Students will be able to interact with others in dramatic play and identify the way that organisms change and meet their needs to survive in their environment by embodying characteristics of various animals and recording how they would react in different environments.
Standards:
SCIENCE–
Standard 4, Objective 1, Indicator 1
Compare and contrast the characteristics of living things in different habitats.
Standard 4, Objective 1, Indicator 2
Develop, communicate, and justify an explanation as to why a habitat is or is not suitable for a specific organism.
Standard 4, Objective 1, Indicator 3
Create possible explanations as to why some organisms no longer exist, but similar organisms are still alive today.
Standard 4, Objective 2, Indicator 1
Communicate and justify how the physical characteristics of living things help them meet their basic needs.
Standard 4, Objective 2, Indicator 2
Observe, record, and compare how the behaviors and reactions of living things help them meet their basic needs.
Standard 4, Objective 2, Indicator 3
Identify behaviors and reactions of living things in response to changes in the environment, including seasonal changes in temperature and precipitation.
THEATRE–
TH:Cr1.1.2.b
Collaborate with peers to conceptualize scenery in a guided drama experience
TH:Cn11.2.2.b
Collaborate on creation of a short scene based on a non-fiction literary source in a guided drama experience.
TH:Re8.1.2.b
Identify causes and consequences of character actions in a guided drama experience
TH:Pr4.1.2.b
Alter voice and body to expand and articulate nuances of a character in a guided drama experience (e.g., process drama, story drama, creative drama).
Big Ideas:
Understanding the world that we live in. Observing changes in organisms. Identifying the nature of organisms. Character development of living organisms.
Essential Questions:
How should we interact with the world around us? How does understanding a living organism’s needs help us better understand the environment around us? How can we use the knowledge we gain from studying living organisms to enrich our interactions with others and our environment?
How does developing a character help us understand the organism? How do our interactions with others enhance our character? What is the role of movement and voice in character?
Enduring Understanding:
Students will learn to appreciate, respect, and care for the animals in our world.
Key Knowledge & Skills:
Describe ecosystems and why animals are suited to their environment. Understand Life Cycles and Predator/Prey relationships. Describe physical characteristics of organisms and how those help them survive. Understand behaviors of organisms in response to their environment.
Authentic Performance Tasks:
Recognize appropriate environments for specific organisms. Identify predator and prey in a food chain. Recognize differences in animal needs & their environments. Understand how an environment and its changes affect the organisms within.
Lessons:
LESSON ONE What is an ecosystem and what animals live there?
Objective: Students will demonstrate their understanding of how animals interact with their habitats & why they are suited for them by exploring different animals in different habitats.
LESSON TWO Fitting In in Your Environment
Objective: Students will demonstrate their understanding of organisms and their habitats by explaining why certain animals are better suited for certain environments than others through a game of “A World Divided”.
LESSON THREE Predator vs. Prey
Objective: Students will be able to identify predators and prey by creating food chains through their animal characters.
LESSON FOUR What do animals eat?
Objective: Students will be able to identify types of organisms and what they eat by creating a map for a zoo and listing the animals and their appropriate food.
LESSON FIVE Live Zoo Advertisements
Objective: Students will be able to identify types of organisms and what they eat by creating a map for a zoo and listing the animals and their appropriate food.
LESSON SIX How do animals Move?
Objective: Students will understand how various animals react to seasonal changes as they practice being different animals preparing for winter.
LESSON SEVEN Wrap up (Animal Charades)
Objective: Students will demonstrate their understanding of animal characteristics learned throughout this unit by participating in a game of animal charades.
