Unit of Study Template

Spring Semester 2015

ED449e and ED 475
Rebecca Gerardi
Brittany McFarlane
Caitlin Miller
Discipline to be covered in the unit of study: Science
Grade Level: 4
Unit theme: Animals in Their Natural Habitat
Big Idea: Diversity
Desired Results
Established Goals:
New Jersey Core Curriculum Standards
5.3.4.C.1- Organisms can only survive in environments in which their needs are met. Within ecosystems,
organisms interact with and are dependent on their physical and living environment.
5.3.4.C.2- Some changes in ecosystems occur slowly, while others occur rapidly. Changes can affect life forms,
including humans.
Common Core Standards

W.4.7 - Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a
topic.

Understandings
Students will understand that

certain animals can only survive in

specific environments such as :
o
pandas
o
platypus
o
wild Boar
o
bald Eagle
o
tamarin
o
hyena
o
seal
all animals need the following life
essentials:
o food
o water

Essential Questions:

1. What do we mean by habitats?

2. What is an organism?
3. What happens to animals when they do
not live in proper habitats?
4. What does extinction mean?
5. How can humans affect animal habitats
both positively and negatively?

in order to survive.

every habitat is different and some

habitats are better suited for some
animals than others.
it is important to take care of the
environment so animals can survive.
the contributions of humans to the
environment can affect animals both
negatively and positively.
animals need to live in the proper habitats
in order to survive
extinction is a constant threat to animal
life

Students will know: )

Specific animals can only survive in specific

habitats, such as:

o
o
o
o
o
o
o

Students will be able to:

o habitat

pandas
platypus
wild Boar
bald Eagle
tamarin
hyena
sea lion

that extinction is what occurs when animals

can no longer survive in their environments.
that humans can affect the environment both
positively and negatively.
that animals need these life essentials to
survive:
o water
o food
o shelter
Definitions of the following terms:
o habitat
o natural habitat
o artificial habitat
o species
o niche
o continent
o endangered
o extinction
o life essentials
o climate
o shelter

describe and define the terms

o endangered
o natural habitat
o artificial habitat
o niche
o species
o habitat
o continent
o life essentials
o organism
o shelter
o extinction

identify and explain how animals can

only survive in specific habitats such as:
o panda bear
o platypus
o wild boar
o bald eagle

That the following animals are threatened

with extinction
o panda
o sea lion
o bald eagle

o tamarin
o hyena
o sea lion
differentiate between the terms:
o extinction
o endangerment
discuss and describe how humans
positively and negatively affect animals
environment.
identify and discuss the life essentials
needed for animals to survive:
o water
o food
o shelter
identify and describe certain animals that
are threatened with extinction:
o panda bear
o sea lion
o bald eagle

Stage 2----Assessment Evidence

Performance Assessment :

Other Assessment Evidence:

You are about to become a real animal scientist!

Because we have been studying animals that are
prospering in their environments, we are going to
research animals that have not been as successful. As
a scientist, you are going to research an animal that is
extinct or is endangered. As part of this project, you
are going to create a poster board or PowerPoint
presentation, filled with research you have gathered.
You must include which continent and country the
animal is from, as well as facts about the animal
(what does it eat? Does it swim? What does it look
like?) You must also indicate if the animal is extinct
or not. If the animal is extinct, then you must include
when the animal became extinct. If the animal is
endangered you must include how many animals of
that species are left. Your poster board should
indicate how the animal became (or is close to
becoming) extinct. Remember that real scientists
have special names for every animal. Since you are
now a real animal scientist, your poster board must

Formative:

teacher observation
class discussion
written homework
class assignments
completed graphic organizers
vocabulary quizzes

Summative:

end of unit test

performance assessment
completed animal research book

include the binominal nomenclature of the animal.

I will provide you with a list of websites where you
can find all of this information!

