Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Students of all ages enjoy learning about animals. Many outcomes can be achieved by having students use their
creativity to express their understanding.
Here are some activities broken down by specific outcomes that are part of most Animal units in the elementary
grades. Students deserve the kinds of richly engaging learning experiences that well-designed inquiry instruction can
bring them.
Compare the physical characteristics of animals, and explain how the animals are adapted to a certain
environment;
Explain how an animal’s behavioral adaptations help it live in its specific habitat;
Distinguish between physical and behavioral adaptations of animals and how they help them survive
Design and construct a model of a habitat for an animal with a specific adaptation.
Make Animal Habitat with Specific Adaptation in Mind:
Students can again be grouped by habitat. This is a variation of activity done for habitats. In designing their habitat,
however, they should focus on adaptation used in this habitat to help one particular animal survive. One of the
simplest to use would be camouflage which is easier for children to recreate and understand. They can also discuss
what other adaptations these animals may use in this habitat. This would allow students after recreating the habitat to
produce a joint writing piece.
Sponsored Content
Recommended by
3. Animal Camouflage Writing Piece (with Partners)
Camouflage Information:
The color and/or pattern of an animal allows it to either blend in or stand out from its environment. This
helps the animal hunt for food and escape its predators.
When it blends into its background it is called camouflage. For example, many animals that live in snowy
areas are white, like the polar bear.
A chameleon can even change its color to blend in with its environment.
Activities suggested: Take a look at some animal photos, where animals are either camouflaged OR stand out from
their surroundings (Students can create a writing piece explaining picture and camouflage) OR Make a cardboard
cutout of an animal and color it with markings so that it camouflages into the color of your room. Partners can team
up with animals that camouflage in same habitat or display a specific predator and a prey.
After several sessions of research, students should revisit their original questions and begin writing with the
information they have gathered. Finally, students revise and edit their work and prepare to present their findings to an
authentic audience. This can be done to their class peers or with a parent publishing party.
ROLE: You are an animal in a specific habitat, with a specific position on the food chain
AUDIENCE: The other “animals" in your habitat as well as in the other habitats and food chains
SITUATION:
1. Be your animal. Dress as your animal. Show your behavioral and physical adaptations in your habitat as an
individual animal within your population. You can add to your costume or make drawings to present.
2. Be your animal in your habitat along with three other animals within your food chain.
PRODUCT: Habitat mural created by “all animals" sharing the same habitat to be used as a “backdrop" for individual
and group skits.
A variation of this is to create a “food web" using yarn or rope putting these animals together and using same
“backdrop" (habitat)
Activities Suggested:
Take a look at some animal photos, which animals are camouflaged and which stand out from their surroundings
(Students can create a writing piece explaining picture and camouflage) OR Make a cardboard cutout of an animal
and color it with markings so that its camouflage is able to blend into the color of your room.
The list of activities on animals can be endless. Children continue to have a peaked curiosity about animals and will
enjoy many years of diversified animal learning scaffolded throughout their elementary years.