Laura Jarrett

Madison Davis
Anna Drew
5-E Model Place-based Environmental Lesson

Title What is a Habitat?

Purpose/Rationale To develop a conceptual understanding of habitats and

the five elements of a habitat that enable an animal to
survive in the context of local species.

Community Resources Focusing on habitats of local animals to increase

and meetings needs of
particular population
of students
This lesson will be made intrinsically motivating to
This lesson can be modified to meet the needs of
awareness of local ecosystems
White-tailed deer (grazer, prey animal)
Eastern screech owl (predator)
Raccoon (scavenger)
Eastern Gartersnake (predator)
the students by:
Allowing and encouraging students to
spend emotive time with nature and build
consciousness of local environments
Modeling to students the skills required to
critically observe and think about their
surroundings
Modeling to students an increased
awareness of local ecosystems and how
humans can impact these ecosystems and
the environment
exceptional learners by:
Ensuring that all students have the
capability to go outside, maneuver in that
environment, and participate in the activity
Ensuring that vocabulary, tone, volume,
and rate of speech is conducive to concept
mastery for all students
Ensuring that all students have a sense of
belonging and autonomy within the
classroom and within the scope of the
lesson

Virginia SOLs This lesson plan is designed for a 7th grade life science
classroom. It is formulated to meet the following Virginia
Life Science SOLs:
LS.1--The student will demonstrate an
 understanding of scientific reasoning, logic, and
the nature of science by planning and conducting
investigations
LS.1b: A classification system is developed
based on multiple attributes (classifying
habitats based on needs of organisms)
LS.1d: Models and simulations are
constructed and explain phenomena
(models of animal habitats to understand
ecosystem biodiversity & needs)
LS.7--The student will investigate and understand
that interactions exist among members of a
population
LS.7a: Competition, cooperation, social
hierarchy, territorial imperative
(competition for food resources, trophic
levels?)
LS.8--The student will investigate and understand
interactions among populations in a biological
community.
LS.8a: Relationships among producers,
consumers, and decomposers in food webs
LS.8b: Relationship between predators and
prey
LS.8c: Competition and cooperation
LS.8d: Symbiotic relationships
LS.8e: Niches

Materials Task cards

Habitat maps
Containers
Tape/Glue
Classroom computer cart
Project Wild Activities
Habitracks (p. 53)
Aquatic Wild Activities
Designing a Habitat (p. 34)
Blue Ribbon Niche (p. 94)

Safety and Class Habitat maps will be designed to keep students in

Management Issues a viewable area by the teachers
The teachers will ensure the students proceed
carefully when outside (no running, keep an eye
out for trip obstacles or other hazards, be
 respectful of the environment and any creatures
they might find).
The teachers will remind the students to be clean
and neat when working with tape and glue to affix
the habitat pierces to their task cards.

Procedures for Teaching (numbered with time frame)

Engage Who goes there? Activity

(5 minutes) 1. Show four pictures of animals and four pictures of
habitats to the students.
2. Talk with your shoulder partner about where you
would place the animals.
Potential guiding questions to ask students:
Why do you think each animal fits in the habitat
you chose for it? (I.e. What observations led you
to the inferences you made?)
In what way do these animals seem to fit their
environment?
What do you think an adaptation is?
How do you thinks these adaptations came about?
How do the adaptations help the animals fit in
their habitats?

Explore Habitracks Activity-Project Wild (p. 53)

(15 minutes) 1. Distribute habitat maps, task card, and container.
2. Explain to students that they will have ____
minutes to track their animals, looking for the
things the animal needs to survive.
3. Instruct students to go track their animals,
collecting habitat pieces that match what they see
on their task cards.
Big Idea Conceptual Questions:
How do the habitats differ for each animal?
How does the way in which the animals traverse
their habitats differ?
How do the habitat needs of the animals differ?
How are they the same?

Explain (include key Habitracks Activity (cont.)

vocabulary/concepts as 4. As students return, instruct them to answer the
related to exploration) questions on their activity sheet.
(10 minutes) 5. Distribute tape/glue so students can affix habitat
pieces to their task cards.
6. Allow students to report on their findings. Ask
students if they found food, water, space,
 and shelter, recording each element on the
board.
7. Ask students to draw a line connecting the four
habitat pieces.
8. Explain to students that the four habitat pieces
must fit together in an acceptable arrangement in
order for an animal to survive.
Key Vocabulary & Concepts:
Habitat
Track
Survival needs
Food
Water
Shelter
Space
Arrangement
Critical Question
Why do you think we need technology and animals
do not?
How do you think people compensate for this?

Elaborate Designing a Habitat Aquatic Wild (p. 34)

1. Assign students one of the local animals from Blue
Ribbon Niche list.
2. Instruct students to design a habitat for their
animals including food, water, space, shelter, etc.
3. If time allows, invite students to share their
habitats

Formative Assessment Habitat Practice: What if you were a zoologist?

(This will be homework for the students, but is a
formative practice assignment, and will not count
against the students grades)

Summative See Day 3

Assessment

Authentic Assessment Demonstrating (to shoulder partner/class) the

ability to match animals with their habitats
Demonstrating the ability to find habitat pieces in
the Habitracks activity

Activity Sheet (Attached)

 Habitracks!

1. What do you think you will find when you track your animal?

2. What did you find when you tracked your animal?

3. Discuss your findings with a shoulder partner. How did your findings differ?

4. Why do you think these habitat pieces satisfy the survival needs of your
animal?

5. What are your survival needs?

 Design a Habitat!

1. Define habitat in your own words:

2. What do you think your animal needs in its habitat?

3. Draw a representation of your animals habitat. Be sure to include all of the

elements and resources you think the animal will need.
Name:______________________ Period:______ Date:_____________

Habitat Practice: What if you were a zoologist?

1. You are a zoologist and have discovered a completely new creature! Describe
and name your new creature.

2. Where does your animal live? Describe its habitat. What other creatures does
your animal interact with?

3. How does the animal interact with the other creatures in its habitat?

4. What are the basic needs of your animal? How does your animal meet its
needs?