wipAdirondack Curriculum Project - www.adkcurriculumproject.org
NYS Content Area Standard

ELA  1. Language for info & understanding

MST 4. Science
Students will understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the physical setting and living environment and recognize the historical development of ideas in science.

Title: Habitats of Adirondack Animals

Grade Level: 3rd

Author: Kathy Janulewicz
Dr. Lydia T. Wright Elem. School
Buffalo Public Schools
Buffalo, New York

Email: kjanule@hotmail.com
Adirondack Curriculum Content Area
_X_ Natural History
___ Human History
___ Culture & the Arts
___ Government & Civics
___ Economy
___ Health, Recreation & Life Skills

Investigative Question or Issue: Where do some Adirondack animals live? How do these animals eat and move about?

Challenge:  
In groups of 2, with the help of your teacher, create one of the following products: a mobile or a diorama, or another product you can think of that your teacher will approve. Your product will be used in a presentation to the class in which you explain important information about the habitat of the animal you have chosen.

Context for this challenge: Teacher will want to ensure the availability of resource materials appropriate to the topic selected. The teacher will guide the students in choosing an animal (otter, moose, bear or chipmunk) to create their product. Teacher will need to ensure students are familiar with habitats, descriptions of each animal and where to research their chosen animal, and how to record data to meet the challenge describe below.

Directions: Each product will need;
1. the name of the animal
2. Distinguishing features of the animal by which it could be recognized
3. Description of the animal; colors, covering, and size.
4. Where it lives (habitat)
5. What it eats
6. Is the animal nocturnal and if so what does it do?
7. What are its daytime activities?
8. Is this animal endangered?
Once your product is completed, you will be asked to present your habitat to the class to help teach the class about what you discovered about your chosen animal. Each member of your group should participate in the presentation and be ready to answer questions by classmates.
 

Quality Standards:

Each product should be:
  • Completed on time.
  • Model should clearly show features of the animal
    • name of the animal,
    • animals description,
    • the habitat it lives in,
    • what it eats and
    • what it does at night and in the daytime.
  • It should have correct spelling on labels.
You need to explain how you created your project.
  • All members of the group need to respond appropriately to questions about the model.
  • Product has names of all group members.
  • Product is colorful and neat.
Adapted for the Adirondack Curriculum Project from the work of Education By Design TM and Leading EDGE, LLC ©ACP 2002

   Product Quality
Checklist
Date: ________                                                                     Class Period: ________
Product Author(s):

 

 Habitats of Adirondack Animals

Evaluator Name(s)
 
 Observed Standard/Criteria
Possible
Points
Rating
   Product completed on time
 
 
  Model clearly shows features of the name of animal
   
  animals description

 
  the habitat it lives in

 
  what it eats
 
 

what it does at night
   

what it does in the day



Correct spelling on labels



you explain how you created your project



All members of group respond to questions










 
TOTALS
 100  

nyga Produced at the 2008 Adirondack Geography Institute
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