Animals in their Habitats
by Sarah Hamilton and Bob Blessington
Grade level: 3,4,5
Rationale
It is important for 3rd, 4th, or 5th graders to know about animals and their habitats because animal life is found in almost every environment on earth. Each animal contributes to the environment and has a specific role there. By studying habitat, students will discover how they fit into the network of living things that coexist on Earth.
Objectives
Students will learn new information
by firsthand observation.
Students will study how museums
prepare their wildlife exhibits by reading the book "Are
those Animals Real?".
Students will learn important social
skills in a group activity.
Students will visit the UWSP Museum
of Natural History and see the exhibits on many different animals
and their habitats.
Students will list six new animals
and identify a characteristic of each.
Students will list many
characteristics about a favorite animal they choose while on the
field trip.
Students will create their own animals to display in classroom museum.
Preparing for the fieldtrip
Teacher will. . .
make reservations in advance.
send home a letter to parents
requesting chaperones (sample included below)
send permission slips home to get
parents okay.
get permission from administration
well in advance.
arrange for a bus to transport
students to museum.
send a copy of lesson plan to each
chaperone.
Pre-activity: Are those animals real?
Teacher will introduce lesson with
the book, "Are those Animals Real?" by Judy Cutchins
and Ginny Johnston.
The class will discuss what a "characteristic"
is and use some examples from the book.
Teacher will call museum one day in
advance to confirm reservations.
On site activity: Animals/habitats/scavenger hunt
9:00 AM Bus leaves w/students & chaperones. (Teacher will make sure all necessary medications are brought).
9:15 AM Arrive at museum. Students will hang coats in designated area and use bathrooms if necessary.
9:30-10:25 AM Groups of five students and one chaperone will tour museum. Students will bring notebook and pencils to complete assignments.
Students will observe habitats that each animal is placed in and students will write characteristics about six new animals that they observed in their notebooks. Students will chose one animal to write on in depth in their notebooks.
10:25 AM Groups will meet in entrance to pass out scavenger hunt worksheets to each chaperone and allow 10 minutes for bathroom/water break. Assign a male and female chaperone to the boys' and girls' bathroom respectively. Perform a headcount at this time.
10:35 AM Groups will go through museum again. Chaperone directs "Museum Scavenger Hunt" sheet, and is responsible for recording answers for the group. Questions can be done in random order and do not necessarily need to be completed.
11:15 AM Groups will meet back in entrance to gather coats and count heads.
11:30 AM Load bus to return to school.
11:45 AM The class will arrive back at school.
Post activity: Paper mache` animal
Students will develop a paper mache`
project using one of the six animals that they identified.
Using balloons, newspaper strips and
glue/water mixture students will form animals of their choice.
Once animals are dry, students will
paint them appropriately.
Using their notes from the field trip
they will type out characteristics and descriptions of their
animals to display like a museum.
The class will make thank you notes
to mail to museum and to chaperones.
Assessment
Teacher will read students notebooks
with lists of animals and characteristics to see what they
observed.
Students will write in journals about
their field trip experience, things they learned, cool things
they saw, and if they would like to do it again. Teacher will
return journals with written feedback.
Students will give oral presentations
of recreated animals and characteristics to small groups of peers
or whole class.
Bibliography
Cutchins, Judy "Are those
Animals Real?" Morrow Junior Books, New York. 1984
Martin E. Ralph, Jr.,. "Teaching
Science for all Children.", Allyn and Bacon, Massachusetts,
1994.
"Museum Scavenger Hunt"
worksheet, UWSP Museum of Natural History.
Sample letter to parents
Thursday February 12, 1998 Blessington Elementary School Your child’s class is planning a school trip on Monday March 1st, 1998 to The UWSP Museum of Natural History as part of their class studies. The group will leave the school at 9:00 A.M. and will return at approximately 11:45 A.M. Your child will be under the same supervision as is maintained during time spent in the school. This field trip will enhance in-class studies on the topic of how museums prepare wildlife for exhibits. Attendance at the fieldtrip will enable your child to participate in educational activities that meet the planned objectives of classroom learning. If you have any questions relating to the trip or its educational value, feel free to contact Mr. Blessington or Ms. Hamilton at (715) 342-0000. Please express your approval of participation by signing the slip below and returning it to the teacher. (signature of teacher and principal) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I give permission for my child, _______________________________ to attend the trip scheduled on Monday, March 1st, 1998 to The UWSP Museum of Natural History knowing that every precaution will be taken for his or her safety. You have my permission to administer medical assistance to my child in case of an emergency. _______________________________________________________ Date Parent or guardian's signature and date Special medical needs or prescriptions for my child include: (Please be specific) |
Letter to chaperones
Who: Parents, guardians, or grandparents What: Please volunteer to be a chaperone for our class field trip. Each chaperone will be in charge of a group of five students. Where: We will be visiting The UWSP Museum of Natural History. The school bus will leave from Blessington Elementary. When: Monday March 1st, 1998. The school bus will leave Blessington Elementary at 9:00 A.M. Chaperones should arrive at 8:30 to form groups and gather coats to load bus. We will return to Blessington Elementary at approximately 11:45 A.M. Why: This field trip will enhance in-class studies on the topic of how museums prepare wildlife for exhibits. Chaperone Rules: Always use positive language in the presence of our students. No smoking at anytime during the field trip. Take the bus to and from the UWSP Museum. Read the lesson plan that will be sent to you prior to our trip. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _________ YES, I would be happy to chaperone your class field trip to The UWSP Museum of Natural History on Monday, March 1st, 1998. _______________________________________Name ______________Telephone Number _______________________________________Address I have agreed to the rules above and will wait for you to contact me with any information concerning this trip. ____________________________________________________ Signature of chaperone and date |