This lesson will introduce students to the idea of animals adapting to suit their environments. They will examine the specific traits some animals have that make them special. The activities will help them understand how these traits help them survive. (Most appropriate for grade levels K-3.)
Lesson Time: 45-60 minutes
Student Activity 1: Students will see pictures of different kinds of environments, and the living conditions for animals will be discussed briefly. Then students will receive a picture of 1 kind of bear. (There are 3 different bears, and they will be randomly distributed so that there are roughly an equal amount of each in the room.)
- The students will be given time to cut out their picture.
- Each student will have the opportunity to tape their picture to the environment board they think it belongs in.
Student Activity 2: This activity allows students to explore which bird beaks work best for which foods. This will help them understand why the shape and size of a bird’s beak so important!
For K-1st grade classes: Students will visit each station so they can see the picture of the bird, the picture of the bird’s beak and an example of what that bird might eat and how. They are welcome to try and pick up the food with our tools.
There are bird sheets they can be coloring while they are waiting their turn.
When students return to their desks they will receive one of the worksheets (with answers already filled in) and our Wizard will lead a discussion about why the tool was used at each station and how that is similar to the real-life situation.
For 2nd -3rd grade classes: Students will receive a worksheet to fill in as they move through each station. Each station will have a picture of the bird, the picture of the bird’s beak and an example of what that bird might eat and how. They should try both tools that are there, and decide which one works best, and mark that on their worksheet.
There are bird sheets they can be coloring while they are waiting their turn.
When students return to their desks our Wizard will lead a discussion about why the tool was used at each station and how that is similar to the real-life situation.
Group work: There is no group work involved in either of these activities.
Standards:
Living and non-living things have specific physical properties that can be used to sort and classify.
K.LS.1: Living things have specific characteristics and traits.
K.LS.2: Living things have physical traits and behaviors, which influence their survival.
1.LS.1: Living things have basic needs, which are met by obtaining materials from the physical environment.
1.LS.2: Living things survive only in environments that meet their needs.
2.LS.2: All organisms alive today results from their ancestors, some of which may be extinct. Not all kinds of organisms that lived in the past are represented by living organisms today.