TEACHING GUIDE TEACHING Habitats 1st Grade Reading Level ISBN 978-0-8225-5396-0
2 TEACHING HABITATS Standards Language Arts Reading Language Arts Writing Language Arts Listening and Speaking Science Life Skills Uses the general skills and strategies of the reading process. Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of informational texts. Uses viewing skills and strategies to understand and interpret visual media. Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process. Gathers and uses information for research purposes. Uses the stylistic and rhetorical aspects of writing. Uses grammatical and mechanical conventions in written compositions. Uses listening and speaking strategies for a variety of purposes. Understands the nature of scientific inquiry. Understands relationships among organisms and their physical environment. Understands biological evolution and the diversity of life. Displays effective interpersonal communication skills. Multiple Intelligences Utilized Linguistic, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, logical-mathematical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic Copyright 2005 by Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Student pages may be reproduced by the classroom teacher for classroom use only, not for commercial resale. No other part of this teaching guide may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior written permission of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc., except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review. Books in the Habitats series include: Desert Forest Ocean Wetland LernerClassroom A division of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. 241 First Avenue North Minneapolis, MN 55401 U.S.A. 800-328-4929 Website address: www.lernerclassroom.com Manufactured in the United States of America 2 3 4 5 6 7 IG 13 12 11 10 09 08
TEACHING HABITATS 3 Lesson 1 Who Lives There? Purpose: Students will identify animals and match them to their natural habitats. Materials Habitats books Animals p. 9 Desert p. 10 Wetland p. 11 Ocean p. 12 Objectives Define the terms desert, forest, ocean, and wetland. Classify animals by their natural habitats. Determine which habitat is the natural habitat of various animals. Contrast various habitats. Construct pictures by correctly placing animal figures on backgrounds depicting four distinct habitats. Explain why animals live in specific habitats. Activity Procedures Forest p. 13 pencils crayons scissors glue Prepare (teacher) Copy Animals p. 9, Desert p. 10, Wetland p. 11, Ocean p. 12, and Forest p. 13 for each student. Pretest (students) What is a habitat? Why do different animals live in different habitats? Read (individual students or pairs) Read each of the Habitats books. (This may be done over several class periods.) Discuss (teacher, students) Review the four habitats. What is a desert like? What animals live in a desert? Could a whale live in a desert? Why or why not? (Repeat with each of the four habitats, using various animal examples.) Model (teacher) Demonstrate how to color and cut out the animal figures from Animals p. 9. Show students how to glue the animal figures onto the appropriate habitat background using Desert p. 10, Wetland p. 11, Ocean p. 12, and Forest p. 13. Practice (students) Color each of the habitat backgrounds. Color and cut out the animal figures from Animals p. 9. Glue each animal figure onto the background that shows its natural habitat. (This can be done one habitat at a time, during the class period in which students read each Habitats book.) Students may use the Habitats books to help determine which animals live in each habitat, if needed. Evaluate (class) Which animals belong on the Desert background? What about the Wetland background? Ocean? Forest? Why is each habitat best for the animals that live there?
4 TEACHING HABITATS Lesson 2 Habitat Mural Purpose: Students will create murals depicting various habitats. Materials Habitats books butcher paper colored construction paper (large) crayons or markers Objectives Describe specific habitats. Classify plants by their natural habitats. Determine which living organisms belong in a specific habitat. Differentiate between habitats. Construct a mural of a habitat. Evaluate a class mural. Activity Procedures scissors glue magazines or photos of various habitats colored tissue paper, yarn, etc. (optional) Prepare (teacher) Cut four pieces of butcher paper to mural size (6 feet, or desired length). Label each mural with one of the following headings: Desert, Forest, Ocean, and Wetland. Seperate magazines and photos into forest, desert, ocean, and wetland groupings. Pretest (students) What does a forest look like? What kinds of plants live there? Read (class, small groups) Read Habitats books. Pay close attention to the plants that live in each habitat. Discuss (class) What kinds of plants grow in a forest? What about a desert? An ocean? A wetland? Model (teacher) Demonstrate how to scan books and magazines to help you remember the plants that live in a specific habitat. Using construction paper and markers (or other craft materials), create a large replica of a plant. Glue the plant onto the mural that depicts the plant s natural habitat. Practice (small groups) Each small group will be assigned one habitat. Group members will review their specific Habitats book. Then they will scan magazines or photos, looking for examples of plants. The teacher should circulate and help, as needed. With construction paper and other craft materials (optional), students will create plants that live in their specified habitat. Students will glue plants to butcher paper to create a habitat mural. Evaluate (class, small groups, teacher) Each group will share the title of their mural and describe the plants found there. Teacher evaluates murals for accuracy. Extension Activity (small groups) Students can add appropriate animals to their habitat murals.