Daily Objectives for Ten Lessons

Day 1 Students will be able to understand the difference between natural and artificial habitats by
completing a t-chart for animals habitats after group discussion and a video. (Video can be found in
resource page)
Day 2 Students will be able to define and explain various definitions pertaining to various animals in
their natural environments, such as fish, squirrels, deer, beaver, by filling out a vocabulary page to
insert into their informational research books after playing a vortex game on the SMART Board and a
class discussion on these vocabulary terms.
Day 3 Students will be able to identify the life essentials various animals need in their habitats by
completing a graphic organizer after a group discussion based on animal and human life essentials.
Day 4 Students will be able to differentiate between endangered (manatees, American pika, red panda,
and bengal tiger) and extinct (dinosaurs, sea mink, Japanese sea lion, and toolache wallaby) species
from each continent by using preselected links and iPads to research these species after discussing how
humans can effect natural habitats leading to endangerment or extinction.
Day 5 Students will be able to identify animals and their habitats from North and South America (bald
eagle and tamrin) by gluing each animal to a world map and completing a fact sheet for each continent
for their research book after a class discussion on each continent.
Day 6 Students will be able to identify animals and their habitats from Asia and Africa (panda and
hyena) by gluing each animal to a world map and completing a fact sheet for each continent for their
research book after a class discussion on each continent.
Day 7 Students will be able to identify animals and their habitats from Antarctica and Australia (sea
lion and platypus) by gluing each animal to a world map and completing a fact sheet for each continent
for their research book after a class discussion on each continent.
Day 8 Students will be able to identify an animal and its habitat from Europe (wild boar) by gluing
each animal to a world map and completing a fact sheet for each continent for their research book after
a class discussion on each continent.
Day 9 Students will be able to identify animals that have been discussed in class during the field trip to
the Bronx Zoo by completing a Zoo scavenger hunt after a brief discussion about zoo animals and zoo
etiquette.

Day 10 Students will be able to present their poster or PowerPoint by using two weeks to research and
prepare their projects after the teacher conferences with each student about their individual project.
Technological Applications Applied to Unit of Study

Videos:
Habitats by Animal Atlas (Video)
Cosmos World Endangered Species (Video)
Websites:
ShepardSoftware.com http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/ (Endangered species for kids) (Website)
Kidsdiscover.com http://www.kidsdiscover.com/spotlight/endangered-species/ (Website Day 5- Day 8
for independent research)
Kidsplanet.org http://www.kidsplanet.org/factsheets/map.html (Website Day 5- Day 8 for independent
research)
http://www.Kids.nationalgeographic.com.baldeagel (Website Day 5- Day 8 for independent research)
http://www.Kids.nationalgeographic.com.hyena (Website Day 5- Day 8 for independent research)
http://www.Kids.natianlgeographic.com.panda (Website Day 5- Day 8 for independent research)
http://www.Kids.nationalgeographic.com.duckbilledplatypus. (Website Day 5- Day 8 for independent
research)
http://scienceworld.scholastic.com/issues/04_13_15

Books for Unit of Study:

Mitchell, Susan and Connie McLean. 2007 Sylvan Dell Publishing The Rainforest Grew All Around Me
Johnson, Rebecca L. 2001 Lerner Classroom A Walk in the Deciduous Forest
Sovak, Jan. 2009. Courier Corporation. Endangered Animals
Science: A Closer Look. 2006MacMillan/ McGraw- Hill (To be used as reference)

Rubric

Making A Poster : Endangered Animals

Teacher Name: Miss. Gerardi, Miss. McFarlane, Miss. Miller
Student Name:

CATEGORY

________________________________________

Grammar

There are no
grammatical
mistakes on the
poster.

There is 1
There are 2
grammatical mistake grammatical
on the poster.
mistakes on the
poster.

Content Accuracy

At least 7 accurate
facts are displayed
on the poster.

5-6 accurate facts

3-4 accurate facts
Less than 3 accurate
are displayed on the are displayed on the facts are displayed
poster.
poster.
on the poster.

Knowledge
Gained

Student can
accurately answer all
questions related to
facts in the poster
and processes used
to create the poster.

Student can
accurately answer
most questions
related to facts in the
poster and
processes used to
create the poster.

Title

Attractiveness

There are more than

2 grammatical
mistakes on the
poster.

Student can
accurately answer
about 75% of
questions related to
facts in the poster
and processes used
to create the poster.

Student appears to
have insufficient
knowledge about the
facts or processes
used in the poster.

Title can be read

Title can be read
from 6 ft. away and is from 6 ft. away and
quite creative.
describes content
well.

Title can be read

from 4 ft. away and
describes the content
well.

The title is too small

and/or does not
describe the content
of the poster well.

The poster is
exceptionally
attractive in terms of
design, layout, and
neatness.

The poster is
acceptably attractive
though it may be a
bit messy.

The poster is
distractingly messy
or very poorly
designed. It is not
attractive.

The poster is
attractive in terms of
design, layout and
neatness.