how the nonliving environment affects life. Recognize relationships which exist between plants and animals in an environment.	(CCT)- Students record observations, compare information, and search for relationships in this activity.
Resources:	Materials:
Evergreen Curriculum (adapted) http://miksike/com http://animalspeek.blogspot.com www.saburchitt.com	Charts Milk carton clip boards Crayons/Markers/Pencil Crayons Paper
Organization:
When working with computers, it is not likely you will have enough for each child, so beforehand it would be wise to sort out groups or pairs to have the children work in. Before hand, discussing the appropriate uses of using the Internet could be helpful for insuring that the searches are being used effectively.

Animal Habitats: Lesson Five (Jamie)

lawson2a — Mon, 19 May 2008 23:08:42 CDT

<< Lesson Four ... Lesson Index ... Lesson Six >>

Lesson Five: Deserts

Concept/Topic:	Activities:
Deserts	Ask students what they already know about a desert and make a list of their answers. Write down any questions that they have about deserts. Ask students what they think we need to live every day. They should mention food, water and shelter. Explain that animals that live in the desert sometimes have a hard time finding those things and create a list of characteristics of desert habitats that make them difficult places to live. Watch video “Amazing Animals- Desert Animals” to learn more about the animals found in the desert and get them thinking of what to look for on the websites below. Have students look at the desert animals at the websites provided: National Geographic: Creature Feature- Coyotes Desert Animals and Wildlife Enchanted Learning: Desert Animal Printouts ENature.com (type “desert” in search box) Have each student choose one of the animals and draw it’s picture, showing its desert surroundings including the types of things it eats and drinks and where it finds shelter. To close, remind the students about the list of questions they had at the beginning and see if their questions have been answers. Add any new facts that students have learned to the list. Extension- Have students create riddles from descriptive words on the pictures of the animals they chose. For example: I am an animal that lives in the desert. I have a bulky body, I have short brown, black, and gray bristly fur, etc. You could also have students create vocabulary lists from their own and other students’ riddles, create a desert animal book from all the pictures, have students write stories about their animals, or use a world map to discuss the different locations of deserts throughout the world. You could also play the “Oh Deer” game with them to reinforce the objectives.
Time Frame:	Scientific Literacy Factors:
One hour	B2- Interaction C3- Observing and Describing E2- Using Natural Environments F4- Valuing Natural Environments G1- Interest
Objectives:	Common Essential Learnings:
Identify desert animals. Recognize what is included in a desert habitat. If extension is included, students will create riddles about deserts.	(C)- Identify desert animals. (IL)- Produce appropriate products, search appropriate websites. (TL)- Experience uses of the Internet. (CCT)- Examines ideas from a variety of sources.
Resources:	Materials:
www.uen.org National Geographic: Creature Feature- Coyotes Desert Animals and Wildlife Enchanted Learning: Desert Animal Printouts ENature.com (type “desert” in search box) “Amazing Animals- Desert Animals”	Computers with internet access White or coloured paper Crayons/Markers/Pencil Crayons
Organization:
When working with computers, it is not likely you will have enough for each child, so beforehand it would be wise to sort out groups or pairs to have the children work in. Before hand, discussing the appropriate uses of using the Internet could be helpful for insuring that the searches are being used effectively.

Animal Habitats: Lesson Four (Jamie)

lawson2a — Mon, 19 May 2008 23:05:25 CDT

<< Lesson Three ... Lesson Index ... Lesson Five >>

Lesson Four: Wildlife and the Environment

Concept/Topic:	Activities:
Wildlife and Environment	Create a list of activities that people do that seem harmful to wildlife. As a class, view the Black-Footed Ferret video on http://www.blackfootedferret.org/index.html. Tell students we are going to create a storybook about the Black-Footed Ferret I will put the students into groups, and there are 5 pages in the book that need to be filled out. They will visit the same website on the Ibooks in front of them, and click on “Ferret Facts” and then “Frequently Asked Questions” I will hand out the page that the groups are responsible for, and they are filling in the blank type pages. The students will be responsible for looking at the website and filling in the blanks for their page. When everyone is finished they will share their page with the class and I will put the storybook together. I also have a lot of endangered animal books which will be throughout the classroom for the children as they wish to look at them.
Time Frame:	Scientific Literacy Factors:
Thirty minutes	A3- Holistic B2- Interaction C3- Observing and Describing C6- Questioning F4- Valuing Natural Environments
Objectives:	Common Essential Learnings:
Describe how the nonliving environment affects life. Discuss reasons why they are inappropriate. Consider and recommend alternatives.	(C)- Discussing what harms wildlife and the environment. (IL)- Explores prior knowledge. (CCT)- Explores complications. (PSVS)- Demonstrates a better understanding of actions.
Resources:	Materials:
Project Wild Activity Guide http://www.blackfootedferret.org/index.html. http://endangeredanimalsfact.com http://endangeredtv.com www.endangeredspecie.com Endangered Animals- by George S. Fichter Endangered Animals- Faith McNulty Canadian Endangered Species- by Colleayn O. Mastin Children’s Guide to Endangered Animals- by Roger Few Endangered Wildlife- by Barbara J. Behm Endangered Animals of the Northern Continents- by Barbara J. Behm Save our Oceans and Coasts- by Ron Hirschi Can We Save Them? – by James M. Needham Endangered Animals Dictionary- by Clint Twist Endangered Ocean Animals- by Dave Taylor Endangered Mountain Animals- by Dave Taylor Endangered Grassland Animals- by Dave Taylor Endangered Wetland Animals- by Dave Taylor Endangered Forest Animals- by Dave Taylor	Chart paper for discussion White or coloured construction paper Crayons/Markers/Pencil Crayons

