Detective work on animals and habitats
by Melissa Rademacher
Grade level: 2
Rationale
The purpose for teaching a lesson plan concerning the museum is so students are able to make a connection between what is taught in the classroom along with the visit to the museum. Before going on the field trip students will be learning about different animal habitats. Instead of just going to the museum to see the sights I want my students to be able to take something away with them after the visit. Incorporating a lesson plan into the field trip will enable the students to make a connection between the classroom and the outside world.
Objectives
Have students become
familiar with the different types of habitats (ex. tropical rain
forest, desert, etc.).
Students will be able
to make an educated guess as to which habitat an animal lives in.
While in the museum
the students will be able to relate information they have learned
to displays of animals and their habitats.
Students will be able
to answer questions on the worksheet and be ready to discuss
answers.
Materials
Worksheet (that the teacher has prepared) and pencil--which are to be used while at the museum, banner paper for the thank-you note, white paper (11" x 14"), crayons, colored pencils, compact disc with animals calls (students will be listening to this CD in the classroom while they are drawing their animals in the specific habitats).
Letter to parents/chaperones
February 10, 1998 Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s): On Tuesday, March 3, 1998 at 9:00a.m. students in Miss Rademacher's 2nd grade classroom will be going on a fieldtrip to the Museum of Natural History which is located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin on the UW-Stevens Point Campus. The tour is scheduled for 9:15a.m.-10:15a.m. The bus will leave from the school at 9:00a.m. and return to school at 10:30a.m. We will need 3-5 chaperons so please feel free to join us. Please sign the permission slip at the bottom of the page and hand-in before February 24, 1998. Also please sign up if you are willing to chaperon or if you can recommend a trustworthy adult. We will be learning about animals and their habitats so it should be fun!!! Sincerely Miss Melissa Rademacher - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - My child(ren) has/have permission to attend the field trip to the Museum of Natural History on Tuesday, March 3, 1998. ______________________________________________ Consent signature Will be willing to chaperon? _____ YES _____ NO Chaperone Referral__________________ |
Pre-activity: Assigned animal
Procedure:
Anticipatory sets
Teacher and students will have a discussion concerning animals and their habitats. This will allow students to have a better understanding while visiting the museum. Also the students will be assigned an animal from a list (which is included) and write the appropriate information on the field trip worksheet.
Teacher role
Selection of content-The teacher will discuss the reasoning behind habitats and use examples the students will be able to understand. The animal list with each child's assigned animal and the field trip worksheet will be handed out.
Modes of instruction-Students will brainstorm ideas on animals and habitats. Then the class will have a discussion on habitats and the teacher will explain a little more about the assigned animal activity and field trip worksheet.
Student role
Students will be given a sheet of paper that has their assigned animal listed and then it is their responsibility to find their assigned animal at the museum in order to find out what habitat it lives in.
Closure
There will be an open discussion and then the teacher will talk about the field trip and the different displays of habitats found at the museum.
Considerations
Students will be learning about animals and habitats a little each day the week before the field trip. The day before the field trip the teacher will discuss the worksheet and on-site activity. Make sure students don't get too wrapped up in the scientific names of habitats that are displayed at the museum. Instead stress that it is important for the students to have a general knowledge about habitats.
On-site activity: Worksheet
Anticipatory sets
Students will listen to a short presentation on animals and habitats given by a museum staff member (which was arranged specifically by the teacher).
Teacher role
Selection of content- After listening to the presentation the teacher will talk to the students and then hand out each child's worksheet and pencil.
Modes of instruction- The teacher will briefly go over the directions concerning the worksheet and inform the students that once they get back to school there will be an additional activity, so it is important that they complete the worksheet.
Name_____________________________ Field trip worksheet Assigned animal: ________________________________ Habitat: ____________________________ Prediction/guess:__________________________ Actual answer: _____________________________ Description of my animal's habitat: Other animals found in my animal's habitat: My favorite habitat is:___________________________ Something found in the museum I would like to learn more about: The part of the field trip I liked best: |
Student role
Students will listen to the presentation first and then they will have an opportunity to explore the museum on their own. Once the teacher feels that the students have had enough free time the worksheets and pencils will be handed out.
Closure
Students will hand in the worksheet to the teacher and the students will be asked if they found their animal's habitat.
Considerations
Students will have one hour to spend in the museum. The teacher must make sure to collect worksheets and pencils so they won't be left behind. Also the teacher should make sure that the students are behaving.
Post activity: Poster, drawing, presentation
Anticipatory sets
First the students will make a thank-you banner, which displays the different habitats, for the museum staff. Then the teacher will hand each child's worksheet back and explain that each child will use the information they found while on the field trip to draw a picture of their animal in its habitat. Encourage the students to draw habitats similar to the displays at the museum (either the mural picture or the actual habitat display).
Teacher role
Selection of content- The teacher will use the students' drawings and will comment on the field trip worksheet.
Modes of instruction- Students will get up in front of the class to share their drawing of their animal and its habitat.
Student role
Students will work as a group to make a thank-you banner that incorporates what they learned while at the museum. For an additional activity students will a draw their assigned animal in its habitat and then tell the class a little about their animal and its habitat.
Closure
The teacher will make connections between all activities and have a final discussion on habitats. Also students will be asked to share if they were right on guessing their animal's habitat.
Considerations
Students may draw the same habitat a different way and the teacher needs to make sure to let the students know that it is possible that the same type of habitat might not look the same in all locations. Therefore it is important to make sure that each child has a basic understanding of their animal and its habitat.
Assessment/evaluation
Students will be assessed according to their answers on the worksheets. Another method of assessment will be answers given during discussion after the field trip. My final assessment will be the art project that will be done in accordance with the field trip. Students will each have an assigned animal before going the museum. After the visit to the museum the student will draw a picture of their animal in its habitat. Students will draw their main animal in the middle but because of the visit to the museum, they will be able to draw additional animals in their picture if they so choose. (All students will be able to find their assigned animal at the museum because the teacher visited the museum before the fieldtrip and made of list of animals for the students.)
Extension activities
Take a field trip to
a location in which an animal can be found in its habitat
(example Boston School Forest-pond, forest edge, etc.).
Attend a field trip
to the Milwaukee Zoo to see how habitats have been adjusted for
each animal.
Reference for teachers
List of habitats found at the Museum 1. Tropical rain forest 2. Forest 3. Forest edge 4. Desert 5. Grassland and wetland 6. Northern forest 7. Stream and stream edge 8. Lake 9. Pond and wetland 10. Muskeg tundra 11. Tundra 12. Alpine now glade 13. Large river and forest
Assigned Animal List 1. Greater prairie chicken 2. Golden eagle 3. Gila monster 4. Rock bass 5. Beaver 6. Star-nosed mole 7. Red fox 8. Eastern screech owl 9. Bluegill 10. Muskrat 11. Porcupine 12. Snapping turtle 13. Raccoon 14. Badger 15. Wood duck 16. Great blue heron 17. Parakeet 18. Mule deer 19. Capuchin monkey 20. Mockingbird 21. Pronghorn 22. White pelican 23. Grizzly bear 24. Milk snake 25. Snowy owl 26. Greater road runner 27. Kangaroo rat 28. River otter 29. Common loon 30. Mountain goat 31. Turkey 32. Eastern fox squirrel 33. Common map turtle 34. Green iguana or common iguana 35. Woodchuck 36. Bald eagle 37. Snowshoe hare 38. Timber or gray wolf 39. Walleye 40. Scorpion
*After each animal there would be the name of the student assigned to that particular animal .