In this visual lesson plan, students will learn how to group and classify animals by their common characteristics and about the relationships between animals and humans, the environment, and other animals. At the end of this lesson, students will create a journal reflecting on what they have learned and will include information about one animal found on the TIDES website.
Created by Donna Bass, November 2007
The student develops abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry in the field and the classroom. The student is expected to:
- ask questions about organisms, objects, and events;
- plan and conduct simple descriptive investigations;
- compare results of investigations with what students and scientists know about the world.
TEKS §112.4. Scientific processes, Grade 2. (b)(2)(A,B,C)
The student knows that living organisms have basic needs. The student is expected to:
- identify the external characteristics of different kinds of plants and animals that allow their needs to be met;
- compare and give examples of the ways living organisms depend on each other and on their environments.
TEKS §112.4. Science concepts, Grade 2. (b)(9)(A,B)
- Tell the students that today they will be encountering animals from all over the world without even leaving the classroom. They will do this by visiting the TIDES website and going on Virtual Expeditions.
- Show students images of animals on the TIDES website. Lead the students in a discussion about the different animals they see, comparing and contrasting things like their size, coloring, natural habitat, and what they eat.
- Ask the students to name different ways in which animals can be grouped. Write these examples down so the whole class can see them.
- Have the students draw and label pictures of 5 to 10 different animals. Instruct the students to cut out these pictures and group them together by a common characteristic. Students should include a sentence explaining how the animals are grouped.
- Read the book Benny’s Animals to the class, making sure to stop at the point when the boys in the book are instructed to sort out their animals by whether or not they have a backbone. Have the students in the class sort their animals in the same fashion.
- Once students have completed this task, finish reading the book.
Students will answer the following questions in their journal.
- Why is it important to group and classify animals?
- What can scientist do with this information?
- Pick one animal you learned about today and write down three new facts about that animal.
