Caitlyn Robey

Learning Cycle Lesson Planning Form

Science Topic/Content Area: Grade Level: Science Standards (NSES/Sunsine Standards! to "e Addressed:
Science Topic: Living Systems
Content Area: Classifying animals
3rd SC.3.L.15.1: Classify animals into major groups (mammals !irds reptiles
amp"i!ians fis" art"ropods verte!rates and inverte!rates t"ose "aving live !irt"s
and t"ose #"ic" lay eggs$ according to t"eir p"ysical c"aracteristics and !e"aviors.
1. %"at concepts&!ig
ideas do you intend
students to learn'
Science Concept(s$: Animals are scientifically classified according to p"ysical c"aracteristics and !e"aviors. (o# living t"ings
are organi)ed and classified provides evidence of "o# animals are similar "ig"lig"ts t"eir differences and e*"i!its "o# t"ey
are all related.
+deas a!out ,ature of Science: Science -emands .vidence
/. %"at do you e*pect
students to understand
a!out t"is concept and
!e a!le to do as a
result'
0y t"e end of t"e Learning Cycle students #ill understand t"at animals are scientifically classified into different groups !ased on
t"eir p"ysical c"aracteristics and !e"aviors. Students #ill 1no# #"at t"e different groups are: mammals !irds reptiles
amp"i!ians fis" art"ropods verte!rates and inverte!rates !ut #ill also !e a!le to identify common c"aracteristics t"at
descri!e t"e animals in t"ese different groups. Students #ill !e a!le to identify animals from eac" animal group !ased on t"eir
c"aracteristics.
3. %"y is it important for
students to learn t"is
concept' (2ationale$
T"e concept of classifying animals into groups !ased on c"aracteristics and !e"aviors is one of t"e first ideas to support t"e
organi)ation of living t"ings. 3rom t"is concept students can !egin to understand #"y animals "ave different !ody structures
diets and "a!itats. Students need to !e a!le to recogni)e c"aracteristics t"at ma1e animals similar !ut also "o# t"ey4re
different. 0y ma1ing connections !et#een different types of animals students can eventually see "o# t"ey are all related and
co5e*ist in an ecosystem or environment.
6. 7rovide an overvie#&
e*plain #"at teac"ers
s"ould 1no# a!out t"is
topic. %"at miscon5
ceptions do students
typically "ave a!out t"is
concept' (Lesson
0ac1ground +nfo$
Scientists classify animals into groups !ased on t"eir similarities "o#ever !y doing t"is t"ey are also "ig"lig"ting t"e
differences !et#een animals.
All animals can first !e divided into t#o categories: verte!rates and inverte!rates.
8erte!rates are animals t"at "ave a !ac1!one or a spine including mammals !irds and reptiles.
+nverte!rates are animals t"at do not "ave a !ac1!one suc" as insects.
+t is important for students to 1no# t"at not all animals t"at are verte!rates or all animals t"at are inverte!rates are t"e
same.
%it"in t"ose categories are more groups of animals including mammals !irds reptiles amp"i!ians fis" and
art"ropods.
9ammals are animals t"at !reat"e #it" lungs provide mil1 for t"eir young and "ave "air or fur. A common
misconception for students is t"at dolp"ins #"ales and porpoises are fis" !ecause t"ey live in t"e #ater !ut t"ey are
actually mammals !ecause t"ey "ave lungs so t"ey come up for air and t"ey "ave tiny "airs.
0irds are anot"er type of verte!rate: all !irds "ave lungs t#o #ings t#o legs and a !ea1. T"ey are also t"e only
animals t"at "ave feat"ers. 9ost students assume t"at all !irds fly !ut t"at is a misconception: penguins are an
e*ample of an animal t"at is a !ird !ut doesn4t fly.
2eptiles are verte!rates t"at "ave lungs scales and lay eggs.
3is" are verte!rates t"at leave under#ater and !reat"e t"roug" gills: most "ave scales. S"ar1s and rays for e*ample
are fis" !ut do not "ave scales. A common misconception for students is t"at all animals t"at live in t"e #ater are fis"
#"ic" is not true.
Amp"i!ians are verte!rates t"at live on land and in #ater and are cold5!looded. 9ost go t"roug" a form of
metamorp"osis #"ere t"ey !egin life in t"e #ater #it" gills and t"en later in life develop lungs and live on land.
Adapted #rom te Content $epresentation Tool (Lougran% &ulall% ' (erry% )**+!
Caitlyn Robey
Art"ropods arac"nids crustaceans and insects are all e*amples of inverte!rates.
9ost inverte!rates prefer moist environments.
