Final Project 1

EDIT 610 Final Project

Chris Condelli

Coastal Carolina University

EDIT 610
Final Project 2

Amazing Animals Adaptations!

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to determine various ways that an animal could adapt to a specific habitat.

Materials and Preparation

American Landforms worksheet (one per student)

Various art supplies, such as

construction paper,

markers,

scissors,

and glue

iPad

Padlet

Adaptation Organizer (Found at the bottom of this lesson)

Key Terms

adapt

habitat

physical adaptation

camouflage

behavioral adaptation
Final Project 3

Introduction

The teacher will ask the students the following discussion question- What do people do to adapt

to winter weather? Have some students share out. Students may say things like wear winter clothes,

use blankets, salt the sidewalks, and stay indoors. Tell students that adapt means to change

something about your appearance, behavior, or surroundings to make it easier to live and survive.

students that animals must also adapt to their habitat, or place where they live, to survive. Today,

by undertaking research, you will create your very own animal and their habitat. You will post an

image of your animal along with a description on the classroom Padlet once you have finished

both tasks.

Explicit Instruction/Teacher Modeling

Tell students that there are two basic ways that animals adapt to their habitats. One way is by

changing the way that they look. This is called a physical adaptation. For example, a deer can

camouflage, or blend in, with its brown forest surroundings. A duck has webbed feet to help it

swim in the water. Ask students to share some other physical adaptations that they know of.

Another way an animal adapts to its habitat is by changing the way it acts. This is called a

behavioral adaptation. For example, a bear hibernates in the winter. Geese fly south for the winter.

Ask students to share some other behavioral adaptations that they know of. Students will watch

the following video-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6iiuFj5hzo.

Guided Practice/Interactive Modeling

Tell the students that it is time to conduct internet research on various adaptations and to complete

the given graphic organizer. Remind students of the significance of being a digital citizen by

providing credit for websites when searching for information. After finishing the graphic
Final Project 4

organizer, the students will have the choice to either draw their animal on paper or utilize

https://switchzoo.com/zoo.htm.

They can use supplies to draw a picture of their animal or create a three-dimensional replica. First,

students will read the worksheet American Landforms and utilize kiddle.co for research about their

animals. To maintain the references for their final postings, students will receive a worksheet that

is attached to the graphic organizer. Then, they will choose the habitat in which their animal will

live. The animal they create must demonstrate at least two physical adaptations. When students

are finished creating their animals, they must write about the two physical adaptations as well as

two behavioral adaptations that their animal has. Model choosing a habitat and creating an animal.

Engage the class in discussing the physical adaptations.

Independent Working Time (40 minutes)

Pass out the American Landforms worksheet and have students silently read it - teacher will also

post a link to the passage on Google Classroom. When students are finished reading, they should

choose a habitat in which they would like their animal to live. They will then design their new

animal after deciding on a habitat. Remind students that they have the choice of creating it on the

above described website or on paper. While designing their animal, students should brainstorm

what their animal will look like, how it will act, and what it will be named. Give students ample

time to create their new creature and write about its adaptations. They will then post an image of

their animal and habitat and a write a few sentence description on the classroom Padlet after the

students have finished their development. https://padlet.com/ccondelli1/plwwcj97ngw2 They will

be accountable for responding with a favorable remark to at least two other students’ postings.

This would be a nice time to remind students of digital citizenship by respectings others ideas,

thoughts, and creations.

Final Project 5

Assessment (5 minutes)

Use the students' written work and Padlet postings to determine that they understand the difference

between physical and behavioral adaptations, and that their adaptations match the landforms and

climate of the habitat.

Original Lesson plan- (Clarkson, 2015)

Reflection:

You need to combine all the essential ingredients when cooking/baking a family recipe,

and this is also true as teachers need to combine all the essential ingredients of technology when

planning and preparing engaging lesson plans. In order to enhance and improve the initial lesson

plan, I added several technology ingredients. The first technology ingredient was adding a

YouTube video to the Explicit Instruction stage of my lesson. The video is a song that discusses

and provides examples of physical and behavioral adaptations. Because of the rhythm and beat,

along with the images and onscreen text, this song will benefit my musical and visual students.

When generating and planning a lesson, there are two significant variables to consider. All

students learn at various paces and teachers can use differentiating content in order to find methods

to nurture learning by offering students with choices. For this assignment, students had the choice

of personally drawing their animal or utilizing a website to assist in the creation of their animal.

This is where another technology ingredient comes into play. SwitchZoo is a website where

students can generate their own creature and alter the head, legs and body.
Final Project 6

Another technology ingredient was to allow my students to use the visual search engine for

kids https:/m.kiddle.co. This choice had two folds. First, they exercised digital citizenship by

using their iPads for educational purposes through conducting research, following copyright

legislation, staying at permitted places, and utilizing technology by creating a work cited page for

sources used. Students are in the process of establishing a digital footprint while conducting

research by establishing an information path by finding valuable and safe information on the

internet. I think this is beneficial as it promotes and generates discussions on how to handle your

own digital footprint.

Another technology ingredient was to enable my students to read a passage in Google

Classroom. This will benefit my students as they are able to highlight, take notes, and underline

important information as they read, which are useful instruments to help students retain the

content.

The last ingredient that came into play was the use of Padlet. Padlet is a web-based

application that enables users to post on a digital wall. By utilizing Padlet, students had to

comment on two other classmates’ postings on the development and description of their created

animal. Padlet is a beneficial tool as it is a great place for students to share and post their ideas and

receive feedback from classmates. They expand their "digital footprint" when using digital

etiquette by treating other internet users (students) with respect and avoiding inappropriate conduct

when publishing and posting their comments/feedback.

Overall, I think the technology choices that I selected improved the lesson by making it

relevant, engaging, creative, and standard-based.

Final Project 7

Graphic Organizer

Vocabulary Hints

locomotion The ability for an animal to move from one place to another.

defense An action that an animal uses protect itself from enemies.

camouflage to disguise or hide by making it hard for the animal to be seen

obtaining resources The way an animal gets items that it needs for survival (food, water,

shelter)

structural physical features of an organism

adaptations

Task

You and your partner will create one animal together. First, you need to choose what environment

your animal will dwell in. Based on the environment in which it lives, the food it eats (prey), its

enemies (predators), and 5 ADAPTATIONS (locomotion, defense, camouflage, and obtain

resources) you will need to create an animal that can survive in the environment you selected. You

will use your science textbook, Animal Adaptation article, and other informational trade books on

animal adaptations to support your claim.

1. Ask: What adaptations does your animal need to survive in their environment?
Final Project 8

Ask 2 more questions to guide your thinking on how your animal will survive in its

environment.

Question 1:

Question 2:

2. Imagine: Draw an illustration or write an explanation of the adaptation your animal will need

to survive.

3. Plan: What adaptations will your animal have?

locomotion

defense

Camouflage

Obtaining resources

(food, shelter,water)
Final Project 9

Work Cited

Author Website Title

Final Project 10

References

Clarkson, A. (2015, September 27). Amazing Animals Adaptations! Retrieved from

Education.com: https://www.education.com/download/lesson-plan/amazing-animals-

adaptations/amazing-animals-adaptations.pdf