Animal Habitats: Lesson Three (Jamie)

lawson2a — Mon, 19 May 2008 23:00:41 CDT

<< Lesson Two ... Lesson Index ... Lesson Four >>

Lesson Three: Adaptations

Concept/Topic:	Activities:
Adaptations	Ask students what they do when it gets really cold outside. Read book What Do Animals Do In Winter by Melvin and Gilda Berger. Discuss migration and hibernation. Explain how fur helps animals. Have students go on website www.ecokids.ca/pub/eco.info/topics/climate/adaptations/index.cfm where they can play an animal adaptations game. This will give them a chance to look at certain animals and see how they adapt. There is also an arctic animals quiz which is really age appropriate and has a lot of good information. Glue cotton batting around one of the soup cans. The cotton will represent the fur. Fill both cans with hot water, and place thermometer in both cans and record the temperature of the water. Record the temperature in the cans every 10 minutes for 30 minutes. What did you discover? I will also set out the books about adaptation so the children can further their knowledge about animal adaptations if they so wish.
Time Frame:	Scientific Literacy Factors:
One hour	A3- Holistic A4- Replicable B1-Change C2- Communicating C3- Observing and Describing
Objectives:	Common Essential Learnings:
Investigate how living things change to adapt to their environment.	(C)- Understand cause and effect. (IL)- Design appropriate products. (CCT)- Identify adaptations. (N)- Demonstrate appropriate use of thermometer.
Resources:	Materials:
www.theteacherscorner.com www.ecokids.ca/pub/eco.info/topics/climate/adaptations/index.cfm Adaptation- by Steve Parker Animal Adaptations- by Malcolm Penny	What Do Animals Do In Winter by Melvin and Gilda Berger 2 soup cans per person or group Cotton balls Thermometers
Organization:
When using the hot water, make sure there is enough space in the class so no one is pushing to be able to see, or have enough thermometers for every one or two students. The water doesn’t have to be boiling hot, but make sure to share safety rules with students.

Animal Habitats: Lesson Two (Jamie)

lawson2a — Mon, 19 May 2008 22:57:54 CDT

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Lesson Two: Environments

Concept/Topic:	Activities:
Environments	Read book Animal Tracks by Arthur Dorros. Share pictures you have collected prior, demonstrating evidence that animals have left in your around your community. Let them know they will be creating a mural in which they will be able to leave clues to figure out the animal that they chose. On the paper have them draw the appropriate habitat for their animal, so others can guess. (Ex- for a bear, they would have mountains, bushes with berries, a pond with fish, trees, etc.) Have students research the animal tracks of the animals they chose on the website www.bear-tracker.com Use the animal track stamps to include in their mural. You could also have students look at the Animals Of North America Card Guide because they show habitat, diet and predators of the animals which may be useful. Another resource would be having someone from Ducks Unlimited coming to speak about certain animal habitats.
Time Frame:	Scientific Literacy Factors:
Thirty minutes	C3- Observing and Describing C2- Communicating E2- Using Natural Environments G1- Interest
Objectives:	Common Essential Learnings:
Observe and describe animals in local environment. Compare different environments.	(C)- Describe environment. (IL)- Creating appropriate product. (CCT)- Discover relationship between ideas. (PSVS)- Develop a better understanding of certain environments.
Resources:	Materials:
www.lessonplanz.com The booklist for lesson plan #1 would also be appropriate for this lesson because they could chose the animals mentioned in the books to draw their pictures from. Lake and Pond- by April Pulley Sayre Wetland- by April Pulley Sayre Wetlands- by Rose Pipes Ponds and Pond Life- by Anita Ganeri Life in a Polar Region- by Carol K. Lindeen Life in a Rain Forest- by Carol K. Lindeen Life in a Forest- by Carol K. Lindeen Animals Of North America Card Guide	Animal Track Stamps Stamp pad 8x14 white paper Crayons/Markers/Pencil Crayons

