Leanne Koeller

October 7, 2010
CI 451
Lesson Plan #1 for Unit

Name: Create Your Own Animal (Ocean Environment)

Date: October 7, 2010

Grade Level/Subject: 5th grade/Science

Prerequisite Knowledge: Students will be able to recognize different characteristics of animals

that live in the ocean.

Approximate Time: 45-60 minutes

Language Objectives:
- Students will be able to discuss their animal with classmates and explain how it will be
able to survive in the ocean.

Student Objectives/Student Outcomes:

- Students will be able to create their own animal that will be able to survive in the ocean.
- Students will be able to record the characteristics of their animal.
- Students will be able to effectively discuss their animal with a partner, and explain its
characteristics.

Content Standards:
12.B.3b Compare and assess features of organisms for their adaptive, competitive and survival
potential (e.g., appendages, reproductive rates, camouflage, defensive structures).

Materials/Resources/Technology: Paper, pencils, markers (other art supplies), etc.

Implementation:

Time
Opening of lesson: (Objectives, hook, behavior expectations)
- This lesson will open up with the students naming some organisms that are
found in the ocean (fish, mammals, reptiles, etc).
5 minutes - (Shark, dolphin, eels, turtles, fish, etc.)
- Students will then brainstorm as a class and mention characteristics of animals in
the ocean. Ex. Fins, teeth, scales, etc.
- Other possible characteristics: Sharp teeth, good sense of smell, good eyesight,
slick, rough, spiky, muscular, fins, gills, etc. (The teacher should write these on
the board.)

Procedures: Include critical thinking questions and accommodations for individual

needs
 Leanne Koeller
October 7, 2010
CI 451
Lesson Plan #1 for Unit

- Teacher will then announce that the students will be creating their own ocean
organism/animal. This organism should not necessarily look like the “typical”
ocean creature. It can be combined characteristics of multiple animals. Students
50 minutes need to draw an animal that would be able to survive in the ocean environment.
- Teacher will have students pull out a pencil and paper.
- Students first should write up a description of their animal. This should include
all of the different characteristics of the animal. (May include characteristics
that were talked about previously)
- Students also need to include how these certain characteristics help their animal
survive in the ocean.
- An example could be creatures that are small and able to camouflage themselves
will be able to avoid being seen by the bigger animals.
- Students may then get drawing paper (will be provided) and art supplies to create
their animal.
- After about 30 minutes students should be finished up with their writing and
drawings.
- Have students then get into groups of 3 to discuss their animals. Make sure
students spend time talking about the characteristics that help their animal
survive.
- Finally, come together as a whole class and have students pick one person in
their group to explain their animal to the whole class.
- Have students generate explanations about their organism and how it would
survive in the ocean.

**Extension- Have students compare their animals with each other, and determine
(based on the characteristics) which animal would survive if matched up against one
another.

Summary/Closing:
- Ask students if there would be anything they would change about their animal
5 minutes to help it survive, after seeing what other classmates did.
- Ask students what characteristics are useful to animals in the ocean.

Student Assessment:
- The assessment is the teacher looking at all of the students’ pictures and
writings to make sure they were completed.
- Were the students able to communicate well with their group/class?
 Leanne Koeller
October 7, 2010
CI 451
Lesson Plan #1 for Unit

Rationale for modeling

I believe that my “Create Your Own Animal” lesson did incorporate modeling. This

lesson was well thought out. I formed it so that students would have to critical think (generation

of explanation, predictions, and communication) about what characteristics to incorporate into

their animal. This lesson also provided opportunities for students to assume accountability for

their own learning and success. They had to take what they already knew about ocean animals,

and create their own animal that would be able to survive in that environment.

The students had to consider, explain, use prior knowledge, and communicate to their

partners and the class as a whole about their animal. They also had to justify why the

characteristics that they chose would help their animal survive. Students would have to predict

how their animal would survive in the ocean. This will cause students to give a reason for why

they added certain characteristics on their animal. All of these aspects made the lesson a

modeling activity.