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What is a Habitat? 
J. Moynier, ​Grade 2: Lesson 1 of 3 
I expect this lesson to take 45 minutes. The students will identify things needed for survival such 
as food, shelter, water, climate, etc. in order to learn what a habitat is. In groups of 3, students will 
categorize animals into where the animal lives (arctic, ocean, desert, grasslands, forest) using 
provided animal and ecosystem, or “neighborhood” clues. In groups of 3, students will choose 
one of the “neighborhoods” and create a habitat based on the animals’ needs using manila 
folders, construction paper, and other decorating materials. 
 
NGSS targets:  
PE Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different
2-LS4-1 habitats. ​[Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the diversity of living things in 
 
each of a variety of different habitats.]
 
CCC: Patterns
● Patterns in the natural and human designed world can be observed 
and used as evidence. 
 
SEP: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations to answer questions of test solutions to
problems in K-2 builds on prior experiences and progresses to simple
investigations, based on fair tests, which provide data to support explanations or
design solutions.
 
Student Learning Objectives 
In groups of 3, students will categorize animals into where the animal lives (arctic, ocean, desert, 
grasslands, forest) using provided animal and ecosystem, or “neighborhood” clues. 

In groups of 3, students will choose one of the “neighborhoods” and create a habitat based on 
the animals’ needs using manila folders, construction paper, and other decorating materials. 

Engage 
“I have a problem. I recently moved out of my house and I still don’t have a place to live. Do you 
think I could live at your school? Why?” 

“What things would I need to bring in order to live here?”  

- Clothes, bed, cafeteria food, shower, shelter (classroom) 

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Do you think I have all the water I need? 

What about food? 

What else might I need to make your classroom a home? 

Explore 
Group students in 3s and give each group animal flashcards (15 animals; 3 for each 
neighborhood). The students will read descriptions of neighborhoods (arctic, ocean, desert, 
grasslands, forest) as well as clues about each animal and categorize the animals into which 
neighborhood they live in.  

Groups will choose one neighborhood and create a habitat or “home” using manila folders, 
construction paper, glue, etc. for the three animals that live there. Their homes should 
accommodate the animals with what they need (food, water, shelter, climate, etc.) For example, 
students can use blue streamers to create an ocean for dolphins to swim, cotton balls for polar 
bears to live in snow, etc. 

Explain 
“Do you think animals and plants need certain things in order to live too? Like what?” 
- food, shelter, certain weather, water 

During the animal flashcards activity, walk around and ask the students why they categorized the 
animals the way they did and if the neighborhood provides for the needs of the animals they 
categorized within the home.  

Ask the students about the home they are creating. Do all the animals get what they need? Do 
the animals live in different neighborhoods within their home? 

Elaborate 
How do you think the homes you created are similar to the home you live in? Could you live in 
the home you created? Why or why not? 

Evaluate 
Formative: Students’ animal homes will be assessed while they work on it. We will also go over 
the answers for the animals flashcard activity. 

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Summative: Students will write 3 sentences about the home they created for their animals. “My 
animals can live in this habitat because…” 

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Clues​

Polar bears: live near packs of ice, eat fish

Sea Otters: Can be found off the coast of California

Lions: hunt and eat zebras and giraffes

Tortoises: Live on land, eat grass, weeds, flowers

Dolphins: Enjoy warm water, eat fish and squid

Reindeer: live in snow, eats other small animals

Whales: give birth near the equator (the mid-way line around the Earth)

Scorpions: Can live in the ground, in a tree, on a rock, or in the sand

Gorillas: live in Africa where there are lots of trees

Giraffes: eat leaves and fruit from trees that no other animals can reach

Pandas: eat bamboo, live in China

Killer whales: live in cold water, eat birds, marine animals

Orangutans: Use branches to make sleeping nests, eat fruit and other plants

Camels: Eat dried leaves, seeds, twigs

Zebras: eat grass, shrubs, leaves

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Grasslands Ocean
Weather​: some rain, but mostly dry Water​: not too warm, not too cold

Plants​: Lots of grass! Plants​: algae, seaweed

Location​: Africa, China, and many Location​: Pacific, Antarctic,

other places Atlantic, Indian, Arctic

Forest
Weather​: warm summer, cool fall,
cold winter
Plants​: Lots of trees
Location​: Asia, Africa, Europe,
Desert
Weather​: hot and dry during the
day, cold at night
Plants:​ Cacti, some grass
Location: ​California, Nevada,
Africa, Asia

USA

Arctic
Weather​: very cold, snowy, and

dry; no rain

Location​: North and South Poles

Works Cited:  
 

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References 

https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/nature/habitats/grassland/ 

 
 

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