Animal Habitats: Lesson One (Jamie)

lawson2a — Mon, 19 May 2008 22:55:08 CDT

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Lesson One: Different Habitats
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Concept/Topic:	Activities:
Different Habitats	Start lesson by discussing different natural environments with the class, and then view the video Animals Around us. Continue discussing forests, wetlands, deserts, and grasslands until students demonstrate a clear understanding of the basic characteristics of these environments, and ask them to draw a picture of one they would like to visit. Do so by setting out all the books listed in the resources to have the children familiar with certain environments. Have them include things you would expect to see in each picture, such as the plants and animals that live and grow there. Provide them with various materials such as magazines, nature calendars etc. for their drawings. At the end of the lesson, have them share their drawings and explain why they chose that environment.
Time Frame:	Scientific Literacy Factors:
Thirty to fourty minutes	B2- Interaction C2- Communicating F4- Valuing Natural Environments C6- Questioning G1- Interest
Objectives:	Common Essential Learnings:
Investigate the characteristics of forests, deserts, wetlands and grasslands. Develop an understanding of the word habitat.	Communication (C)- Discusses chosen environments. Independent Learning (IL)- Creates appropriate product. Critical and Creative Thinking (CCT)- Classifies information.
Resources:	Materials:
www.theteacherscorner.com Lake and Pond- by April Pulley Sayre Wetland- by April Pulley Sayre Wetlands- by Rose Pipes Ponds and Pond Life- by Anita Ganeri Life in a Polar Region- by Carol K. Lindeen Life in a Rain Forest- by Carol K. Lindeen Life in a Forest- by Carol K. Lindeen	Animals Around Us video Crayons/Markers/Pencil Crayons Construction Paper Magazines, Nature calendars and other print resources with photos of the environment (In place of the video, you could use any book that talks about the different environments, it’s just a way to start the lesson and expose them to the different environments so they can gather the information necessary for the drawing.)

Animal Adaptations: Lesson One (Garett)

lawson2a — Sun, 18 May 2008 00:01:06 CDT

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Lesson One: Introduction
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Concept:	Activities:
This is an introductory lesson, to get the children thinking about animals, their habitats, and the adaptations they make to survive.	Introduce terms that we will be using throughout, including HABITAT, CLIMATE, PREDATOR and PREY. Draw three columns on the chalkboard. Each column represents one animal. The first two animals will be common ones that the students suggest. The third will be an animal that the class will invent. The class will be asked questions like: What is the weather like in this animal’s habitat? How does this animal find shelter? How does this animal find food? Does this animal have any predators? What behaviors show this animal has "adapted" to its environment? Split class into centre groups, with each centre being a designated continent on earth. Students must research this continent, and choose one animal that inhabits the land. Have students speculate with these questions: What would happen if the animals switched habitats? What adaptation features would be useful or useless in the new habitat? Do you think the animal could survive in the unfamiliar habitat? What does that tell you about how animals adapt to their environments?
Time Frame:	Scientific Literacy Factors:
This will be a one day lesson of about 1 hour.	A1, B1, B2, B10, B16, C4, C6, C8, E5, F4, F6.
Objectivies:	CELs:
SWBAT Describe the habitats of some animals. Explore the ways that animals adapt to their environments. Explain how animals depend on their habitats for their basic needs.	Critical and Creative thinking. Independent Learning.
Resources:	Organization:
A map of the world, with pictures of animals that live in the different areas can be found on the Kratts Creatures Website: http://www.pbs.org/kratts/world/content.html Amazing Animal Homes. Belinda Weber Amazing Animal Disguises. Belinda Weber What is a Biome? Bobbie Kalman	The lesson will begin in the circle area, or in desks. The centre groups will be in small groups and at table settings.
Materials:
Chalkboard, Laptop for each table group, handout with second set of questions

Animals: Lesson Ten (Stacey)

lawson2a — Sat, 17 May 2008 23:42:42 CDT

<< Lesson Nine ... Lesson Index >>

Lesson Ten: Writing a Report

Objective:	Activity:
Students will be able to gather all of the information that was learned in this unit and write a mini report.	Write a 3 or 4 page report about their animal of choice and draw pictures. Make the report 2 or 3 sentences on each page and draw a corresponding picture with each page.
CELs:	Materials:
Communication, Critical and Creative Thinking	Notebooks, paper, pictures of animals and art supplies.
Resources
All the resources listed. Children can refer back to them at any time and sign out or look on the internet in the classroom and refer to the magazines that they brought in to share.

