MEET THE VORES 1ST AND 2ND GRADE Time: Pre-Visit: 20 minutes Museum Visit: 40 minutes Post-Visit: 20 minutes Supplies: Animal & Skull Pictures Unknown Skull Pictures Worksheets Pencil Clipboard (Optional) Standards: 1-LS1-1 1-LS3-1 2-LS4-1 Vocabulary: Carnivore Herbivore Omnivore Compare Survive Vertebrate Invertebrate Concepts: 1. Vertebrates have bones and we can learn about an animal by looking at its bones. 2. All animals need food to survive and they need teeth that are adapted to chew that food. 3. The skull and teeth can be used to figure out what an animal eats. Objectives: 1. Students will learn that animals with bones are called vertebrates. 2. Students will observe different animals skulls and compare them to one another. 3. Students will hypothesize on what an animal eats by looking at their teeth. Outline: 1. In the classroom before visiting the Museum, guide students in a discussion on the different foods that animals eat. Discuss animal teeth and how they are different if the animal is a carnivore, herbivore or omnivore. 2. At the Museum students will explore the skeletons and make observations using the scavenger hunt activity. 3. After the visit, in the classroom, students will reflect and review the activity and complete the extension activity.
Pre-Visit: MEET THE VORES In the classroom review the concepts: animals must eat food to survive but all animals do not eat the same thing. There are 3 main types of animals; carnivores (meat eaters), herbivores (plant eaters), and omnivores (meat and plant eaters). Show students pictures of animals and have them tell you what the animals eat. Record the animals name and what it eats on the Observations Chart. This can be done as a whole class or in small groups that later share their observations with the class. Show students examples of carnivore, herbivore and omnivore teeth. Remind students that they are discussing what the animal needs to eat to survive not things they may eat for other reasons (sometime students will point out that their pet cat eats grass which some do but they need meat to survive). Next, explain how our knowledge of a known animal can help us understand an unknown animal, for example one that you only have the skull. Show students 3 unknown skulls (one for each type of vore ). Ask students to compare the teeth they saw on the known animals with those that they saw on the unknown animal skull. Can they tell what the animals eat by looking at their teeth? Museum Visit: At the Museum distribute the scavenger hunt and explain that, like in the classroom activity, at the Museum they are going to look for animals that eat different things. Divide students into small groups with at least one adult chaperone for each group. The chaperones will read the clues to the students and they will work together to find the animal that matches the clue and write down the name of the animal it belongs to (there may be more the one correct answer for each question). Visit the Explorers Corner and discuss the hands on skulls with the students (focus on the teeth and what the animal might eat). If there is extra time, have students go back to their favorite skull and have the student explain to their group why it is their favorite and what that animal eats. Post-Visit: In the classroom, discuss the answers that the students recorded on their worksheets. Clarify information or ask them to expand on their ideas when needed. Complete the extension activity if time allows or desired. Extension: Allow students to draw or build an imaginary animal that is one of the vores they learned about. They must show the animals teeth, their new animal and be able to describe the type of foods the animal eats.
MEET THE VORES Vocabulary Carnivore Herbivore Omnivore Compare Survive Vertebrate Invertebrate Definition An animal that eats meat. An animal that eats plants. An animal that eats both plants and meat. Note the similarity and differences between two things, for example between two skulls. Continue to live or exist, especially in spite of danger or hardship. Any animal that has a backbone or spinal column, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fishes. An animal lacking a backbone.
CARNIVORE
HERBIVORE
OMNIVORE
1
2
3
Observation Chart: MEET THE VORES Observe the pictures of the animals alongside their skulls, record observations about the animals teeth and what they eat below. (draw or write answers) Shape of Teeth: Name of the Animal: Used to Eat: This animal is a(n) vore. Shape of Teeth: Name of the Animal: Used to Eat: This animal is a(n) vore. Shape of Teeth: Name of the Animal: Used to Eat: This animal is a(n) vore.
MEET THE VORES Unknown Skull Observation Chart: Observe the pictures of the unknown animal skulls, record observations about the animals teeth and what they eat below. (draw or write answers) Shape of Teeth: Skull Number: Used to Eat: This animal is a(n) vore. Shape of Teeth: Skull Number: Used to Eat: This animal is a(n) vore. Shape of Teeth: Skull Number: Used to Eat: This animal is a(n) vore.
MEET THE VORES Scavenger Hunt at the Museum Read the clues and find an animal that fits! In the space provided, name an animal that solves the clue. 1. The first carnivore to discover, is one with stripes used for cover: 2. Find a carnivore who loves to swim, you may find more than one of them: 3. Now find an herbivore, one with horns or antlers should be no chore: 4. This tall herbivore snacks on leaves found high up in the trees: 5. Next find an omnivore who is very handy, it can be found eating candy: 6. Find an omnivore who may look large and scary but would happily eat a berry:
MEET THE VORES Scavenger Hunt - Answer Sheet Read the clues and find an animal that fits! In the space provided, name an animal that solves the clue. 1. The first carnivore to discover, is one with strips used for cover: Tiger 2. Find a carnivore who likes to swim, you may find more than one of them: Sea Lion, Killer Whale, Sperm Whale, etc. 3. Now go find an herbivore, one with horns or antlers, should be no chore: White-Tailed Deer, American Bison, Cow, etc. 4. This tall herbivore snacks on leaves found high up in the trees: Giraffe 5. Next find an omnivore who is very handy, it can be found eating candy: Raccoon 6. Find an Omnivore who is large and scary but would happily eat a berry: Bear