Date: February 4, 2010 Subjects: Science, Arts Grade Level: Second Class Description: 20 students, including one gifted-student

Standards: AL-ALEX-2008.SC.2.6.2 Identifying migration and hibernation as survival strategies AL-ALEX-2008.ARTS.2.VA.1.1 Producing three-dimensional works of art Objectives: Upon completion of this lesson: A. The students will have mapped the whooping cranes North American migration route. B. By utilizing the Internet, the students will learn about the ways people have helped bring the cranes back from the edge of extinction. C. The students learn about the Japanese Red-crowned crane and its ongoing recovery from the edge of extinction. D. The students will learn what origami is and its history in Japan. E. The students will construct origami cranes. Introductory Activities: The teacher will write the words endangered, extinction, and migration on the board. The teacher should lead a discussion with the class regarding the meanings of the words. The teacher will then ask the class if they know which endangered species stands nearly five feet tall with wingspans wider than most cars. The answer is whooping cranes. The class will then be told that the whooping crane is an endangered species here in our own country as well as in Japan. The teacher should explain that in 1941 there were only 15 wild whooping cranes in the United States. Today due to human intervention there are over 350 of these birds living in the wild. The United States goal is to reach 1,000 birds by 2035. The majority of these birds live in the western part of our country. In 2001, the crane was reintroduced into the eastern part of our country and they now migrate directly over our own state of Georgia. Developmental Activities: The class will then discover that most of the cranes do not have wild parents to teach them the migration route. Due to this fact, man has intervened by using an ultra-light glider to lead the chicks on their annual migration.

The class will then use the computers to research the migration of the eastern flock. The teacher should be sure to emphasize to the students that they should pay attention to what they are reading in order to be able to complete their assessment. The first site to visit is http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/crane/AboutSpring.html. At this site, the students will learn about the Eastern Flock. They will read about the migration route as well as examining the migration map. The teacher will give each student a blank map. The students will be instructed to draw on the map the route that the Eastern flock takes during its migration. By clicking on Crane Survival, they will read individual crane stories and learn about survival strategies. Some questions they should keep in mind while visiting the site are: What was their favorite crane story? How are people helping the cranes survive? What states does the Eastern flock pass through on its migration route? The next site to visit is http://www.operationmigration.org/. This site illustrates the use of the ultralight to teach the cranes their migration route. While at this site, the students will view a video of CraneCam. The students will also read about the whooping crane and its habitat. The final site to visit is http://www.trackingcranes.org/en/whooping_crane.html. On this site, the students will read some interesting facts about the cranes as well as discover why the cranes reached the endangered status. After completing the study of the Eastern flock, the teacher will explain to the class that the RedCrowned crane in Japan is also endangered. The class will locate the country of Japan on the world map. The teacher will tell the class that the Japanese crane is sacred and seen as a symbol of fidelity, good luck, love and long life in the Orient. It is the second rarest crane species in the world. The teacher will then have the class visit the website http://www.savingcranes.org/redcrownedcrane.html. This site provides the students with information regarding the cranes history. It also will allow the students to learn what factors are causing its endangerment and what man is doing to help improve the situation. The teacher will explain to the class that the Japanese have a unique form of art called origami. The art originally began in China, but spread to Japan. Origami means paper folding in Japanese. For centuries there were no written instructions on the art. The art was passed orally from generation to generation. Due to trade routes and increased travel, the art spread to other countries. The teacher should remind the students of the discussion earlier regarding the sacredness of the crane to the Japanese people. In 1797, the book How to Fold 1000 Cranes was published. There is a Japanese custom that believed if a person folded 1000 cranes, they would be granted one wish.

Culminating Activity: The teacher will tell the class that they are going to construct their own origami crane. Each student should be given a piece of paper. Prior to beginning, the teacher should emphasize to the class that they will need to listen carefully and follow directions. The teacher will either project the instructions by internet or overhead projector. The teacher will show the students how to fold a paper crane with the students mirroring each step. The teacher will then hang the cranes around the classroom. Assessment: The students learning will be assessed by using the following: 1. The student correctly illustrated the route that the Eastern flock follows during its migration. 2. The student completed the crane assessment with 75% accuracy. 3. The student successfully constructed an origami crane. Modifications: The gifted child would be permitted to assist other students while working on the internet. The child may also help other children with the construction of their crane. Resources: Teacher: Computer with Internet access (20) Crane assessment sheets World map (20) United States maps (30) Colorful square papers for origami (extras for errors) Fishing line Students: Pencil Eraser Self-Reflection: Did I allow enough time for the students to visit the websites? Did the students understand what they read on the sites? Were my directions clear enough? Did the students stay on task? Alternate Activities: Read Yokos Paper Cranes by Rosemary Wells.

ORIGAMI ASSESSMENT
Name .. Date

Place one tick in each row of the table below:

Fair 1 2 3 Precise folding of the crane Followed directions Neatness Good Very Good Excellent

Comment

ORIGAMI ASSESSMENT
Name .. Date

Place one tick in each row of the table below:

Fair 1 2 3 Precise folding of the crane Followed directions Neatness Good Very Good Excellent

Comment

Name: ________________________________________

Whooping Cranes
1) We read the survival stories of some cranes. Which crane story was your favorite? Why?

2) Name three states that the Eastern flock travels through on its migration route.

3) What kind of habitat do whoopers need?

4) Why did the whooping crane become endangered?

5) How does the ultralight help the cranes in their survival?

6) The Red-Crowned Whooping Crane is extremely important to the Japanese culture. What is it a symbol of?

7) What can mankind do to help prevent the extinction of the whooper?