Grades 2-4
Producers of Animal Planet would like to film a program about
migratory animals and their vast habitats to be aired on other network
science channels around the globe. Students will role-play scientists
who must research basic information about migratory animals such as
their where they live, what kind of habitat they live in, food
preferences and how they move. Each scientist must report his/her
findings on a specific animal on a graphic organizer. A poster with a
picture of the animal or a shadow box portraying the animal in its
habitat along with a map hilighting the continent on which it lives
must accompany the presenter. Classmates role-playing a panel of
producers in class will ask the scientist specific questions about the
research project to determine if scientists will include the migratory animal
in the program.
Grades 5-6
The United Nations Environmental Program has released a new
endangered species list of migratory animals. Students will role-play a
small group of scientists attempting to launch their own environmental
advocacy organization to speak up for a particular migratory animal.
Each environmental group must create a name for their organization,
determine in what country they will be located, design an advocacy
poster to bring awareness to their classmates in school and present
information about the endangered animal. Group presentations must
include a world map that details the continents and countries in which
the animal migrates.
Interpretive Task:
Students read information on their selected animal and complete a
graphic organizer about the animal's habitat, where it lives, its
physical characteristics, its needs for survival and why it migrates.
(It is suggested that younger students be given choices to circle to
simplify the task of writing.) Students will illustrate the animal in
its habitat on a poster or in a 3-D shadow box for the final
presentation.
Interpersonal Task:
Students role-play scientists asking and answering questions about
migratory animals' habitats, physical characteristics, and needs. Older
students must create and agree on an environmental organization name and
its location in the world based on the type of migratory animal they
select. They will research different aspects of their animal and then
share findings with their group members.
Presentational Task:
Students share posters or shadow boxes of their animal and information
learned about it using their graphic organizers. Students will
report on what type of habitat the animal lives in, what continents or
countries it is found in, and where it migrates.
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