Creature coats
by Megan Williams, Melanie Heckendorf, and Jessica Flyte
Grade level: 2,3
Rationale
Animals exist everywhere on our globe and possess special characteristics for survival. Children need to develop an understanding of protective coverings and their importance to the animals’ survival. As the children learn about animals and their protective coverings, they will begin to learn about and appreciate the variety of life in the animal kingdom.
Objectives
Students will understand why the human
body has skin as it’s protective covering.
Students will compare and contrast the
different body coverings of animals.
Students will develop an understanding of
why different protective coverings are necessary for survival.
Students will observe different animals in
their simulated habitats.
Teacher checklist
| ____ Get permission from
administration in advance. ____ Send permission slips home one and a half weeks before the field trip. ____ Ask for parent permission and chaperones. ____ Send copies of lesson plans to chaperones. ____ Call Bus Company to reserve a bus. ____ Call Bus Company one day ahead to confirm times of departure and return. ____ Bring Emergency Medical Forms to museum. ____ Call museum to confirm reservation, inquire about parking and coat storage. ____ Thank You Card!!!! |
Field trip form On Friday, February 26th, our third grade class will be traveling to the UW-SP Museum of Natural History. We will be leaving at 8:30 a.m. and will be returning to school at 10:30 A.M. The focus of our field trip will be animal body coverings. Please sign the form below to grant your child’s permission to attend our field trip. We are also looking for adults to chaperone our trip. Please fill out and return the below form by Tuesday, February 16, 1999. Thank you! Ms. Heckendorf, Ms. Williams, Ms. Flyte I grant my child ________________________ permission to travel by bus on a field trip to the UWSP Museum of Natural History on Friday, February 26, 1999. ___________________________ Parent Signature YES NO I am interested in chaperoning the field trip on February, 26th. |
Pre-activity
Time estimate: 30 – 45 minutes.
Materials
Amazing Armored Animals by Sandie Sowler; Amazing Birds by Alexandra Parsons; Birds by Joy Richardson; Fur, Feathers, and Flippers by Patricia Louber; The Secret World of Animals by National Geographic Society.
Items for the student’s to touch that will represent different animal coverings
 | Furry fabric from the local fabric store to represent fur. |
| Patch of sequins to represent fish scales. |
| Turtle shell. |
| Feathers from local fabric store. |
Procedure
As a class we will brainstorm idea’s about why humans have skin and how it protects us from our environment. After the children have an understanding of our own body covering we will begin a discussion about animals and the different body coverings that they possess. The teacher’s role during this time will be to probe the students with questions they might already know about the subject and questions that they may not know the answers to so they become interested in the topic. The student’s role will be for them to be good listeners and try to answer the questions to the best of their abilities.
There are many books in your local library that cover this topic with wonderful illustrations.
Assessment
The students will make a line down the center of a piece of paper and title one side "What I know about animals body coverings" and list four things they know. The opposite side will be titled "Questions I have about animal body coverings" and list at least two questions they might have that will be answered by the end of our activities.
On-site activity
Time estimate
| 8:30-8:45 Travel to
Museum and put away coats in auditorium. 8:45-9:00 Museum student employee will speak about museum exhibits and review rules. 9:00-10:00 Students will tour museum and complete worksheet. 10:00-10:15 Students will return to auditorium. As a class we will discuss what we saw, what we learned about different animals, and what animals we still have questions about. 10:15-10:30 Pack up and return to school. |
Materials
"I’m going on a scavenger hunt…" worksheet (attached), pencils.
Procedure
Students will be in groups of four and have one adult chaperone. They will work together or individually to complete the worksheet using their previous knowledge and deductive reasoning. During this time the teachers will move from group to group and observe the children’s comments and raise provocative questions. After completing the scavenger hunt the student’s can go back and look at their favorite exhibits if there is extra time.
Assessment
As a class we will review the questions from the scavenger hunt worksheet and have an open discussion about what each student observed and learned.
I’m going on a scavenger hunt to find…. Name five animals that have fur as a protective covering. Which animal looks to have the softest covering? Which animal's body covering looks to be the coarsest? Which animal's covering would be the most dangerous to touch? Name two animals with more than one type of body covering. What kind of protective covering does a western fox snake have? Is a snakes skin wet or dry? Name two animals that have a shell as a protective covering. What was your favorite animal in the museum and why? Count all of the eggs in the museum…Just kidding! |
Post-activity
Time estimate: 1 hour
Materials
Crayons, markers, colored pencils, attached worksheet and an imagination!
Procedure
Students will create a new animal on Earth, relating it’s protective coverings and their environments to his or her creation. Students will complete the following worksheet (attached). After they create a new animal they will write a brief paragraph about the animal. For example, what its protective coat(s) are, where it lives, what it eats, etc. The teacher’s role during this time will be to be available to students if they have any questions.
Assessment
Each student will present his or her creation to the class. The students will be asked to do a self-evaluation on what grade they believe they deserve. The students will be graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.
Extensions
| The teacher and the students will develop a learning center emphasizing the sense of touch. Displayed in the center will be various types of protective coverings. |
| The students will create a bulletin board that displays their new creatures on earth. |
| Students will go back to the pre-field trip activity to make sure they now know the answers to "Questions I have about animal coverings." If they do not, we will work together to find the answers to their questions. |
| Students can begin working on creating a thank you card for the museum staff. |