Amazing Animal Adaptations
Learning Context
Purpose
Purpose/Rationale for Learning Experience:
- to identify adaptations in animals (behavioral and physical) and their purpose
- to identify key ideas in a presentation of information
- to generate a graphic organizer to be used as a study guide
- to create a project addressing a variety of learning styles to demonstrate comprehension
- to present projects to inform others and increase retention of material
July 2010 – After reviewing the past few years of New York State Science tests I realized that the number of questions on adaptations was increasing. I also analyzed the number of students who were missing those types of questions. Sixty percent of the children last year missed at least one of the questions on adaptations. I usually spend one or two days teaching this concept. I realized that not only did I need to spend more time on it, but also that I needed use supplementary materials. Our current science textbook has two total pages on the subject and the information included there does not directly align with the New York State standards and performance indicators. This information led me to choose to work on this LE topic as part of the TLQP summer program and in EDU 518.
Enduring Understanding
Animals have physical and behavioral adaptations that help it grow, survive, reproduce and change with its environment.
Essential Questions
How do an animal’s characteristics help it survive?
Overview of What Students Need to Know
Prior to Learning Experience:
The concept of adaptations in introduced in third grade. They should be familiar with the idea that animals have different body parts and behaviors that help them survive. They should be able to identify some of these characteristics even if they cannot apply the correct vocabulary to them (ex. Adaptation, characteristic etc.). The students should also be able to gather information provided through a variety of methods and transfer that information into a graphic organizer. They then should also have prior knowledge in using that tool for reference when working on a project. Prior experience with using rubrics as a tool would also be beneficial but necessary. The lesson will take more time to implement if rubrics have not been introduced. The academic performances of the students may differ greatly depending on their prior knowledge of animals. A strong background knowledge of animals and how they live will make success much easier to achieve
During and After the implementation of LE: Their ability to choose their own project in order to demonstrate their understanding should help increase their success as they will be able to choose a mode of presentation that fits their learning style the best. Since the students will also have to teach/present their information to the class they should retain even more of the information presented. In order for their project and presentation to be successful they will need to be able to organize information into their flap books and then use that tool to complete their projects. If they are not able to identify that animal’s adaptations have different purposes they will struggle with this concept. Being a strong visual learner will help students succeed with this lesson. Students will need to be able to identify an adaptation on an animal and then explain how that adaptation helps that animal grow, survive or reproduce. They also need to understand that some adaptations are physical and some are behavioral, as well as inherited or learned. They need to be able to connect the idea of animal adaptations to themselves and understand that we are animals to and also have adaptations.
Key Subject-Specific Vocabulary:
Adaptation : A physical or behavioral characteristic that helps and animal grow, survive or reproduce.
Characteristics: An individualistic feature or attribute – a trait
Reproduction: The act or process of creating offspring
Functions : An action for a particular purpose
Rubric: A scoring tool that can also be used to guide a product