Who Lives In The Cold Rae Taylor

Pre K (3-5 Year Olds)

Common Core Standards: Domain: Cognitive Development and General Knowledge. Life Science. Explorations of Living Things. With modeling and support, identify and explore the relationship between living things and their environments. Domain: Language and Literacy Development. Social Communication. With modeling and support follow typical patterns when communicating with others. Lesson Summary: For this project we will explore what animals live in the cold. I will first make a KWL chart with the children. After that we will get on the internet and explore each animal and where they live. We will also explore their habitats and how they live. When the children have explored all the animals listed on the KWL chart we will work as a class and use the storybird app to design a class book on our cold habitat friends. Estimated Duration: This lesson plan will be designed to take at least a months time to complete if not a little longer. It will be composed of circle times where children will be introduced to the topic to developmental activities. These activities and group times could last anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour or so. Then once the children have gathered enough educational information about the different artic animals we will take a week and work on the book in small groups. Commentary: The timing of the lesson should be done when it is most likely to gain their interest. Winter would be such a time because the children are interested in the snow and coldness they are experiencing daily. Being able to relate the topics in class to the childrens daily experiences will help them to learn more about the topic. I think the most challenging part of this lesson plan will be getting the children to recognize that not all animals live in cold habitats and narrowing down the animals that do.

Instructional Procedures: Day 1: During circle time (lasting about 15-20min) the children will be asked, What animals do they think live in the cold? and What makes you think they live in the cold? I will record the childrens responses on a KWL chart and web. Week 1: Circle Time: We will begin the first circle time of the week with a book that describes examples of animals that live in the artic habitats. As we are exploring them we will cross off those that dont live in cold weather habitats. (Time may vary depending on the number of animals children listed on KWL chart. May also have to take place over a couple circle times). (15mins-45 minutes) The information the children gain from this weeks circle times will be the basis for the activities planned for the weeks to come. Week 2: Circle Time: Ask the children help to pick out 3-6 animals to explore his week. (5-10 minutes). In small groups with a teachers help the children will explore the habitat of each animal that they chose using the internet to look up information and pictures about each animal they chose. (20 minutes 30 minutes). After looking up information the children will be able to explore different developmental activities to further their learning on each individual animal. Week 3 and 4: (Same as week 2) Except will be using different animals to explore each week. Week 5: The children will work in small groups to make pages in their class book that describes each cold weather animal and their habitat using the information that they have learned throughout the month.

Pre-Assessment: Pre-assessment will be done individually with each child by making a list of what the child knows as the KWL chart is being made. Scoring Guidelines: The children wont be scored on the pre-assessment but their responses will be documented so that they can be added to their portfolios. Post-Assessment: After the month lesson I will ask the children the same questions that were asked in the first week of class and record the answers. Scoring Guidelines: This assessment will be recorded into the childrens portfolios.

Differentiated Instructional Support Describe how instruction can be differentiated (changed or altered) to meet the needs of gifted or accelerated students. -The children with special needs could get more one on one attention on the specific areas that are needed. They could use iPads to explore different types of cold weather habitats. Discuss additional activities you could do to meet the needs of students who might be struggling with the material: The children that are having difficulties will have additional activities that focus on the individual difficulties each child was having.

Extension The children would not understand what the standards are and why they are important. But the parents could look online under The Ohio Department Of Education website to see what their children are learning.

Homework Options and Home Connections Parents would be informed of the project and when it is done they will be provided the website so they could visit it with their children as they wish. Encouraging the parents to read books about the project ideas would also help the children to review what they had learned.

Interdisciplinary Connections This activity can be extended into all the domains of early learning. The children could move like the animals encouraging motor development. The children exploring books and engaging in small group discussions encourages language and literacy development. Cognitive development can be extended through exploring additional habitats. Materials and Resources:

For teachers

Computer with internet, Storybird app for book

For students

Computer with internet

Key Vocabulary Habitat, weather

Additional Notes