Animal Characteristics

Standards

SC.2.4.1 2000. Observe and identify different external features of plants and animals and describe how these features help them live in different environments.

VA.2.7.4 2008 Identify and use a balance of two-dimensional and three-dimensional media, techniques, and processes to effectively communicate ideas, experiences, and stories.

Learning objectives
• Determine what are some external features of different animals
• Use different materials to represent those external features
• Discuss why some things help animals to live in different places
• Choose appropriate materials to represent features
• Talk about what different features animals need and why they don’t all need the same


Description of the core content lesson
• I will teach how different animals have different characteristics to survive
• The students will list some characteristics that animals have that help them survive in their environments
• We will talk about what each of these characteristics do specifically and how they help animals

Description of the visual activity
• Materials
  o Pom poms
  o Googley eyes
  o Grey triangles cut out of construction paper
  o Glue
  o Colored pencils
  o Outline of each animal
  o Cut out pieces of black paper
• Process
  o Give students one of the basic animal outlines
  o Allow them to choose between 4 animals
         • Lion
         • Sheep
         • Alligator
         • Dog
  o As a class, talk about what external features are and how all animals have them in order to survive
  o List some of those features for some of those animals on the board
  o Put all of the possible materials on a table and allow students to choose which they think will best represent some of the features   of their animal
  o Have students write down which materials they chose and why

Integration rationale
Students will be learning about the external characteristics of animals by creating a visual of these animals. They will not only use a hands on activity to learn more about different characteristics, but they will learn about different materials that can be used in art. Students will use their knowledge on what helps animals survive to choose appropriate materials to replicate those features. This process helps to bring two standards together because not only are students learning something about core content, they are applying it to something they can call their own. This finished product will have different materials on it that they will have hand picked and be able to explain to others what they represent.

Rubric
           0(none)  1(minimal)    2(average)   3(good) 4(exceeds expectations)
Effort
Neatness
Explanation of characteristics/materials chosen
Follows instructions