TEACHING HABITATS 5 Lesson 3 Puppet Show Purpose: Students will create animal puppets and prepare dramatic presentations involving habitat themes. Materials Habitats books paper lunch bags colored construction paper (8x11) crayons or markers Objectives Identify animals that live in a specific habitat. Visualize an animal. Create an animal puppet. Classify animals by their natural habitats. Prepare a dramatic presentation. Evaluate a dramatic performance. Activity Procedures scissors glue completed habitat murals from Lesson 2 masking tape Prepare (teacher) Complete a model of an animal puppet. Tape each mural to the side of a table or in the background of a puppet theater. Decide whether students will write their own scripts or use pre-existing scripts for their performances. Copy scripts for each group (optional). Pretest (students, teacher) What animals live in a wetland? A forest? An ocean? A desert? List these on the board. Read (student, small group) Read Habitats books. Discuss (class, small group) What animals live in the habitat about which you read? Add any additional animals to the list on the board. Model (teacher) Explain that students will be creating animal puppets and performing puppet shows related to the habitats they are studying. Show students your sample puppet. Give a sample monologue using an animal puppet. Practice (students, small groups) Look at the lists of animals on the board. Choose one animal from your specified habitat. Create a paper bag animal puppet. In your small group, (write and) practice your puppet show. Evaluate (students, teacher) Small groups will present puppet shows to the class. What did you learn about the habitat you studied? What did you learn about the other habitats by watching the puppet shows?
6 TEACHING HABITATS Lesson 4 Our Local Habitat Purpose: Students will identify a habitat near their school and create a mini-book describing its features. Materials Habitats books pencils lined paper clipboards or sturdy folders Objectives Describe a local habitat. Classify a local habitat. Examine the living organisms in a local habitat. Inventory the living organisms in a specific habitat. Construct a book about a local habitat. Summarize some of the characteristics of a habitat. Activity Procedures crayons or colored pencils mini-book template pp. 14 15 Prepare (teacher) Copy mini-book template pp. 14-15 for each student. Prepare a sample mini-book. Arrange to take students for a walk outside the school. Pretest (students) What kind of habitat do we live in? What habitat is located near our school? Read (student, class) Read Habitats books. Discuss (teacher, class) Is our school located near any of the habitats we read about? Which one(s)? How do you know? Explain that the class is going to take a walk outside the school to observe the plants and animals nearby. Students will take notes (written or drawn) about the plants and animals they see on their walk. They will also need to pay attention to the weather. After the walk, list the plants and animals observed on the board. Model (teacher, class) Show students your completed mini-book. Demonstrate how to fold the mini-book template pp. 14 15. Show students how they can transfer the information they gathered on their walk to the pages of the mini-book. As a class, determine which kind of habitat you observed. Practice (students) Each student will use mini-book template pp. 14 15 to create their own mini-book. Students may refer to the Habitats books, their notes, and the list of plants and animals on the board to help them complete their mini-books. Evaluate (teacher, student) Teacher evaluates each mini-book for completeness. Students should take mini-books home to share with their families.
TEACHING HABITATS 7 Lesson 5 Habitat Poem Purpose: Students will create diamante poems to describe a plant or animal. Materials Habitats books Diamante Poem p. 16 lined paper pencils drawing paper Objectives Describe a habitat and its inhabitants. Elaborate on the characteristics of a plant or animal. Produce a list of words to describe a plant or animal. Identify descriptive words. Compose a simplified diamante poem. Assess the value of the words in a poem. Activity Procedures crayons or colored pencils poetry books or websites with examples of diamante poems Prepare (teacher) Locate poetry books and websites. Copy Diamante Poem p. 16 for each student. Pretest (students) What is a poem? What are some of your favorite poems? Read (students) Read a Habitats book. Model (teacher, students) What plants and animals live in the habitat you read about? List these on the board. What words can you use to describe one of those plants or animals? What does it look like? What would it feel like if you touched it? Does it make any sounds? What does it do? Make a word web connecting these descriptive words to the plant or animal they describe. Explain that a diamante poem is diamond-shaped. The formula for a simplified diamante is Line 1: one noun Line 2: two adjectives (words that describe the noun) Line 3: three -ing verbs (action words) Line 4: two adjectives Line 5: one noun Show students how to fill in the blanks on the Diamante Poem p. 16, using the words from the word web. Practice (students, pairs) Individually or in pairs, students will create word webs to describe the plant or animal they chose to write about. Students will create their own poems on Diamante Poem p. 16. Evaluate (teacher, class) Students will read their diamante poems to the class. What kinds of words are in a good poem? Why are some word choices better than others? Extension Activity Students may make a drawing of the plants or animals they wrote about to accompany their poems. Display drawings and poems in the classroom.
