The Plants and Animals of Utah

Grade Level: 4th Materials:

Utah: A Great Place to Live!
Topic: Utah Life Sciences
(http://www.uen.org/core/science/scibe
RB4/downloads/literacy5.pdf )
Plant Adaptations
(http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyj
ms/jams/science/plants/plant-
adaptations.htm)
Animal Adaptations
(http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyj
ms/jams/science/animals/animal-
adaptations.htm)
Approximately 50 Utah animal/plant
pictures with labels (names of organism
are chosen from the reading: Utah: A
Great Place to Live!)
Wall Labels: Wetlands, Desert, Forest
Masking Tape
Science Notebooks
Plant Adaptations Foldable
Animal Adaptations Foldable
Art Paper
Colored Pencils/Crayons
Self-Evaluation Writing Prompt Handou
Standard(s):
Standard 5: Students will understand physical characteristics of Utahs wetlands, forests, and
deserts and identify common organisms for each environment.
Objective 2: Describe common plants and animals found in Utah environments and how these
organisms have adapted to the environment in which they live. (a) Identify common plants and
animals that inhabit Utahs forests, wetlands, and deserts. (b) Cite examples of physical features
that allow particular plants and animals to live in specific environments (e.g., duck has webbed
feet, cactus has waxy coating).
Content Objectives:

SWBAT investigate common plants and animals of Utah and record their observations.
Through their investigation, SWBAT recognize patterns in the physical features of plants an
animals that allow the organisms to survive in their environment.
The investigation will allow the students to construct explanations as to why certain
organisms live in specific environments.

Language Objectives:
 SWBAT listen to and participate orally in small group and whole class discussions on plant
and animal adaptations.
SWBAT read and identify types of animals and plants found in Utah with the assistance or
pictorial representations of these organisms.
SWBAT write/draw observations of live plants and illustrated animals that are found in Uta
through a scientific investigation.

Academic language:

Scientific Language: wetland, forest, desert, adaptation, deciduous, coniferous,

invertebrate, vertebrate, bird, amphibian, reptile, fish, mammal, insect, hibernation,
migration

Common Plants: sagebrush, pinyon pine, Utah juniper, spruce, fir, oak brush, quaking
aspen, cottonwood, cattail, bulrush, prickly pear cactus

Common Animals: jackrabbit, cottontail rabbit, red fox, coyote, mule deer, elk, moose,
cougar, bobcat, deer mouse, kangaroo rat, muskrat, beaver, gopher snake, rattlesnake,
lizard, tortoise, frog, salamander, redtailed hawk, barn owl, lark, robin, pinyon jay, magpie
crow, trout, catfish, carp, grasshopper, ant, moth, butterfly, housefly, bee, wasp, pill bug,
millipede

(Information found on: http://www.uen.org/core/core.do?courseNum=3040)

Lesson Description

Engage:

Introduction/Background Knowledge

Day 1

Who Am I? Activity: Put a picture of a common plant or animal that lives in a Utah
environment (forest, wetland, or desert) on each students back. The pictures for the
organisms will be chosen by the teacher based on the plants/animals that are mentioned in
the reading found here:
http://www.uen.org/core/science/sciber/TRB4/downloads/literacy5.pdf. Each picture should
labeled with the name of the plant or animal in order to help students identify their
organism.
The teacher will instruct the students to walk around the room asking their peers questions
to try and determine what the picture is on their back
(http://mlbean.byu.edu/Portals/26/docs/Who%20knows%20Utah%20Animals.pdf).
Once the students have guessed their plant or animal, have them decide which environme
it lives in. Instruct the students stand under the wall label that represents the environmen
(forest, wetland, or desert) that they think their animal lives in. Ask the students to tape
their picture under the environment label they chose.
Assessment: The teacher will then ask each of the students why they think their plant or
 animal belongs in that environment. The students answers should help the teacher to
determine what students remember about the Utah environments that they studied from
previous lessons. This will also help the teacher to know if the students understand how
those environments support the life of the animal or plant that they were assigned.
Furthermore, the teacher will be able to determine if the students comprehend that these
plants and animals have adapted to survive in their environment.

Explore:

Day 2

Divide the students into groups of approximately four.

Put two live plants and two pictures of animals that live in one of Utahs three environment
on each groups table. Ask the students to use their science journals to write/draw any
observations they have on their assigned plants and animals. For example, their
observations on plants could include size of leaves, how the leaves feel, any flowers or see
on the plant, what the roots look like, etc. For the animals, the observations could be the
physical features, such as fur, teeth, size, etc. ( http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview?
LPid=640 )
Once the students have made their observations, have them make predictions about which
environment their assigned plants and animals live in. Also ask the students to write down
two reasons why they think their animals/plants can live in that environment.
Ask the groups to explain their observations, predictions, and reasons to the class. At this
point, instruct the students to place their animals/plants under the chosen environment
categories next to the pictures that were placed there during the Who Am I? activity.
Assessment: The teacher can use the students science journals and oral explanations of
their observations, predictions, and reasoning to determine whether they are learning how
different characteristics allow animals/plants to live in the different environments of Utah.

