Unit on Endangered Animals

 Unit Topic: Endangered Animals

 Grade Level 1st and 2nd

 Unit Objectives:

1. Introduce the Topic 2. Define/recognize new vocabulary related to endangered species 3. Access prior knowledge 4. Identify geographical regions on world map where endangered animals are found 5. Use the internet to find information about endangered species 6. Illustrate the animals in their environment 7. Explore why animals are becoming endangered 8. Reflect upon and discuss what they have learned about endangered species 9. Participate in fun learning activities

 Day 1:  Objectives: 1. Introduce the topic endangered species – front load information 2. Define and recognize new vocabulary 3. Access prior knowledge – What do you know about endangered animals? 4. Identify geographical regions on the world map where endangered animals live 5. Use the internet to find information about endangered animals

 Materials: 1. Chart paper and easel 2. Markers 3. Vocabulary List 4. List of endangered species 5. Index cards with letters 6. Index cards with names of animals 7. World map 8. Zoo trip permission slips and cost information for parents

 Plan: Front load information with a word splash. Use chart paper on easel. Write the words endangered species in the center of the chart paper. Volunteer students will come to the chart and write a word they associate with the topic. Present the vocabulary list for the unit. Do word study activity with index cards. Teach students to decode new words by recognizing initial, middle and ending sounds. Students will locate natural habitats of endangered species on the map. They will place an index card with the name of the animal in the area they identify.

 Activity: Think, Pair and Share – Students will choose an animal from our list on endangered species and explore web site http://www.kidsplanet.org/factsheets/map.html to gather information. Then I will ask them to stop and think about information they learned. Then I will invite them to turn to a student seated next to them to share their thoughts and ideas. Next I will invite them to share a good idea that they have heard with the rest of the class.

o Assignment: Take zoo trip permission slips home and return them tomorrow with money for the trip.

 Day 2:  Objectives: 1. Identify an endangered animal from the story “Hey Get Off Our Train” 2. Choose an animal to illustrate in that animal’s environment 3. Write one reason why the animal is becoming endangered or a fact about the animal

 Materials: 1. Copy of “Hey! Get Off Our Train!” by John Burningham 2. Trade Books: Endangered Animals (ISBN# 0-516-01724-1) Will We Miss Them? (ISBN# 0-88106-488-2) 3. Conductor Hat 4. Train Whistle 5. Flip Chart  Plan: Begin with an anticipatory set by wearing the conductor’s hat and blow the train whistle. Tell the class to “come aboard the reading rug”. While showing the students the book ,“Hey! Get Off Our Train!” ask them to predict what they think the book is about based on the cover. Tell them you want them to listen carefully. You will be asking them what animals the story is about. Also, you will be asking them what the author is trying to tell the readers. Read the book aloud. Have the class join in on the pages that say: “Hey! Get Off Our Train.” After reading, ask the class if they could name one of the animals in the story. Then ask the class why the animal wanted to come aboard the train. What did this animal say to the boy that persuaded the boy to let him on the train? List the animal and reason on a flip chart. Repeat for five animals in the book.

Animal Reason Elephant People are coming to cut off his tusks Seal People are making his water dirty and catching too many fish

Crane People are draining the marshes and he can’t live on dry land Tiger People are cutting down the forest where he lives

Polar People want his fur to make a coat Bear

Children will then explore the classroom research center to begin deciding which animal they would like to write about and illustrate. They will have access to the internet as well as various books. Also collect zoo trip permission slips and money.

 Websites Related to Endangered Species 1. http://www.teachertidbytes.com/Web_Lesson_Plans/A_Hotlist_o n_Endangered_An.html 2. http://www.imagineanimals.com/ 3. http://www.kidsplanet.org/factsheets/map.html