8 TEACHING HABITATS Additional Resources BOOKS Arnosky, Jim. Crinkleroots Guide to Knowing Animal Habitats. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997. Crinkleroot takes readers on a journey through a variety of habitats, discovering the multitude of animals that make each their home. Bash, Barbara. Desert Giant: The World of the Saguaro Cactus. Salt Lake City, UT: Gibbs-Smith, 2002. This illustrated book explores the life-cycle of the saguaro cactus and details the animals (including humans) that use the cactus. Berger, Melvin, and Gilda Berger. What Makes an Ocean Wave? Questions and Answers about Oceans and Ocean Life. New York: Scholastic, 2001. This colorfully illustrated book answers kids questions about oceans and the creatures that live in them. Bishop, Nic. Forest Explorer: A Life-Size Field Guide. New York: Scholastic, 2004. Life-sized photographs and activities help readers explore the life-cycles and eating habits of forest-dwelling plants and animals. Fowler, Allan. Life in a Wetland. New York: Scholastic, 1999. This book describes a wetland and the living organisms found there. Gray, Samantha. Ocean. New York: DK Publishing, 2001. Dynamic color photographs and facts about undersea life introduce oceans to young readers. Johnson, Rebecca L. A Walk in the Rain Forest. Minneapolis: Lerner Publishing Group, 2001. Readers learn about plant and animal relationships in a tropical rainforest. Kalman, Bobbie, and Amanda Bishop. What Are Wetlands? New York: Crabtree Publishing Company, 2002. Illustrations, photos, and informative text teach students all about wetlands. Sayre, April Pulley. Dig, Wait, Listen: A Desert Toad s Tale. New York: Greenwillow Books, 2001. The life-cycle of the spadefoot toad is introduced in this illustrated book. WEBSITES Biomes/Habitats http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/ The Enchanted Learning site features lots of information about the world s biomes and habitats, including printable world outline maps to help students identify the world s biomes. Habitats http://www.hitchams.suffolk.sch.uk/habitats/ index.htm Students can click on a habitat and learn about the animals that live there, with full color photos and simple descriptions. Kids Corner: LaCoast http://lacoast.gov/education/kids/index.htm Visitors learn about wetlands through coloring pages, wetland photos, and online games. Kratts Creatures: Creature World http://www.pbs.org/kratts/world/index.html This interactive map allows students to click on a continent or ocean and discover the animals that live there. Label the Earth s Oceans http://www.enchantedlearning.com/geography/ This Enchanted Learning printable world map allows students to label the world s oceans. Taiga Animal Printouts http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/ taiga/taiga.shtml This page explains features of the taiga, or boreal forest, and offers printouts of animals found in this type of forest, complete with animal descriptions. Tropical Rainforests of the World http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/ rainforest/mapbw.shtml Tropical rainforests are indicated on this printable world map. WorldBiomes.com http://www.worldbiomes.com/ This informative site describes a variety of world biomes. Photographs of each biome demonstrate the complexity of nature. What s Wrong with This Picture? http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/kids/ whatwrng.htm Students identify ways in which people are damaging the environment in an online interactive activity.
Animals 9 penguin shark deer spider bat alligator frog fox turtle owl bear camel bird fish snake starfish Teaching Habitats
10 Desert Teaching Habitats
Wetland 11 Teaching Habitats
12 Ocean Teaching Habitats
Forest 13 Teaching Habitats
One plant I see is Another plant here is. 4. 5 One animal I see is. 6 In the weather month is. 3
My school is near a Another animal here is. habitat 2. 7 (habitat) by A is habitat. 8
16 Diamante Poem Name Teaching Habitats