Animal Adaptation
Melissa Zambrano
Subject Science, Language Arts
Topic Animal  Adaptation
Skills Collaboration, Hyperstudio, Kid Pix, Research, Writing Skills, Critical Thinking
Level Primary
Time 1 Week
Objectives The student will learn to: 
Identify how different animals adapt in the wetlands.
Gather and organize information to take on the perspective of an animal.
Create a picture of an animal in their environment.
Use technology to present information.
Instructional Materials Text book, internet sites posted, computer, encylclopedias, books,video
Background Information Read: 
The Iguana Brothers: A Tale of Two Lizards by Tony Johnston
Brainstorm
The students will use the information to learn and be able to identify animals in their environment.
Procedure Read this story
The students will be in small groups of 2-3.  They will research information to:
1) Explore the web sites and take notes to see how  animals adapt to their environment.
2) Decide which animal would be most interesting to research and learn more about.
3) Explore internet sites and take notes on the animal your group will be researching.
3) Gather and collect information to recreate the perspective of the animal about life in the wetlands.
4) Write a letter with facts about life (you) as an animal in the wetlands that the student may use on the hyperstudio slide.
5) Each student in the group will create a slide in Hyperstudio with a drawing of an animal and 5 facts about the animal or the letter you wrote with at least 5 facts  describing life for you (as the animal) in the wetlands.   This information to be presented as a group when completed as part of a hyperstudio stack.
6) Group presentation of hyperstudio stack slide show as a representation of a living book about life as an animal in the wetlands.
Life in the Wetlands Animals Of The Rainforest
Evaluation See rubric
Extension 1) Interview classmates as an animal reporter from the wetlands and write a report for a newsletter or create a newscast.
2) Gather and collect additional information on another animal and draw a picture in Kid Pix about life as that animal in the wetlands.

Games -- Ranger Rick's Kid's Zone -- National Wildlife Federation
 
Standards The student is expected to:

Language Arts:

1) read regularly in instructional level materials that are challenging but manageable 
2) select varied sources such as nonfiction, novels, textbooks, newspapers, and magazines when reading for information or pleasure
3) read for varied purposes such as to be informed, to be entertained, to appreciate the writer's craft, and to discover models for his/her own writing
4) use multiple sources, including electronic texts, experts, and print resources, to locate information relevant to research questions
5) write to influence such as to persuade, argue, and request
6) write to inform such as to explain, describe, report, and narrate
7) generate ideas and plans for writing by using such prewriting strategies as brainstorming, graphic organizers, notes, and logs
8) use available technology to support aspects of creating, revising, editing, and publishing texts

Science:

1) compare the adaptive characteristics of species that improve their ability to survive and reproduce in an ecosystem
2) analyze and describe adaptive characteristics that result in an organism's unique niche in an ecosystem
3) predict some adaptive characteristics required for survival and reproduction by an organism in an ecosystem
4) identify traits that are inherited from parent to offspring in plants and animals
5) give examples of learned characteristics that result from the influence of the environment

 
Additional Resources:
 Introduction to Wetlands
 Why are Hawaii's Wetlands Vanishing?
 Wetlands Fact Sheets
 Wetlands
 

Grading Rubric
Beginning Developing Accomplished Exemplary Score
1 2 3 4
Wetland Animal Drawing
on Hyperstudio Slide		 No animal drawing from the wetlands Animal completed on slide but, not an animal from the wetlands Animal from the wetlands completed on the slide Animal completely drawn and colored in on the slide
Letter written about life as an animal in the wetlands No letter written about life as an animal in the wetlands Letter written about life as an animal but, not about an animal from the wetlands Letter written about life as animal in the wetlands Letter completed with facts about life as an animal in the wetlands
Completed Hyperstudio Slide presentation including 5 (group) animal drawings, and 5 facts/letter containing 5 facts about life as an animal in the wetlands Hyperstudio presentation including 0 animals and 0 facts about life in the wetlands Hyperstudio presentation including only 2 animal and missing 2-5 pieces of information about the animal in the wetlands Hyperstudio presentation including only 3 animal drawings and missing 3-5 pieces of information about the animal in the wetlands Completed Hyperstudio presentation including all 5 drawings of animals form the wetlands and all information required for the animal