Developmental Lesson Plan #2

Teacher Candidates: Alyssa McDonald Date: 10/22

Group Size: 20 Allotted Time: one 50- minute period Grade Level: 2nd
Subject or Topic: Lesson 2: Animal Adaptations - Content

Common Core/PA Standard(s):

4.1.2.D - Identify differences in living things (color, shape, size, etc.) and describe how
adaptations are important for survival.

4.1.2.E - Identify how living things survive changes in their environment.

Learning Targets/Objectives:
● Students will distinguish the difference between physical adaptations and
behavioral adaptations by stating what kind of adaptation is shown through
the PowerPoint.
● Students will analyze how physical features and behaviors help organisms
interact with their environments by creating their own animal with adaptations
that will help them survive in the deciduous forest.

Assessment Approaches: Evidence:

1. Assessing knowledge of physical
and behavioral adaptations
2. Hand Signals
3. Performance-based
1. Teacher Observation during the
PowerPoint
2. Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down,
Waving of Hand
3. Collection of Animal Creation &
Structured writing sheet

Assessment Scale:
1. Animal Creation Writing
a. Advanced – includes 3 or more adaptations: at least one physical and
one behavioral
b. Proficient – includes 2 adaptations: one physical and one behavioral
c. Basic – includes 1 adaptation: one physical or one behavioral
d. Below Basic – none of the above criteria
Subject Matter/Content:
● Prerequisites:
○ The deciduous forest changes throughout the seasons.
○ People adapt to survive during the changes of the seasons.
● Key Vocabulary:
○ Adaptation: a physical feature or behavior that helps an organism
survive in its environment
○ Physical Adaptation: a physical feature of an organism that has
changed over time
○ Behavioral Adaptation: something an organism does to survive
○ Hibernation: when an animal spends the winter sleeping or resting
○ Migration: when an animal moves from one area to another at
○ different times of the year
● Content/Facts:
○ Animals in a Deciduous Forest need to adapt or change something
about themselves to survive during the different seasons.

Introduction/Activating/Launch Strategies:
● Remind the students that yesterday, they learned about what a deciduous
forest is and how the deciduous forest changes throughout every season.
● Ask the students, “What do people do to survive during the different
seasons?”
● Tell the students to think about the temperature and weather in the winter, fall,
spring, and summer.
● Ask some students to share out.
● Explain that we need to adapt to the changes happening throughout the year.
Give the definition of adaptation.
● Tell the students that animals must also adapt to their habitat when a change
occurs.
● Move the students to the carpet in front of the Smart Board

Development/Teaching Approaches:
• Show students the PowerPoint that includes picture of the following animals
and ask them to guess an adaptation of each animal. (Slides 2-7) “What might
these animals have to do to survive in their habitat? Or What kind of traits do
these animals have that will help them survive?”:
o Black bears
o White-tailed deer
o Owls
o Squirrels
o Frogs
o Ducks
• Call on students to share their guesses.
• Explain that all animals have adaptations that have been passed down from
their parents. Have the students make connections about how they get traits
and behaviors passed down from their parents as well.
• Explain that organisms with useful adaptations for their environment are more
likely than other organisms to get the resources they need to survive. If they
survive, they are more likely to reproduce and pass their adaptations to their
young.
• Point to the picture of examples of adaptations on the PowerPoint (Slide 8):
• sharp beaks, teeth, or claws to get food
• stingers, quills, or smelly sprays for protection
• bright colors to warn about being poisonous
• Explain that adaptations are categorized into two different types.
o Physical: a physical feature of an organism that has changed over time
o Behavioral: something an organism does to survive
• Write these on an anchor chart to display the definitions and draw (or add)
pictures of examples.
• Ask a student to hand out a white board to each student.
• Show slide 9 of the PowerPoint. After pointing to and explaining each photo,
ask the students to write on their white board whether the adaptation is
physical or behavioral. Ask the students to hold up the white boards when
finished. Observe and assess each student’s answer and correct them if they
are wrong.
o A black bear’s claws allow the bear to climb trees to easily get to fruit,
nuts, and honey
o A black bear’s legs allow the bear to move or bend large objects like
rocks, tree trunks or limbs that get in the way of him and the food
o A black bear’s long and sticky tongue all the bear to reach ants or
swipe up a bunch of nuts
o A black bear hibernates in the winter. Explain what hibernation is.
• Ask the students to discuss with a partner about why bears and other animals
might hibernate. Then, have some students share out their ideas.
• Read the book “Hibernation” by Mel Higginson to the students.
o Stop after reading page 12 and ask the students to think about what it
might mean to migrate. Have the students discuss with one another.
Tell the students to keep that in the back of their minds because they
will be talking about it later today.
o After reading the rest of the book, ask the students about what kinds of
animals hibernate. Have the students to share out.
• Show slide 10 of the PowerPoint. After pointing to and explaining each photo,
ask the students to write on their white boards whether the adaptation is
physical or behavioral. Ask the students to hold up the white boards when
finished. Observe and assess each student’s answer and correct them if they
are wrong.
 o A mallard duck’s outer feathers are waterproof.
o Mallard ducks webbed feet allow them to swim faster.
o Mallard ducks migrate in the winter. Ask the students to share out
what they discussed with each other about what it means to migrate.
Give the definition of migration to confirm or disprove students’
answers.
• Ask the students to discuss with a partner about why ducks and other animals
might migrate. Then, have some students share out their ideas.
• Click on the link for the Migration YouTube Link.
o Stop at 1:09 and ask a student to share out about why birds migrate.
§ To escape the cold, harsh winter weather in search of food and
a warm cozy shelter.
o Stop at 3:13 and ask the students about what different types of
migratory birds are and give examples of each.
§ Resident birds: pigeons and doves
§ Short distant migrants: robins
§ Medium distant migrants: blue jay
§ Long distant migrants: arctic tern
• After the video, ask the students to use hand signals to indicate their
understanding of migration and hibernation.
o Thumbs up- I understand what an ecosystem is and can explain it
o Thumbs down- I do not yet understand what an ecosystem is
o Wave hand- I’m not completely sure what an ecosystem is
o If not all are thumbs up, re-explain.
• Explain to the students that since they have now learned about animal
adaptations, they will be creating their own animal that have adapted to live in
the deciduous forest.
• Move the students back to their desks for this activity.
• Call students up to the materials table by groups.
o Each student should choose a few recycled materials, a glue stick, and
some craft items.
• Explain that they should include at least one physical and one behavioral
adaptation.
• Give the students 20 minutes to create their animal.
• Once the students have finished their animal, pass out the structured writing
sheet and have the students fill in the blanks.

Closure/Summarizing Strategies:
● Allow the students to share their animals and adaptations to their group
members.
● Inform that tomorrow, they will be doing a science experiment to learn more
about animal adaptations!
Accommodations/Differentiation for SLD - Auditory Processing Disorder:
● Seat the student close to the teacher while on the group carpet.
● Write the definitions to the types of adaptations on the white board.
● Give the students the questions for the video ahead of time, so they have an
idea of what they need to listen for.
● Provide the student a list of steps they need to complete the animal creation
project.

Materials/Resources:
● Anchor Chart on Physical and Behavioral Adaptations
● White boards
● Animal Adaptations PowerPoint
● The book “Hibernation” by Mel Higginson
● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLzprmI1l20
● Glue sticks
● Recycled materials: cardboard boxes, paper tubes, bottles, etc.
● Construction paper
● Pipe cleaners
● Felt
● Craft sticks
● Wiggly eyes
● Feathers
● Sequins
● Markers
● Scissors
● Structured Writing Sheet
● Pencils