;. %"at specific
activities mig"t !e useful
for "elping students
develop an
understanding of t"e
concept in eac" p"ase of
t"e Learning Cycle'
Engage: 2ead At the Sea Floor Caf to students as a read aloud. (ave students t"in1 and s"are different c"aracteristics t"ey
noticed a!out specific animals as + read t"e !oo1. + #ill #rite t"eir o!servations on t"e !oard. -iscuss as a class t"at t"ere are
different groups used to classify animals and introduce t"e different terms: mammals !irds reptiles fis" amp"i!ians
verte!rates and inverte!rates. A piece of poster paper for eac" group #ill !e displayed around t"e classroom. Students #ill
#rite c"aracteristics t"ey t"in1 descri!e eac" group on a stic1y note !ased on t"eir prior 1no#ledge or personal o!servations
and t"en place t"ose stic1y notes on t"e corresponding piece of poster paper. T"en as a class #e #ill s"are and discuss our
1no#ledge a!out t"e classification of animals.
E,ploration: As a class #e #ill go to ,ature4s Classroom. 7rior to t"e trip students #ill !e !ro1en up into groups of / or 3. .ac"
group #ill !e presented #it" an inde* card. <n one side of t"e card #ill "ave a name and picture of an animal t"at can !e found
at ,ature4s Classroom. %"ile at ,ature4s Classroom students #ill "ave t"e opportunity to see a variety of different animals from
different classification groups. %"ile t"ey are learning a!out t"e different animals t"ey #ill ma1e o!servations a!out t"e
animals4 c"aracteristics: #"at t"ey loo1 li1e t"eir !e"aviors t"eir "a!itat #"at t"ey eat etc. Students #ill ma1e note of t"ese
c"aracteristics in t"eir science note!oo1s. At some point during t"e field study students s"ould see t"e animal on t"eir card
and&or as1 a representative a!out t"eir animal. Students #ill #rite specific c"aracteristics t"ey o!served or learned a!out t"eir
animal on t"e !ac1 of t"e inde* card. 0ased on t"is 1no#ledge and t"eir prior 1no#ledge on "o# to classify animals into groups
students #ill ma1e a prediction a!out #"at type of animal t"eir animal is.
E,planation: +n t"eir same groups from ,ature4s classroom students #ill researc" c"aracteristics and !e"aviors of t"e different
groups used to classify animals. Students #ill use a variety of resources including: te*t!oo1s t"e +nternet science maga)ines
o!servations from our discussion and t"eir o!servations and notes from ,ature4s Classroom. +n addition to t"e c"aracteristics
students #ill find one or t#o e*amples of animals in eac" group. Students #ill !e given an =Animal C"aracteristics> grap"ic
organi)er to 1eep all t"eir information in one place and ma1e it easier for students to compare&contrast. T"en as a class #e #ill
come toget"er and discuss #"at information eac" group gat"ered a!out t"e classifications of animals. %e #ill refer !ac1 to our
posters t"at #e created in t"e .*plore p"ase. + #ill "ave #ritten all of t"e information on t"e students4 stic1y notes in !ullet form
on t"e piece of poster paper. + #ill dra# a line underneat" t"ese original o!servations and record t"e information students4
learned from t"eir researc" on t"e !ottom "alf of t"e paper. After #e4ve discussed t"is ne# information #e #ill ma1e
comparisons !et#een #"at #e t"oug"t descri!ed eac" group and no# #"at #e 1no# descri!es eac" group. After t"e students
"ave an understanding of t"e different groups and t"e c"aracteristics t"at descri!e t"em + #ill "ave eac" group come up and
place t"eir animal from ,ature4s Classroom into a category. T"ey #ill "ave to e*plain to t"e class #"y t"ey t"in1 t"eir animal
!elongs in t"at category.
E,tension: 3irst + #ill divide t"e class into pairs. +n t"eir pairs students #ill "ave t"e tas1 of creating t"eir o#n animal. T"ey #ill
!e given a =9eet my Animal> s"eet #"ere t"ey must #rite facts a!out t"is animal including p"ysical c"aracteristics if it4s a
verte!rate or inverte!rate is it in a specific group or a mi*ture of more t"an one group !e"aviors typical of t"e animal etc.
Students s"ould !e encouraged to t"in1 of anyt"ing and everyt"ing a!out t"is animal !ecause it4s !rand ne# and no one "as
"eard a!out it !efore? +n addition to t"eir facts students #ill also dra# a picture of t"eir animal.
@. +n #"at #ays #ould
you assess students4
understanding or
confusion a!out t"is
3ormative Assessment: T"roug"out t"e learning cycle + #ill o!serve and ta1e notes a!out #"at students are noticing Auestions
t"ey are as1ing information t"ey are pic1ing up on and o!servations t"ey are ma1ing. -uring class discussion as1 students
Auestions to assess t"eir understanding of t"e content and if t"ey are ma1ing connections !et#een t"e different animal groups
"o# t"ey are similar "o# t"ey are different etc. + #ill also revie# o!servations students are ma1ing in t"eir science note!oo1s
Adapted #rom te Content $epresentation Tool (Lougran% &ulall% ' (erry% )**+!
