K5 Science Endorsement GPS Lesson Plan

Title Habitats Introduction

Teacher(s) Catherine Chaviano
E-mail Catherine.chaviano@cobbk12.org
School Mount Bethel Elem
Lesson Title What Plants & Animals need to survive
Grade Level 3 Concepts(s) Life Science - Habitats
Targeted
Performance Expectation –
Students will learn what animals and plants need in order to survive and make observations of
plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats.
● Students will create a slideshow sharing knowledge gained about what animals and
plants need to survive.
● Students will begin to research an animal and design a model habit that the animal
would live in.

Science & Engineering Disciplinary Core Ideas Crosscutting Concept

Practice
Asking questions, collecting
and interpreting data, using
computer technology,
engineering and model
building
(Content)
Life Science- Habitats (see Cause & Effect, Scale, Systems
below) and Systems Modeling,
Stability & Change

Georgia Performance Standards - S3L1. Obtain, evaluate, & communicate information

about the similarities & differences between plants, animals, & habitats found within
geographic regions (Blue Ridge Mtns., Piedmont, Coastal Plains, valley & Ridge, and
Appalachian Plateau) of Georgia.
a. Ask questions to differentiate between plants, animals, & habitats found within
Georgia’s geographic regions.

Safety Considerations - NA

Title of the Lesson: Habitats – What Animals Need to Survive Day 1

Lesson Logistics/Materials:
● Computers and ipads- enough so that students can pair up.
● Science notebooks
● Discoveryeducation.com- create a free account
● Boxes- to build habitat

Opening/Hook/Initial Focus:

ENGAGE:

● Show 3 videos from: https://app.discoveryeducation.com/learn/search?

q=animals+in+habitats&group=video
● Students write title of each video and record animals and plants seen in each video and
any other observations made. They should keep the notes from each video separate so
that they can be compared to one another.
● After videos, students share out and teacher records information from each video on the
board.
● Point out that all of the things recorded can be classified into two different groups of
living things: plants or animals.
● All living things are called organisms.
● What were the two kinds of organisms? Plants and animals.
● Discuss the difference between plants and animals.
● Explain that plants and animals live in many different places called habitats. A habitat is
where animals and plants live. That is what we will be studying throughout this unit.
● Today we will begin by focusing on what all plants and animals need to survive before we
talk about the different habitats.

That is what you will explore today.

Work Session:

EXPLORE:
Students: Guiding Question: What things do I notice about all of the habitats from the videos?
● Students watch pre-selected videos (with their partner) of different habitats on
discoveryeducation.com.- You should go and select which videos students watch. It is up to
you. They must be about habitats.
● Guide students to record the observable features of that habitat and any other
observations made.
● Once they have watched all videos (at least 3), they will look for things that those
habitats had in common. Ex: sources of water, air, sun, food, space, etc. They should also
notice how the different organisms are interacting with the environment.

Teacher:

Teacher monitors and checks in on groups to ensure they are on task and focused on the
exploration question.

Title of the Lesson: Habitats – What Animals Need to Survive Day 2

Students:
● After gathering information in previous lesson, students share out findings.
● Teacher records what students share and a class comes to the conclusion that: Animals,
plants, and other organisms need food, air, water, space, and, sun in order to survive and
thrive in their habitat.
● Students then continue to work in pairs to create a slideshow using Google Slides. See
above under “Learning Assessment” for more details on slideshow requirements

Teacher:
● Restate the five things needed for survival.
● Ask if all five of these things are in all habitats? Yes they are indeed!
● What about in the desert? We know that it doesn’t rain much in the desert. Do those
animals need some water? Students discuss amongst themselves. Final answer is: Yes, of
course!
● All animals and plants need these things, but in different habitats, they sometimes have
to get what they need in different ways.

Think about where we live right now and the animals that you see every day. How do they
survive? What things are in their habitat that support their survival?

Title of the Lesson: Habitats – What Animals Need to Survive Day 3-4
EVALUATE:

Students choose and animal and design a habitat inside of a box (shoebox) that is a model
representation of the animal’s habitat.
The habitat must include basic requirements to sustain life as well as habitat characteristics
specific to the chosen animal and its adaptations.

EXTEND:

● Goal: to explore and prove that all habitats have the five things needed for survival and
observe how animals and plants interact with or play a role in their particular habitat.
● Students must go home and find a place in their yard (a nearby park, small area of grass,
etc. will work) that they can visit on a regular basis (three to four times/week)
● If possible, they should mark that area with popsicle sticks so that they have an area that
doesn’t change. They should be observing the exact same spot each time.

Students use their science notebooks to record observations of animals that they see and how
the animals are interacting with their environment

References:

Discovery Education (2017). https://app.discoveryeducation.com/learn/search?

q=animals+in+habitats&group=video

Adapted from Lesson taught by T. Mitchell