Explain:

Day 3

Orally read portions of Utah: A Great Place to Live! that describe the plants and animals o
the three different environments (wetlands, forests, and deserts) in Utah. The text can be
found here: http://www.uen.org/core/science/sciber/TRB4/downloads/literacy5.pdf. As the
teacher reads about the different plants and animals in their habitat, he/she should instruc
students look at where they placed the organisms under the signs. The teacher will stop
reading when an organism is mentioned so that the students can determine whether they
placed the plant/animal under the correct category. If not, the teacher will ask one student
move it to the right place. When the organism is moved, the student should be instructed
explain why it needed to be relocated to a different category.

Day 4
 Once all of the organisms are positioned under the correct environment, have students find
commonalities of the plants/animals in each section. For example, plants/animals that live
the desert do not need very much water. Explain to the students that these commonalities
are called adaptations.
Have the students watch the following two videos to learn about plant and animal
adaptations: http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/plants/plant-
adaptations.htm and
http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/animals/animal-adaptations.htm.
The students can take notes in their science journals about the important points made in th
movies about adaptations.
Have students discuss in small groups adaptations that they think organisms from Utah ha
developed in order to survive in their environment and what they think would happen to
these organisms without these adaptations. Instruct each group share with the class their
conclusions.
At this point, the teacher will help the students make foldables that describe common
adaptations that animals and plants have to help them survive in their environment. The
students should put the foldables in their science journal to keep as a reference. (Examples
of the foldables are attached to the end of this lesson)
Assessment: The information recorded in the science notebooks will be used to assess this
portion of the lesson. The teacher will also use the group discussions to determine whether
the students understand the concepts taught or not. In addition, the foldables will help the
teacher to know what the students comprehend about animal and plant adaptations.

Elaborate:

Closure

Day 5

The students will be asked to design a unique animal and a plant that could live in one of th
three Utah environments. These organisms should have adaptations that will allow them t
survive the conditions of their environment. The students will be asked to include a written
description of their plant and animal characteristics.
Assessment: the assessment for this activity will be the actual artifact and written
description that the student creates. The teacher will be able to evaluate whether the
student synthesized what they were taught about how organisms survive in the different
environments of Utah.

Evaluate:

Day 5

The students will be asked to do a self-evaluation in order to determine their understanding

of the concepts taught. The teacher will provide the students with the following writing
prompt to help them explain what they have learned (if students struggle with writing, they
will be asked to point to pictures or common Utah plants/animals or verbally answer these
 questions by the teacher):
List some plants or animals that you already knew lived in Utah.
List some new plants or animals that you just learned lived in Utah.
Some plant and animal adaptations are _______________________________.
Before I thought plant and animal adaptations were ______________________________.
Now I think plant and animal adaptations are ___________________________________.

Assessment Rubric

4 3 2 1 (Redo)
Beginning Verbally Verbally Verbally Verbally
answered all 5 answered 3-4 of answered 1-2 of answered 0-1 of
questions. the questions. the questions. the questions.
Pointed to Pointed to Pointed to Pointed to
pictures of or pictures of or pictures of or pictures of or
verbally verbally verbally verbally
explained 5+ explained 3-4 explained 1-2 explained 0-1
Utah plant/animal Utah plant/animal Utah plant/animal Utah plant/anim
adaptations. adaptations. adaptations. adaptations.
Developing Answered all 5 Answered 3-4 Answered 1-2 Answered 0-1
questions in a list questions in a list questions in a list questions in a lis
format. format. format. format.
Listed/drew 5+ Listed/drew 3-4 Listed/drew 3-4 Listed/drew 3-4
Utah plant/animal Utah plant/animal Utah plant/animal Utah plant/anim
adaptations. adaptations. adaptations. adaptations.
Expanding Answered all 5 Answered 3-4 Answered 2-3 Answered 0-1
questions with questions with questions with questions with
complete complete complete complete
sentences. sentences. sentences. sentences.
Identified 5+ Identified 3-4 Identified 2-3 Identified 0-1
Utah plant/animal Utah plant/animal Utah plant/animal Utah plant/anim
adaptations. adaptations. adaptations. adaptations.
 Common Animal Adaptations Foldable
This is an example; the students will write or draw their own explanations of the animal
adaptations according to what they learned during our discussion.

Animals use camouflage to

blend in with their
Camouflage environment. This protects
them from predators or hides
them from prey.
Animals use color to warn
predators that they are
Color poisonous or to make them
look like another dangerous
creature.
Animals migrate to warmer
Migration environments where it is
easier for them to find food.
Body Animals use body coverings
like fur or blubber to protect
Coverings them from the cold.
Some animals sleep through
the whole winter so that they
Hibernation use very little energy and
dont need very much food.

Common Plant Adaptations Foldable

This is an example; the students will write or draw their own explanations of the plant
adaptations according to what they learned during our discussion.

Flexible The leaves and stems of a

plant are flexible to help them
survive in the wind or water.

Seeds Seeds have adapted in many

ways to help them move far
away from the mother plant
and grown in a plant on their
own.

Color Color is used to attract

pollinators so that the plant
can continue to reproduce.

Protection Some plants are poisonous or

have spikes. This protects the
plants from being eaten.

Size Some plants use the size of

their leaves to collect more
sunlight to create energy.