Emma K Doub Elementary School Library & Grade 2

Collaboration Planning 2-24-12 mk

Teacher(s): Kelly Houpt (LMS), Rikki Lauer (Grade 2), Nina Wolfe (Grade 2 Magnet)

Unit: Habitats
Grade Level: 2
Plan Date: Marking Period 2
Time Frame: Approximately 3 Weeks

Unit Overview and Description:

Students will think like zoologists in order to design a habitat for three animals that will live
together in a zoo exhibit. Students will need to conduct research in order to choose
compatible animals and design a suitable habitat to meet the needs of the animals. Students
will engage in the Big6 Inquiry model and use Google Docs and Classroom to support their
efforts. A variety of digital and text resources will be used as research sources.

Culminating Learning Product:

Students will construct a model of the zoo exhibit and be expected to defend their decisions
regarding the animals they chose to put together and the items included in the habitat.
AASL Standard(s) and/or County or State Library Content Standards:
Standards: Reading:
RI.2.1 Ask and answer such questions as who,
(Big 6 Step 1: Task Definition) what, where, when, why, and how to
LM 1.A.1 Follow an inquiry process and connect demonstrate understanding of key details in
the process to real life. a text, print or visual.
LM 1.B.1 Identify an assigned information need
LM 1.B.3 Formulate and refine questions to RI.2.9 Compare and contrast the most
meet an information need important points presented by two texts on
the same topic
(Big 6 Step 2: Information Seeking and Step 3:
Location and Access) Writing:
LM 2.B.2 Evaluate sources to meet the W.2.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to
information need examine a topic and convey ideas and
information clearly.
(Big 6 Step 4: Use of Information)
LM 3.A.1 Use specific sources to find information W.2.7 Participate in shared research and
LM 3.C.1 Record data/information in a variety writing projects
of formats

(Big 6 Step 5: Synthesis, Putting it all together) Science:

LM 4.A.2 Apply critical thinking skills and 2-LS4-1 Make observations of plants and
problem-solving strategies to the recorded animals to compare the diversity of life in
data/information to meet the information need different habitats.
LM 4.B.1 From the recorded data/information,
ethically create new understandings and
knowledge related to the information need

LM 5.A.1 Use a variety of formats to prepare the

findings/conclusions of the information need for
sharing
LM 5.A.2 Share findings/conclusions
Objectives/Learning Outcomes:
Students will be able to independently use their
learning to....
By the end of the unit, 90% of the
students will be able to identify the basic
needs of plants and animals.
By the end of the unit, 90% of the
students will be able identify and
describe environmental factors that may
impact the growth and behavior of
plants and animals.
By the end of the unit, 90% of the
students will be able to record
information to answer questions.
By the end of the unit, 80% of the
students will be able to compare sources
to determine relevance.
By the end of the unit, 70% of the
students will be able to effectively gather
and synthesize information across a
variety of sources.
Teacher will:
Form small groups
Select habitat texts from Science
resources
Create note-taking sheet for animal
research
Materials:
Three ring Venn diagram organizer
Maker Space materials for model
construction
Resources:
iPad for database access and Google
Classroom access
Habitat Texts
Databases including World Book, SIRS
Discover, PebbleGo, PebbleGo Next,
Arkive.org
Google Classroom
Google Docs
Enduring Understandings:
Students will understand that….
all living organisms have basic needs.
the growth and behavior of living
organisms are suited to their
environment
evidence or support is needed in
discussions and writing.
research is a process, not a product.
information from various sources must
be analyzed, evaluated, synthesized,
and interpreted appropriately.
ideas and information can be
communicated effectively by
designing, creating, and sharing
products.
Essential Questions:
How do animals depend on each
other and their environment to survive?
How do we select the most
appropriate resource(s) to meet an
information need?
How do we know a source is credible?
How does shared information enhance
knowledge?
Librarian will:
Create collection of database links
and websites
Create note-taking sheet for habitat
research
Unit Assessments:
Diagnostic or Pre-Assessment:
Habitat Pre-Assessment
Inquiry Model Pre-Assessment
Formative:
Teacher observation
Note taking sheets/checklist
Venn diagram/checklist
Oral questioning /conferring
Summative:
Habitat Task Rubric
 o Students will orally present
models to the class and defend
the choices they made.
Habitat Post-Assessment
Inquiry Model Post-Assessment

Project Calendar
Outline of Learning Actions
T-Teacher and L-Librarian
Pre-assessments will be given at least one week prior to the beginning of the
Before unit.
Unit T: Administer Habitat Pre-Assessment (Classroom)
L: Administer Inquiry Process Pre-Assessment (Media Center)
T & L: Introduce and unpack the project. Facilitate question generation and
help students refine questions. Identify relevant questions and record in a
Google Doc to be used as a note-catcher for Day 2. (Media Center)
Day 1
Assessment: Observations from question generation will be used to plan
instruction for Step 1 during the third marking period.
T & L: Facilitate reading activity to establish background knowledge regarding
grasslands (or savanna), temperate forest, tropical rain forest, desert, polar ice,
and tide pool habitats. Students in each group will be provided 3 different texts
and will be asked to choose the best resource for their work.