Animals: Lesson Nine (Stacey)

lawson2a — Sat, 17 May 2008 23:40:29 CDT

<< Lesson Eight ... Lesson Index ... Lesson Ten >>

Lesson Nine: Habitats

Objective:	Activity:
Students will be able to have a better understanding about different animals in their habitat.	Make a classroom mural of animals, pets, farms or insects. Take a LARGE piece of paper and put it on the floor so that all the children can sit and draw “animals” in their habitat. Later, hang the paper on the wall.
CELs:	Materials:
Critical and Creative Thinking, Communication	Large paper, pictures of animals and art materials including paint.
Resources
Really Wild Animals: Awesome Animal Builders (video). All about Animals: Hideaway Homes (video) the video could be shown at the beginning of the lesson. I would also let the children “rent” them out for a few days and they can watch them at home. Underground Habitats: Bobbie Kalman. A visual book to show children how animals survive in their habitat. Children can look at this book and start their drawing or get ideas. Animals Homes: Bobbie Kalman. Another great visual book with animals and how they adapt. Lots of visuals. How Animals Find Comfort and Safety Home: Laurence Pringle. This book is not age appropriate. It has a lot of good information so I would take out pages of the book and tell stories. www.biography.com. This website has good interactive games about habitats.

Animals: Lesson Seven (Stacey)

lawson2a — Sat, 17 May 2008 23:37:56 CDT

<< Lesson Six ... Lesson Index ... Lesson Eight >>

Lesson Seven: Birds

Objective:	Activity:
Students will be able to identify birds and learn how to feed them properly.	Make bird feeders out of 2 liter milk cartons. Cut out top quarter of carton and put different seeds or fruit inside and see what types of birds are attracted to it. In spring, put different seeds and bird food and see how many birds come to the window.
CELs:	Materials:
Critical and Creative Thinking	Milk cartons, bird food, string and scissors.
Resources
Birds: Mark Evans. This book would be with the bird invitation. We can read this book to find out what seeds we need to attract what birds. This book could be used if there was a real bird pet in the classroom.

Animals: Lesson Eight (Stacey)

lawson2a — Sat, 17 May 2008 23:36:32 CDT

<< Lesson Seven ... Lesson Index ... Lesson Nine >>

Lesson Eight: Household Pets

Objective:	Activity:
Students will be able to learn to take care of household pets.	Visit a local pet store.
CELs:	Materials:
Critical and Creative Thinking, Independent Learning	LOTS of classroom management.
Resources
Adopting Pets: How to choose your new best friend: Bill Gutman. See lesson 6. www.pawsperouspets.com A good website about adopting animals. Before you adopt. I like the section where you can ask an expert a question about adopting.

Animals: Lesson Six

lawson2a — Sat, 17 May 2008 23:32:22 CDT

<< Lesson Five ... Lesson Index ... Lesson Seven >>

Lesson Six: Caring for Animals

Objective:	Activity:
Students will be able to learn how to take care of various kinds of animals.	Bring in various animals into the classroom for the unit. They can be brought from children’s homes or have a classroom pet. Have a feeding schedule and a clean up schedule. Every day is a new student.
CELs:	Materials:
Critical and Creative Thinking	Animals, food and cleaning supplies.
Resources
The Magic School Bus: Looking for Liz scholastic. This is a reading book for the children in the library. All about Pets. Helen Frost. This book shows how to take care of small pets. I would read this book or make sure the children read it before we brought in an animal. Adopting Pets: How to choose your best friend: Bill Gutman. We would use this book for this lesson and through lesson 8. Always be referring to it.

Animals: Lesson Five (Stacey)

lawson2a — Sat, 17 May 2008 23:22:44 CDT

<< Lesson Four ... Lesson Index ... Lesson Six >>

Lesson Five: Animal Tracks and Homes

Objective:	Activity:
Students will be able to identify tracks and homes of animals.	Go for a walk in the school yard. Ask questions about the environment and where animals maybe found (if time, lay out bones of animals or feathers before the nature walk) and the children mark down what they saw or draw it.
CELs:	Materials:
Independent Learning, Numeracy	A clipboard and pencil and an outside environment
Resources
Project Wild Activity Book: There is a really good section of habitats in this book. Different habitats and different animals. Animal Homes: Tammy Everts and Bobbie Kalman. This book would be in the reading corner, as well. I would read it before we went outside and try to find the different tracks or homes on the field. All About Animals: Hideaway Homes. (video). If I had access to a tv/vcr I would let them play it during center time. Or they could “rent” the video out for 2 days and then return it. Inside Guides: animals Homes. (how things work-from the inside out) This big book is excellent. I would have it in the reading corner. Or for center time children could refer to the book and draw a home of an animal and we could make our own book.