Grade 1 Animal Coverings 90 mins

Fur, Feathers, and Scales

- I can classify animals based on their covering
- I can explain what these different coverings do for the animals
(3 mins) Rules: Review zoo rules and guidelines with children.
(2 mins) Set: Lead discussion about different weather conditions we have in Edmonton. How do
people deal with these conditions (we wear clothes like raincoats, winter boots, hats, etc)? Do
animals wear clothes? What are some ways animals deal with the weather? Push children to
connect coverings with clothing.
(5 mins) Animal Classifications: Discuss how we can use animal coverings to classify animals.
Sometimes animals have fur, feathers, or scales to help them keep warm, dry, cool, hidden etc.
Mammals have fur, reptiles have scales, and birds have feathers.
(5 mins) Activity: Spread cards with animals on them around the space. Children place them in
the correct category. We mixed up all our animals and they need help matching them up with
their coverings! I need you to work together to put the animals in the mammal, reptile, and bird
categories. Walk around space and probe children as they complete the activity. Review after
activity and make corrections as a group.
(3 mins) Game: Demo 3 full body actions and correspond them to a class of animal (jumping
jack for mammals, hop on one foot for reptiles, and sit-up for birds). Call out various animals.
Children respond by performing the action of that animal.
(7 mins) Demo/Discussion: Using samples of fur, feathers, and scales, allow children to pass
them around, touch them, look closely at them, etc. Pay attention to how each of the animal
coverings feel. How are they different, how are they similar? Think about what they might be
useful for. Use magnifying glasses if available. Lead short discussion about what they noticed.
(15 mins) Covering Purposes: Call back to the discussion of weather and clothing. Read
Animals Should Definitely not Wear Clothing as literary aid. We know animals don’t wear
clothes like us, so they use their body coverings for protection, to keep them warm, cool, or dry,
and for camouflage. They can’t change their covering like we can change clothes, so it has to be
suited for where they live. Encourage children to offer ideas/suggestions and use covering
samples when possible. If I was a polar bear, what covering would I want? Why?
Mammals- Humans (hair can help keep us warm, eyelashes, eyebrows, and nose hairs keep dust
from getting into our bodies), polar bears (thick fur keeps them warm, fur traps heat from the
sun, fur keeps them from getting wet in the water, white coat offers camouflage in their habitat)
Birds- Penguins (use feathers to keep warm and dry, feathers help them attract a mate) flying
birds (keep warm and dry, make them more aerodynamic for flight, camouflage)
Reptiles- Ball python (scales are partially waterproof, camouflage, rough belly scales give grip,
protect from some predators/parasites), bearded dragons (spiky scales protect from predators,
camouflage). Scales also allow for a reptile to adjust their body temperature (cold-blooded).
Grade 1 Animal Coverings 90 mins

(25 mins) Magazine Activity: After discussing how animal coverings relate to the needs of the
animal, divide children into groups of 2-4. Provide children with a large piece of paper divided
into thirds and labeled with categories, a few magazines, scissors, and glue. Allow children
to spend 20 minutes finding animals and categorizing them, including the environment/habitat
when possible. Give groups a few minutes to tally up the number of animals in each category.
Lead a discussion about what they noticed and to make connections between each covering and
the environment we see it in (ie how do the multicoloured scales on a snake help with
camouflage?).
(10 mins) Covering Composition: Briefly discuss structure/what each type of covering is made
of using covering samples, craft supplies, and clothing where applicable. Encourage children
to make connections between the different types of fur/feathers/scales and their purpose. If I’m a
snake living in a dry, dusty climate, why wouldn’t I want to sweat?
Fur- Down/undercoat fur (lowest layer, retains heat, wavy, and dense). Guard hairs (longer,
thicker, straighter, keep down coat dry and warm, camouflage). Fur is made of keratin (like hair
and fingernails)
Feathers- Down feathers (small, fluffy, retain heat with air pockets, help waterbirds float). Vaned
feathers (sit over down, stiff, hollow (aid flight), protect down from water and dirt, camouflage,
attract mates). Feathers are made of keratin.
Scales- Different types on different reptiles. Overlapping (help reptiles move, grip the ground),
armour-like or hard scales (protection, camouflage). Help keep reptiles hydrated and at the right
temperature (no sweat, cold-blooded), camouflage, keep out parasites. Scales (on primarily land
reptiles) are not slimy. They are made of keratin. Fish are slimy because of protective mucus.
(15 mins) Animal Visit and Questions: Discuss the tortoise and armadillo. Not all animals can
be so easily classified based on their coverings. A tortoise, for example, doesn’t have the same
kind of scales as a carpet python and doesn’t look like a lizard. It is still a reptile, but its scales
look different. They look like a dinner plate or helmet over the body. They are reptiles because
they do have some scales on their bodies, lay eggs, and are cold-blooded. Probe children about
why the tortoise has a shell like it does (protection) and point out the scaled legs and head. What
kind of animal is an armadillo? Their thick, leathery armour looks a lot like a set of scales, but
they also have soft fur on their tummies! Their armour is made up of bone covered in special
scales called scutes and helps protect them from predators. We classify armadillos as mammals
because they don’t lay eggs, have fur, warm blood (like humans!) and their babies drink milk.