L: Use the Google Docs on the iPad to model note taking using questions from
day 1.
T& L: Monitor students and support note taking. Allow students to choose to use
Day 2
paper/pencil or Google Docs

Assessment:
Source Selection: formative feedback will be provided to help students
make the appropriate choices. Observations from this activity will be
used to plan source selection activities for animal research on day 5.
Note Taking: observations from day 2 will be used to plan note taking
support for day 3 in small groups.
T: Students will finish reading and note-taking in guided groups. (Classroom)

Day 3 Assessment: Groups will synthesize habitat notes by posting 3 big ideas about
their habitat in Google Classroom. T will check for accuracy and clarify any
misunderstandings.
T: Facilitate question generation and refinement in order to begin research of
animals from the habitat. Students will be asked to independently generate
and record one question. Students will then share out questions to be recorded
by the teacher. The teacher will model the process of identifying the relevant
Day 4 questions needed and record in a Google Doc to be used as a note-catcher
for Day 5. (Classroom)

Assessment: T will check for student understanding of the connection between

the habitat and the animal’s ability to survive in the habitat.
 T: In small groups, T will help groups identify 3-6 animals to research from their
Day 5
habitat. (Classroom)
L: Introduce students to databases to be used for researching animals. Model
selecting an appropriate source for a marsh animal. Students independently
research their assigned animals. L will facilitate and monitor students’ source
selection and note taking. Students will be provided feedback as they work.
(Media Center)
Day 6
Assessment:
Student note catcher sheets or Google Docs will be checked for complete
answers and accuracy. Additional support and/or time will be provided in the
classroom to those students who did not complete the research or had
inaccurate information on their note sheets.
T & L: Students will compare and contrast animal notes to determine the three
animals to be included in the zoo enclosure. Students will complete a three ring
Venn as a shared writing activity to defend their choices. (Media Center)

Day 7 Assessment:
Venn diagrams will be used to evaluate students’ choices. Feedback will be
provided to those groups who may have applied flawed analysis of the
information. Students will have the opportunity to use feedback to change the
combination of animals prior to construction of the model.
Days 8&9 T & L: Students create their models.
T: Students present and defend their models.
Day 10
Summative Assessment:
Students will be assessed using the Habitat Task Rubric.
 Note Taking Checklist
Yes No I can read my notes.

Yes No Someone else can read my notes.

Yes No My notes are accurate. (accurate = correct)

Yes No My notes are complete; I answered all of the questions.

Yes No My notes do not include unneeded information.

Yes No My notes are in my own words.

Venn Diagram Checklist

Yes No We labeled each circle.

Yes No Each animal’s differences are in the correct circle.

Yes No The animals’ similarities are in the overlapping center.

Yes No We can use our Venn diagram to defend our choices.

 Habitat Task Rubric
Meets the Exceeds the
Task Approaching
Expectations Expectations
The group chose 2 – 3 The group chose 3 The group chose 3
Choose 3 animals
animals but 1 or more animals that can live animals that can live
that can live
cannot live together together in the same together and can
together in the
in the same exhibit. exhibit. benefit from each
exhibit.
other.
The group designed The group designed The group designed
a habitat that is a habitat that is a suitable habitat
Design a habitat that
somewhat suitable suitable for the with required
includes shelter,
for the exhibit but exhibit and includes components and an
food, and water for
demonstrates flawed appropriate shelter, enrichment
the animals.
understanding of the food, and water. opportunity.
needs.
The group labeled The group labeled all The group labeled
some parts of the parts of the habitat. and defined the
Label the model.
habitat. importance of the
parts of the habitat.
The group can The group can use The group can
defend their choices their research to defend their choices
with some prompting defend their choices clearly, completely,
Defend the model.
or the use of their clearly and and with information
Venn diagram. completely. beyond the required
research.
Reflection

The planning wasn’t as collaborative as I would have hoped. I was able to meet briefly with
the two classroom teachers prior to accessing the existing unit plan via Google Drive. We
discussed the direction they were hoping to go and how I might be able to support their
goals. This unit developed out of an existing unit the team has used over the last three years.
They felt that the model habitat project was a component of the unit that could be further
developed. Independently, I spent time exploring the overall unit and then specifically looked
at how the habitat project could be expanded. I’ve had brief chats with each teacher in the
hallway before or after school and have had multiple email exchanges with them to be sure
I’m going in the right direction to support their goals while still meeting my inquiry model goals.

As a group, we are happy with the unit. We know that there will need to be adjustments
made to the timeline. We also know that there are other opportunities for instruction to be
developed further. We would like to incorporate math and social studies content into the unit
but didn’t have the time to explore that at this point. I’ve also made some suggestions for
possible literacy lessons that could occur in the classroom and/or the library, which we will add
later.

The biggest stumbling blocks were related to timing. I can see how more content could be
embedded into the unit as well as opportunities to go more deeply into the reading strategies
associated with information literacy. Unfortunately, the unit is something we will use during the
second marking period and the teachers didn’t have time to look that far ahead. I think we
will be able to refine the unit later when they are closer to the end of the marking period.

Establishing the timeline for the project was also a stumbling block. While I have a hybrid
schedule, a committee schedules the integration blocks. Teachers submit requests for
integration lessons and preferred dates. Then, the committee schedules the blocks in a way
that everyone gets an opportunity for an integration lesson in each encore area throughout
the month. As a result, we aren’t sure how we will fit all of this in within our time frame. On
paper, the timeline seems to work however we will work together to adjust as needed once
the integration calendar is completed for the second marking period.

The focus of this module included an emphasis on assessment. I incorporated as much

formative assessment into this unit as possible. Kristin Fontichiaro explains that formative
assessment allows teachers to correct students’ misconceptions, praise their efforts, and
question their conclusions during the learning process (163). This unit will be facilitated over the
course of several weeks and there will be several days in between various lessons making
formative feedback important to keeping students on track. This feedback will also be helpful
to share with each other to guide the learning experiences we aren’t co-teaching.

This experience was positive overall and feels like an inroad has been established. I can see
this unit evolving between now and the implementation. And, because this project is part of a
larger unit the teachers have previously used, I think there will also be opportunities to refine
this for future use.
Works Cited

Fontichiaro, Kristin. 21st-Century Learning in School Libraries. Libraries Unlimited, 2009.

Standards for the 21st-Century Learner in Action. American Association of School Librarians,
2009.