Explore the Animal World

Title: Explore the animal world
Grade Level(s): 3
Subject Area(s): Social Studies, Language Arts, Science
Unit(s): Regions of the World, Expository Reading/Informative Writing, Living Things

Description:
Students will choose an animal to research. They will be introduced to a subject pathfinder. They will use a variety of resources: books, magazines, an electronic encyclopedia, CD-ROMS, and Internet resources. They will use multitasking skills. The final product will include a graphic organizer for display and an informative multimedia slide show.

Outcomes/Core Learning Goals:

Time Frame:
Media Center - eleven 45 minute lessons. Time depends on the number of computers available.

Materials/Technology:
Access to Internet, media center print and non-print resources

Teacher Preparation:

Decide on how animals will be chosen by students. Make sure at least one animal in each region of the world is researched by each group.

An animal pathfinder is available. You may also use Ask Jeeves for Kids or another search engine to find additional appropriate Internet sites for student research

If you intend to tier instruction, evaluate reading level of selected sites and other print and non-print resources. Animals and related sites may be pre-selected.

Choose an appropriate site(s). Review website structure by using Check Your Website or Evaluate Your Website with students.This can be done with the whole class or by pairing students and sharing results.

Use introductory Works Cited worksheet.

Prepare prompt and rubric (e.g., points format).

Prepare a sample graphic organizer. Make associated transparencies or have chart paper available to model data collection.

Student Prior Knowledge and Skills:

Students will be familiar with using keywords in a search.

Students will be familiar with using an Internet browser and basic website vocabulary.

Students will be familiar with using a CD-ROM.

Students will be familiar with the patron's catalog and an electronic encyclopedia.

Lesson Design/Learning Sequence:

1. Introduce research project to students.
2. Group students to match number of available computers in the media center. Switch groups every 20 minutes. Other groups will use print resources or the print encyclopedia.
3. Students will be introduced to the animal pathfinder to help them find information on the Internet and in the media center. Model Works Cited.
4. Students will be introduced to multitasking. This would include switching between the Internet and an electronic encyclopedia and taking notes on the computer using a word processing program.
5. Students will research their animal.
6. Students will organize the information in a meaningful way.
7. Students will draw a picture of their animal, use the scanner to digitize the image, and save the picture to a disk or folder for use in the slide show.
8. Students will make a graphic organizer for display to inform others about their animal.
9. Students will write an informative dialogue and record it on a Kid Pix slide.
10. Students, working in groups, will make a slide show (example). The slide show can be organized alphabetically by animal name, by region of the world, by the size of the animal, or by some other meaningful grouping.

Assessment/Evaluation:
Students will complete the assignment. It will be evaluated according to a rubric (e.g., points format).

Additional Activities:
The animal slide show may be transferred to videotape for use by parents, other classes, or another grade level.

Additional Resources:

Visit the Savannah Safari Webquest (Bangor School Department, Maine) and adapt their lesson plan. Based on four grassland animals (elephant, giraffe, lion, zebra), it includes a prompt, animal links, self evaluation checklist, peer evaluation of oral presentation, and grading rubric (3-2-1).

Students may use the Montgomery County Public Library for additional information.

Developed by:
Travilah ES media specialist Mary Beth Castonguay.
Adapted from a lesson plan by Pat Brenkus, "Animals Representing the World's Regions; using CD-ROM and Other Information Sources," MCPS, Implementing Learner Outcomes For School Library Media Programs, 1993.

Date: December 21, 1998, Links updated January 30, 2004