Patterns of Living Things - Animals

Joy Ward-Drew                  John Hope Community Academy
                               5515 S. Lowe Avenue
                               Chicago IL 60621
                               (312) 535-3160
 
Objectives: 

. This lesson is for 7th graders, but may be adapted to lower grades.

. Students of 7th grade will learn about living things and their patterns.
. Students will learn characteristics of living and non-living things. 
. Students will learn locomotion of animals and body parts used.
. Students will learn about vertebrate and invertebrate animals.

Materials:

 1. Picture of zebras on a grassy plain with four questions for journal
    writing.
 2. Poster with pictures of animals for KWL.
 3. Toy animals.
 4. Assorted neon paper
 5. Crayons
 6. Glue stick
 7. Scissors
 8. Student journals
 9. Model Magic by Crayola
10. Crayola markers
11. Pencil

Strategy:
 
  . Cooperative learning groups will study the picture and answer questions
     for journal writing.
  . A list of vocabulary words will be developed from journal entries.
  . Groups/individuals will study an animal color chart and develop a KWL
     chart - 
        K (What I know about animals)
        W (What I wonder about or want to know)
        L (What I learned) - after unit or activity is complete.
  . Develop a chart of five animals after studying toy animals and tell
     their method of locomotion and parts of the body that are used.  Also write 
     down characteristics of each animal studied.
  . Develop concept maps about animals, living things, etc.
  . Field trip to the zoo and planetarium.
  . Design your own animal and put it on a planet.

Assessment:

  1. Identify animals as living, non-living, or dead ( 0-3)
  2. Choose an animal and make a flick or flip book to show the locomotion.
  3. Use crayola modeling material and make an animal.  Paint with crayola
      marker.  Work on a mobile to hang from the ceiling

  
Conclusion: 
    
Students will know about patterns of living things.

Bibliography:

  1. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, SciencePlus Green, 1993
  2. Bill Kurtis Productions - The Nazca Lines - Classification of Animals, 1992.