Big Idea Unit

How Do Vertebrates
Live and Grow?
by Mary Peterson
 Why Big Idea Units?
Big ideas are questions that do not have a quick and easy
answer. Organizing your curriculum around big ideas is very
beneficial and engaging to all students for these reasons:
1. Students make connections across subject areas.
2. Vocabulary is repeated naturally across the curriculum.
3. Big ideas lend themselves very easily to differentiation.
One big idea can be taught at several different levels.
4. Struggling students learn best when they recognize and
understand the big picture then study the parts.
5. Big idea learning makes sense to students. They under-
stand WHY they are learning something.

What is in a Big Idea Unit?

1. Big Idea question
2. Purpose or expected outcome
3. Step-by-step cross curricular lesson plans
4. Leveled activities for different grades and abilities
5. Examples of student projects
6. Blackline masters to copy
7. Valuable Internet resources
8. A wealth of children’s literature suggestions
Click here to see more Big Idea Units

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 How Do Vertebrates Live and Grow?

Purpose: Students will identify characteristics, life

cycles and habitats of the five different vertebrate
animal groups.

Lesson 1 Introduction

Lesson 2 Reptiles

Lesson 3 Birds

Lesson 4 Fish

Lesson 5 Amphibians

Lesson 6 Mammals

Lesson 7 Camouflage

Lesson 8 Animal Reports

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 How Do Vertebrates Live and Grow?

Lesson 1 Introduction
Books: My Big Animal Book (My Big Board Books) by Roger Priddy
Big Book of Animals by DK Publishing
National Geographic Encyclopedia of Animals by Karen McGhee
David McPhail's Animals A to Z by David McPhail

Internet: Animal Classification Powerpoint

Animal Groups

Discussion: Introduce this unit to students by asking them to share what

they know about animals with backbones, called vertebrates. Read and
discuss one or more of the suggested books. Introduce the five vertebrate
animal groups and discuss the major characteristics of each group.

Animal Sort
Level 1 - Write the names of the vertebrate animal groups on five posters.
Copy and cut apart these Animal Pictures. Give each child a picture and
have them say the name of their animal, then glue it on the correct poster.
Save these posters to add more information learned during the unit.

Level 2 - Divide students into five teams and assign each team a different
vertebrate group. Instruct students on each team to draw pictures of animals, o
or glue photos of animals, and glue them onto a piece of poster board.
Also have students write some of the characteristics of their animal group.

Level 3 - Have each student

make a vertebrate notebook.
Ask them to make a cover for
their book and have sections
for each of the vertebrate
animal groups. They can add
pictures and information
about the animals as they
study about them.
By Bobby

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 How Do Vertebrates Live and Grow?
Lesson 2 Reptiles
Books: What is a Reptile? by Bobbie Kalman
Everything Reptile: What Kids Really Want to Know about
Reptiles by Cherie Winner
Eye Wonder: Reptiles by DK Publishing
The Yucky Reptile Alphabet Book by Jerry Pallotta

Internet: Reptile Basics Reptile Knowledge Reptile Species

Discussion: Reptiles (the word reptile means "to creep") are animals that
have scales, breathe air, are cold blooded and usually lay eggs. Read
and discuss one or more of the suggested books and talk about the
characteristics of reptiles.

Vertebrate Charts
Write new information learned on the reptile chart or in the vertebrate
notebooks. Level 3 students could choose one reptile to research further.

Track That Scent

Snakes and lizards have a special organ
called a Jacobson's organ. The Jacobson's
organ consists of holes in the roof of the mouth
loaded with nerves. The lizard or snake will stick
out its tongue to pick up chemicals floating in the
air. It then sticks the tips of its tongue into the Jacobson's organ which
turns the "smells" into electrical signals. These signals travel along the
nerves from the Jacobson's organ to the brain. The brain then tells the
snake what it is smelling. Many animals use their sense of smell to find
out about the world around them.
Activity - Give each student a scented envelope. Tell the students to smell
their envelope. Have them try to find classmates whose envelopes smell
like their own. Once they find someone, make sure they stay together in a
group while seeking out others with the same scented envelope.
Have students describe how it felt to rely on their sense of smell alone. In
what ways do animals use their sense of smell? Hints: Finding food,
avoiding predators, finding mates, finding water, finding a safe burrow,
identifying objects.
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 How Do Vertebrates Live and Grow?
Lesson 3 Birds
Books: What is a Bird? by Lola M. Schaefer
Bird (DK Eyewitness Books) by David Burnie
Do You Know About Birds? by Buffy Silverman
The Bird Alphabet Book by Jerry Pallotta

Internet: All About birds Bird Book Bird Pictures

Discussion: All birds have feathers, and they are the only animals that do.
Also birds are warm blooded and lay eggs. Show students a selection of
bird pictures and ask them to notice how the birds look different and alike.
Discuss possible reasons why birds might have different beaks, claws, wing
size, etc. Read and discuss one or more of the suggested books and talk
about how birds live and grow.

