3Rd Grade Science, Unit 3 Structures and Functions of Living Things

3rd Grade Science, Unit 3 “Structures and Functions of Living Things”

Content Statement – L.OL.E.3

Structures and Functions – Organisms have different structures that serve different functions in growth, survival, and reproduction.

Content Expectations

L.OL.03.32 Identify and compare structures in animals used for controlling body temperature, support, movement, food getting, and protection (fur, wings, teeth, claws, scales).

Lesson: How Body Coverings Help Keep Animals Warm

Background Information:

Information from 3rd Grade Companion Document for Science GLCE’s

To show how body coverings help keep animals warm, students experiment with different ways heat can be kept in cans of warm water by wrapping various materials (fake fur, fiberfill, wool, aluminum foil, etc.) around them, taking their temperatures, and recording the data on a chart. (L.EV.03.12, S.IP.03.13, S.IP.03.15, S.IP.03.16, S.IA.03.13, S.IA.03.14,

Vocabulary:

Backbone Body covering Limbs Fur Scales Feathers Skin

Materials:

Cans Thermometers Fake fur Wool Aluminum foil Plastic wrap Paper towel Other coverings

1. List a variety of body coverings of different animal coverings. (Fur, scales, feathers, etc.) 2. Discuss how each covering might affect the body temperature of an animal. Ex. Fur would help an animal retain heat. 3. In the activity, children will put warm water of the same temperature into identical cans. 4. Measure the temperatures of the water to determine that they are the same. 5. Wrap the cans in the various coverings. 6. Check the temperatures an hour later. 7. Make a table of the ending temperatures.

Body Water Temp. Covering

8. Discuss how body coverings affect the water temperature in the cans and relate that to how body coverings would help an animal survive in different environments. Questions might include: Which coving retained the most heat? Which covering retained the least heat? Which covering would be best for animals in a cold climate? Which covering would be best for animals in a desert?