 Books Related to Endangered Species 1. Endangered Animals, Lynn Stone ISBN# 0-516-01724-1 2. Will We Miss Them? , Alexandra Wright ISBN# 0-88106-482-2 3. Alejandro’s Gift, Richard Albert ISBN# 0-8118-1342-8 4. Welcome to the Green House, Jane Yolen ISBN# 0-399-2233- 5 5. The Great Kapok Tree, Lynne Cherry ISBN# 0-15-200520-x 6. Sally and the Limpet, Simon James ISBN# 0-74-45207207 7. Dear Green Peace, Simon James ISBN# 0-74-4530601 8. The Paper Bag Prince, Colin Thompson ISBN# 0-09-9933209 9. Yohance and the Dinosaurs, Alexis Obi ISBN# 1-87-0516346 10.The Night the Animals Fought, Jesus Zanton ISBN# 0-94- 7679871 11.The People Who Hugged Trees, Deborah Rose ISBN# 0-91- 1797807 12.Save Our Playground, Leon Rosselson ISBN# 0-00-6748503 13.Forest Secrets, Arthur Dorros ISBN# 0-439-06394-9 14.Brother Eagle, Sister Sky, Chief Seattle ISBN# 0-14-054514

 Day 3:  Objectives: 1. Students will compare and contrast using a Venn diagram the book “Hey! Get Off Our Train!” and the film “The Animal Train”. 2. Students will finalize the selected animal to research and represent on the animal train posters 3. Students will create an illustration of the animal of choice in its environment and write a piece of information they found in research at the bottom of the poster.

 Materials: 1. Film “The Animal Train” 2. Flip chart for Venn diagram 3. Train tickets 4. Train whistle and hat 5. More internet sites for research at research center http://www.amnh.org/Exhibition/Expedition/Endangered/

http://www.Endangeredspecie.com/ http://www.kidskonnect.com/Animals/Endangered %20Animals.html

6. Books related to Endangered Species

 Plan: Anticipatory set – blow train whistle and announce to the children that they will soon be boarding the reading rug. They must have a ticket to ride. Have one child wear the conductor’s hat and give all students a ticket. When all of the children have “boarded the rug” they will look at the cover of the film jacket and predict what the film is about. After watching the film, the children will develop a Venn diagram by comparing the book “Hey! Get Off Our Train!” read the previous day and the film. They will then be instructed to finalize their selection of an animal to research. The students will use the books and internet sites listed from Day 2 to finalize their research animal, environment and sentence. Then they will find a fact about the animal and write a rough draft sentence about the animal. They will then edit and publish the sentence either by hand or on the computer (with aid). They will illustrate the animal of choice in the habitat the animal lives in. The sentence will then be attached to the illustration and they become a car attached to the train on the bulletin board to be shared with other classes.

 Day 4:  Objectives: 1. Summarize our endangered species unit 2. Do hands-on activities that the zoo offers encouraging further examination of what we have learned

 Materials: 1. Chaperones  Zoo requires 1 chaperone to every 10 students 2. Confirm buses  Bus drivers receive free Zoo admission 3. Zoo tickets 4. Set up chaperone groups and buddy lists 5. Give out name tags 6. Bag lunches 7. Digital camera 8. Zoo journals

 Trip to the Philadelphia Zoo, http://www.phillyzoo.org. Buses leave the school at 8:15 AM. Take children to Independence School House lesson at the zoo – “Going, going, gone!” – A close look at the alarming reality of why wildlife is disappearing from the face of the Earth. Groups break up and explore zoo. Take class photos as well as individual photos to be posted on the classroom/school web pages for parents and relatives to enjoy. Upon return to school children will sit with their group and write about the animals they saw and what they enjoyed about the trip in their zoo journals.

 Day 5 :

 Objectives: 1. Have students think about and discuss what they have learned about endangered species

 Materials: 1. Zoo journals 2. Flip chart 3. Markers 4. “Hey Get Off Our Train” 5. Conductor hat and whistle 6. Charades slips with names or pictures of endangered species

 Plan: Each group will take turns while wearing conductor hat and share their zoo journals with the other groups. We will discuss which animals we saw at the zoo that also were in our book, “Hey Get Off Our Train.” Reflections – students discuss what we learned about endangered species using a web organizer.

 Activity: Species Charades – Each child will pull a slip of paper from the conductor’s hat and they will mimic the behavior of the animal on the slip of paper. The other children will guess which animal they are portraying.

 Additional Hotlinked Reference Sites: http://www.cheetahspot.com/ http://www.eelink.net/EndSpp/ http://www.kidinfo.com/Science/Endangered_animals.html http://www.endangeredearth.com/

GROUP MEMBERS: Jill Schrader, Allison Beard, Shelly Zager