Caitlyn Robey
concept' and information t"ey are gat"ering a!out t"e different animal groups. +f + feel students are not gat"ering t"e rig"t 1ind of
information + #ill as1 t"em guiding Auestions and&or ma1e comparisons !et#een animals for e*ample: =%"at is somet"ing t"at
#e o!served a!out t"e fis" in At the Sea Floor Caf? %"at4s anot"er animal t"at "as t"at c"aracteristic' %"at is one t"at
doesn4t' %"y don4t you t"in1 a!out t"at idea and researc" it some more.>
Summative Evaluation: Students #ill #rite a narrative a!out t"e animal t"ey created #it" t"eir partner. +n "is or "er narrative
students #ill include c"aracteristics and !e"aviors typical of t"eir animal. T"ey #ill descri!e "o# t"ese c"aracteristics ma1e t"at
animal part of a certain group(s$ of animals. T"ey #ill descri!e "o# t"eir animal is similar and&or different to ot"er groups of
animals.
B. %"at materials&
eAuipment are needed to
teac" t"e lesson'
At the Sea Floor Caf !y Leslie 0ulion (7eac"tree 7u!lis"ers /C11 +S0, ,um!er: 15D1655D5/$
7oster paper and mar1ers
+nde* cards #it" animals on t"em for ,ature4s Classroom
Science note!oo1s for o!servations
2esources for researc": te*t!oo1s maga)ines +nternet pictures o!servations etc.
=Animal C"aracteristics> grap"ic organi)er
=9eet my Animal> fact s"eet
1C. 2eferences (7lease
list all resources
consulted in developing
t"is form$
Classifying Animals 0ac1ground +nformation and Activities
"ttp:&&###.!rainpopjr.com&science&animals&classifyinganimals&gro#nups.#eml
,ature4s Classroom: Critter 3act S"eet "ttp:&&###.naturesclassroom.net&Assets&7-3s&Curriculum&CritterE/C3actE/CS"eets
E/Cteac"erE/Carea.pdf
9r. Stein!ac"4s Class 0log
"ttp:&&!stein!ac".!logspot.com&/C1C&CB&animal5classification."tml
Adapted #rom te Content $epresentation Tool (Lougran% &ulall% ' (erry% )**+!
Caitlyn Robey
Assessment Prompt and Rubric:
Based on what we have learned about different animals and how they are classified you have created your own animal with your
partner. I want to learn all I can about this new animal that you have created! Write a narrative describin your animal to me!include any or all
information you have created about your animal in your narrative. "ou should include A# $%A&# physical characteristics about your animal
'what it loo(s li(e)* what animal roup 'or roups!) it is classified in and why* and why your animal is similar+different to other animals. ,se
your imaination and et creative!
Rubric
Category 4 3 2 1
Physical characteristics Includes -. characteristics
describin the animals
physical appearance
Includes /.
characteristics
describin the animals
physical appearance
Includes 0. characteristics
describin the animals
physical appearance
Includes 1 or no
characteristic's) describin
the animals physical
appearance
Animal roup classification Accurately classifies
animal into roup based of
the characteristics and
behaviors they describe
and ives a detailed
e2planation why they
should be in that cateory
Accurately classifies
animal into roup based
of the characteristics
and behaviors they
describe and ives
e2planation why they
should be in that
cateory
Accurately classifies
animal into roup based of
the characteristics and
behaviors they describe
but provides no
e2planation as to why they
should be in that cateory
Inaccurately classifies
animal into roup based of
the characteristics and
behaviors they describe
Compare+contrast to other
animals
Includes -. comparisons
and contrasts between
their animal and other
animals and ma(es
connections between
Includes /.
comparisons and
contrasts between their
animal and other
animals3 ma(es some
connections
Includes 0. comparisons
and contrasts between
their animal and other
animals
Includes 1 or no
comparisons and contrasts
between their animal and
other animals
4arrative format Writes in appropriate
narrative format
5oes not address topic in
narrative format
Adapted #rom te Content $epresentation Tool (Lougran% &ulall% ' (erry% )**+!
Caitlyn Robey
Meet my Animal!
Adapted #rom te Content $epresentation Tool (Lougran% &ulall% ' (erry% )**+!
Draw a picture of your animal here!
Caitlyn Robey
Animal Characteristics
Fish Mammals
Reptiles Amphibians
Birds Invertebrates
Adapted #rom te Content $epresentation Tool (Lougran% &ulall% ' (erry% )**+!