Vertebrate Charts
Write new information learned about birds on the chart or in the vertebrate
notebooks. Level 3 students could select a bird of interest to investigate.
Feather types
Gather different types of feathers or show
students pictures of Types of Feathers. Talk
about the purpose and appearance of each
feather. Find information at Feather Structures.
Have students draw and label a bird showing the
different types of feathers.

Bird Nests
Many birds build nests for their eggs. There are
many different kinds of nests. Show students
pictures from this Web site:
Birds Nests. Have students
draw and write about
several kinds of bird nests.
Go to PBS Kids for a fun
bird nest science project.

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 How Do Vertebrates Live and Grow?
Lesson 4 Fish
Books: What is a Fish? by Bobbie Kalman
What's It Like to Be a Fish? by Wendy Pfeffer
Fish (DK Eyewitness Books) by Steve Parker
Animals Called Fish by Kristina Lundblad

Internet: Fish Anatomy All About Fish Fish Pictures

Discussion: Fish are vertebrate animals that live in water and are cold-
blooded. Most fish breathe using gills. Fish have been on the earth for
more than 450 million years, and there are over 25,000 identified species of
fish. Show students pictures of fish from some of the suggested books. Talk
about the characteristics of fish and how they live and grow.

Vertebrate Charts
Write new information learned about fish on the chart or in the vertebrate
notebooks.

Parts of a Fish
Level 1 - Give students a fish cutout
and have students label a few basic
parts (eye, fin, mouth, gills, tail). Then
ask students to draw or paint a habitat
for their fish. They can glue the fish into the habitat.
Level 2 - Give each student a different fish printout. Have them draw
and label the fish.Then students can write what they have learned
about this type of fish.
Level 3 - Instruct students to choose a species of fish to research. They
can write about the characteristics of the fish and how it lives and
grows. They can also draw and label the parts of the fish.

Talking Shark
Have students make a talking shark,
following the directions on the next page.
Level 3 students can create a more difficult
talking shark from the directions at this
Web page: How to Make a Shark Pop-up Page.
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 How to Make a Talking Shark

2. On the folded edge cut a zig zag line

1. Fold a piece of art paper in half. as shown.

4. Open the paper, stand like a tent

and fold the zig zag edges to the
3. Fold the zig zag edges up as shown. inside.

6. Draw a shark around the mouth.

5. Turn the paper over, and you will Write information about sharks below
have a talking shark mouth. the picture, as if the shark is talking.
 How Do Vertebrates Live and Grow?

Lesson 5 Amphibians
Books: What is an Amphibian? by Bobbie Kalman
Amphibian by Barry Clarke
Amphibians by Melissa Stewart
How to Hide a Meadow Frog and Other Amphibians
by Ruth Heller

Internet: What Are Amphibians? Amphibian Printouts Amphibian Photos

Discussion: Amphibians live part of their life in water and part on land.
Even those species that lay eggs on land start life in a fluid-filled egg,
breathing through gills. Show pictures of amphibians from the suggested
books or Web sites. Talk about the characteristics of different amphibians
and how they live and grow.

Vertebrate Charts
Write new information learned about amphibians on the chart or in the
vertebrate notebooks. Level 3 students could select an amphibian of
interest to investigate.

Life Cycle Paper Plate

Teach students the life cycle of some different
amphibians. Have students draw (or use the Life Cycle
pictures on the next page) the life cycle of an of a Frog
amphibian on a paper plate. Students can
then write about the characteristics of this
amphibian.

Frogs and Toads

There are about 3,500 known species of frogs
and 300 kinds of toads. Have students create
a Venn diagram showing the similarities and
differences in frogs and toads. Find information
about frogs and toads at 42 Explore and
All About Frogs. You can find photos of frogs
and toads at Google Images.
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Life Cycle of the Wood Frog
 How Do Vertebrates Live and Grow?

Lesson 6 Mammals
Books: What is a Mammal? by Robert Snedden
About Mammals: A Guide For Children by Cathryn Sill
Eye Wonder: Mammals by DK Publishing
Mammals (Questions and Answers) by Barbara Taylor

Internet: World of Mammals National Geographic Mammal Photos

Discussion: Nearly all mammals give birth to live young. All mammals are
warm-blooded, use lungs to breathe air and are the only animals that grow
hair. Show pictures of mammals from some of the suggested books and
Web sites. Talk abouthow mammals live and grow.

Vertebrate Charts
Write new information learned about mammals on the chart or in the
vertebrate notebooks. Level 3 students could select a mammal of interest
to investigate.

Mammal Matrix
Level 1 - On a bulletin board create a matrix. Using some of the categories
listed below, write information about the different mammals you study.
Level 2 - Have small groups create a mammal matrix on poster paper.
Level 3 - Give each student an enlarged copy of the matrix on the next
page. They can research several mammals, and also include themselves.
Where They What and How How They How They Social How They Protect How Long They
Mammals Size Live They Eat Move Sleep Characteristics Themselves Live
Carnivores Lions live in groups, which are
Female lions are the called prides. Prides are
pride's primary hunters. family units that may include
They often work up to three males, a dozen or
Head and body - together to prey upon Lions only sleep about so females, and their young.
Today they are found They run and walk
4.5 to 6.5 ft Tail antelopes, zebras, four hours a day. They All of a pride's lionesses are They are the top of the food Lions live for 30 years
on grasslands and and, unlike most
- 26.25 to 39.5 wildebeest, and other go to sleep at night related, and female cubs chain. They have big teeth, a in captivity and 15
plains of Saharan cats, they are very
Weight: 265 to large animals of the laying down in the typically stay with the group loud roar and run fast. years in the wild.
Africa. good swimmers.
420 lbs open grasslands. After grass. as they age. Young males
a big kill they might not eventually leave and establish
eat again for days. their own prides by taking
They eat their prey all over a group headed by
at once. another male.
African Lion

The common
Carnivore
vampire bat is found
The wingspan is Vampire Bats are the They sleep during the
in the tropics of They typically gather in
about 8 inches only mammals that day in total darkness. They hunt at night and sleep
Mexico, Central Bats are the only colonies of about 100
long. But the body feed entirely on blood. They hang upside in the day. They have sharp Nine years in the wild
America, and South mammals that fly. animals, but sometimes live in
is about the size of They suck blood out of down from the roofs of teeth.
America. They live in groups of 1,000 or more.
a human thumb. animals during the caves.
caves and other dark
night.
deserted places.
Vampire Bat

Omnivore I live with my mother and Like most mammals I have a

Danny eats fruits and father and three little sisters. I big brain. I am smart enough I think I will live to be 90
I sleep nine hours at
I live in a house in vegetables, I can walk, run, skip, have lots of friends at school to stay away from trouble years old, because that
43 inches tall nightime in a bed in my
Sunnvale, California hamburgers, chicken and swim. and in my neighborhood. I makers. Also my parents, is how old my great
bedroom.
and lots of other plants play soccer and basketball my teacher, and policemen grandpa is.
and animals. with my friends. protect me.

Danny

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 Where They What and How How They How They Social How They Protect How Long They
Mammals Size Live They Eat Move Sleep Characteristics Themselves Live
 How Do Vertebrates Live and Grow?

Lesson 7 Camouflage
Books: Camouflage: Changing to Hide by Bobbie Kalman
Animals With Crafty Camouflage: Hiding in Plain Sight by Susan
K. Mitchell
The 10 Best Animal Camouflages by Cameron Lindsey
I See Animals Hiding by Jim Arnosky

Internet: Google Images of Camouflaged Animals

Find the Animal Photos
Camouflaged Animals Coloring Book Pages
Habitat Photos

Discussion: Look at pictures of camouflaged animals from the Web sites

listed above or in one or more of the suggested books. Ask students if they
know the word used to describe animals that blend into their surroundings.
Ask why animals have this ability to adapt to their environments. Explain to
students that when the color of an animal's skin resembles its background,
or the pattern on its fur looks like the shadows in tall grass, or its shape
makes it look like a rock, that is camouflage.

Art Activity for All Levels

Materials: a variety of animal print-outs
colored habitat photos
Directions: Instruct students to
choose an animal and a habitat
photo. Ask students to add color to
the animal so it will blend in with
their habitat picture. (You may
want to help younger children
identify and choose crayon colors to
match those in the habitat picture.)
After the students have finished
coloring the animal, they should cut
it out and glue it to the habitat
picture.
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The Animal's Name:

Classification:

Anatomy/Appearance:

Locomotion:

Diet:

Habitat:

Adaptations:

Life Cycle/Reproduction:

Behavior:

Defense:

Species Survival Status:

Something Special: