LESSON OVERVIEW

Title Baby Animals and Their Parents

Author Rachel Harper
Subject Science
Grade Level 1st grade
Duration ~45 minutes (may vary based on if students understand the topic or not), give
breaks in between if needed
Unit Description This lesson will be part of a two week heredity unit that will teach what
traits are and that baby plants and animals look like, but not exactly like their
parents. One week will be spent on animals and one week on plants.
Lesson Goals
-Students will be able to observe and identify traits of animals and then compare them to
those of their parents.
-Students will be able to create/describe animals using traits that are similar or different
Next Generation Science Standard
1-LS3-1: Make observations to construct and evidence-based account that young plants and
animals are like, but not exactly like, their parents.
Big Ideas
-Baby animals look like, but not exactly like their parents
-Animals can be compared through their traits
Barriers
-Lack of background knowledge
-Having students of different learning preferences
-Having student of different expression preferences
-Students struggling to grasp information in only whole-group teaching/activities
-Students who struggle with construction and composition with only traditional tools
METHOD
3.1 Activate or supply background
Anticipatory Set
knowledge
Elicit students initial ideas:
-Raise your hand if you have ever seen a baby animal and its parent. This can either be at
the zoo, on a farm, on television, or anywhere else that youve seen them. How could you
tell that it was their parent? Call on a few hands.
-Driving question: How can I recognize the parents of a baby animal? Call on students.

-Well today were going to talk about how babies and their parents compare to each other.
Lets talk about humans first, raise your hand if you can tell me something, looks-wise, that
both you and one of your parents have in common. Ill go first. Both me and my mom have
green eyes. Talk with students and compose a list of things (traits) that can be compared
between people (ex: eye color, hair color, skin color, height, foot size, etc.)
- Now raise your hand if you can tell me something that is different between you and one
of your parents. So, I have dimples but my mom does not. Add to list; avoid things like
gender and weight.
2.5 Illustrate through multiple media

USED THROUGHOUT LESSON

Introduce and Model New Knowledge
-Introduce the lesson goals and post them on the board, having students repeat read them
after you
6.1 Guide appropriate goal-setting & 8.1 Heighten salience of goals and objectives
-Show picture of an animal and talk about the different traits it has
-Next show picture of its parent and talk about the traits it has
-Finally compare the two and talk about the traits that they share and have different of
*Do not use the word trait in this part; introduce that word at the end of the lesson in
order to assign that name to the characteristics they have been picking out the whole
lesson.
Provide Guided Practice
-Give each student a beanie baby and have them pick out traits from that beanie baby, have
them share out one trait.
-Ask for other students to put thumbs up if their beanie baby also has that trait and thumbs
down if it does not. (Avoid: it has beans, its a stuffed animal, etc.)
-Next as students to share out what they believe the parent of that animal would look like.
Hopefully they will share out traits the parent may also have.
3.2 Highlight patterns, critical
features, big ideas, and relationships

Provide Independent Practice

-Hand half of the students a card with a baby animal on it and the other half a card with an
adult animal on it. Have students find their matching partner and then discuss together
why they knew they belonged together and what about them physically is different (color,
ear shape, type of feet, etc.)
8.3 Foster collaboration and community
-See now here we just showed how we can compare animals through the traits that they
have, which is why you could tell who your partner should be. 8.1 Heighten salience of goals and objectives
WRAP UP
Alright, now think about all the different things that we have looked at today on both
people and animals. We looked at things such as hair color, eye color, skin color, if it had fur,
feathers, or scales, shapes of ears, tails, feet, and eyes, and there are so many more things
that can be used when talking about how a human or animal looks. These types of things
are called traits. Traits are characteristics that are passed down from parents to their

babies, but not all traits are exactly the same between them, which is why we found some
differences between adult animals and their baby animals.
ASSESSMENT
Formative, Ongoing Assessment
Students will be asked questions during their guided practice and independent practice.
These could include having them tell you what traits they found in their animals, how they
know what the parent would look like, or what about the baby and parent animal is similar
or different.
5.1 Use multiple media for communication
5.2 Use multiple tools for construction and composition
7.1 Optimize individual choice and autonomy

Summative Assessment
Students will have an option on which assessment they would prefer:

1) Student can be given a paper where they will draw a puppy and its mother on the front with at
least 2 similar traits and a kitten and its mother on the back with at least 2 different traits
(attached below)
2) Student can write/type out types of traits a puppy and its mother would have in common and
types of traits a kitten and its mother would have differently from each other. If computer is
used spell check and other mapping tool will be available to clearly show information.
3) Student can verbally explain the traits a puppy and its mother could have in common and the
types of traits a kitten and its mother could have differently
4) Student can create their puppy and its mother and their kitten and its mother with
similar/different traits on the computer (using paint or another program)

Rubric
Strong Understanding
Demonstrated both of the
following:

At least 2 similar traits

between the mother and
baby dog
At least 2 different traits
between the mother and
baby cat

Partial Understanding
Demonstrated one of the
following:

Has only 1 similar or

different trait on the
corresponding pages
Completed one side
correctly but the other
side incorrectly

Poor Understanding
Demonstrated one of the
following:

Did not draw the animal

instructed
Used similar traits on the
cat page and different
traits on the dog side
Did not show traits
clearly in their pictures
Completed both sides
incorrectly

NAME: ______________________________
Draw a puppy and its mother below that have at least 2 traits that are
the SAME.

Draw a kitten and its mother below that have at least 2 traits
that are DIFFERENT.

MATERIALS
-Beanie Babies
-Cards with baby and parent animals
-Pictures of baby animals and their parents
-Projector or computer connected to a screen or smart board
-Assessment sheets
-Crayons
-Computers with spell-checker, paint, and other programs for designing

The UDL Elements

Engagement

Which checkpoint did you incorporate?

7.1 Optimize individual choice and autonomy

8.1 Heighten salience of goals and objectives

How and why?

This is used by providing students a
choice during the assessment on which
task they would prefer to do and which
tools they would prefer to use as well.
This is used in order to engage students
and allow them to do the task of their
choice, which will make them more
excited and more likely to fully
participate since they will enjoy it more
than if they were restricted to only one
choice. This will help students meet the
goal because by providing them with
choices on tasks and tools for the
assessment, the students are more likely
to participate and work hard on their
assignment which will show their
understandings and help them either
reach or show that they have reached
the goal.
This is used in the beginning of the
lesson by introducing, displaying on the
board, and having student repeat read
the goals. It is used again by reminding
them on the big ideas and things that

8.3 Foster collaboration and community

they can do with the new information

during the independent activity. This is
used in order to keep students on track,
help them understand the reasons for
the lesson, and to place value on why
they should be working towards the
goal. This helps students meet the goal
by making them clear to the students,
allowing them to reference back to them
throughout the lesson in order to stay
on track, and to place value on reaching
the goals during the lesson.
This is used in the lesson during the
independent activity because even
though the students are only working
independently in the beginning until
they find their partner, the two of them
are continuing to work independently of
the teacher. This is used in order to
build collaboration skills and have
students work together to decide on
what traits were similar that told them
that the other was their partner and
what traits are different from each
others card. This helps students meet
the goal because instead of having the
teacher take control with helping them
make connections and reach the goal,
they are relying on themselves and their
peers, or partner, in order to answer
questions, make decisions, and reach the
goal. Also, it helps students who struggle
to understand better with the support of
their partner and will prevent students
from disengaging during whole-group
learning or activities, because in
partners, both students must work
together and cannot hide behind other
students the way they could in wholegroup.

Representation

Which checkpoint did you incorporate?

2.5 Illustrate through multiple media

3.1 Activate or supply background knowledge

3.2 Highlight patterns, critical features, big

ideas, and relationships

How and why?

This checkpoint is incorporated by
providing students more illustrations
than just being restricted to reading text,
I provide them with visual images,
physical manipulatives (beanie babies),
and verbal explanations as well. I used
this because it allows students multiple
ways to understand information and
supports many types of learning
preferences in the class. This will help
students meet the goal because in the
lesson they are not restricted to reading
text in order to learn about traits and
baby/parent animals, they are given
representation through images, physical
manipulatives (beanie babies), and
verbal explanation.
This is used in the anticipatory set
through the discussion that asks
students to begin thinking about their
prior experiences with animals and then
to have them begin thinking about traits
by considering how their parents and
them look alike and/or different. This is
used because by activating background
knowledge, students can add onto their
prior knowledge and have an easier time
understanding the topic. This will help
students meet the goal because it will
activate their prior knowledge in order
to aid in adding new knowledge onto it.
Also, if little or no background
knowledge is available, the teacher can
provide some in order to jumpstart the
lesson and be able to focus on what the
topic is that is being taught opposed to
past knowledge the students should or
were thought to have.
This is used throughout the lesson by
having students use patterns to identify
how they believe their beanie babies

parent would look and then again in the

independent practice when they find
their matching partner, it is pointed out
that animals can be compared by traits
which how they found their partner and
that they can see the pattern of the
relationship between baby and parent
animal because even though they are
not exactly alike, they have similar traits.
This will help students meet the goal
because by pointing out patterns, big
ideas, and relationships involving the
traits of baby animals and their parents,
it helps students identify key
information they are to be learning from
the lesson and how to apply that
information to situations.

Action and Expression

Which checkpoint did you incorporate?
5.1 Use multiple media for communication

How and why?

This is used during the assessment
portion of the lesson when students are
given the choice of which form of the
assignment they would like to partake
in, either drawing, writing, verbally, or
computer creation. This is used so
students can express their
understanding through the media of
their preference without being
restricted to only one form. This will
help students meet the goal because it
allows them to express their
understanding of traits and that baby
animals look like, but not exactly like
their parents through the media of their
preference. Without the restriction on a
single type of media, students will be
able to do their best and be able to
express their knowledge in a way that

5.2 Use multiple tools for construction and

composition

6.1 Guide appropriate goal-setting

they can show their best.

This is used by providing students,
during the assessment, computer tools
such as spell-checker, mapping
programs, paint, or another design
program in order for them to complete
the assessment of their preference,
opposed to the traditional materials
(crayons, paper, and pencil) that would
be provided if they choose the
traditional assessment form. This is
used in order to help students use
technology for their advantage and to
prepare them to use these tools in their
future since society is going more
electronic every year. This will help
students meet the goal of demonstrating
their learned knowledge by aiding them
in their expression during the
assessment. By providing multiple tools
to help in their construction or
composition, they can focus less on
ability to write or draw, which is not the
purpose of the assessment, and more on
conveying what they learned.
This is used by introducing the lesson
goals, writing them on the board and
having students repeat read them after
the teacher, in order for them to learn
what exactly the goal of the lesson is.
This could also be used in a SWBAT form
(students will be able to) It is
important for students to understand
the goal of the lesson so that way they
know what the purpose is and to make it
easier for them to apply new
information to the goal. This will help
students meet the goals because it will
literally make them aware of the goals
and will have them written in clear sight
for them to reference back to. Having
knowledge of the goals will tell them
what to expect, how to apply their new
information, and understand overall the
purpose of the lesson. Also, with

knowledge of the goals they hopefully

will understand what they should be
able to do or express by the end of the
lesson.
Other UDL Ideas

Engagement

Activity
7.2 Optimize relevance, value, and authenticity

8.2 Vary demands or resources to optimize

challenge

9.1 Promote expectations and beliefs that

optimize motivation

How would this help students meet

the goal?
This could be used in the lesson by
giving students incentive to learn the
information by making it valuable and
relevant to them, by doing this, it will
motivate them to work towards the goal
and to engage and learn the information
or skills being taught.
This could be help students meet the
goal because students have a varying
level of skills and ability, which means
they require different levels of
challenges that will motivate them. So, in
this lesson there could be vertical
enrichment for advanced students, extra
support for behind students, and then
have tiered assignments in the end
based on their challenge level.
This can help students meet the goal
because it will allow them to create
personal goals for themselves and then
have the positive attitude that they can
reach them. They then will be more
motivated to work hard during the
lesson and focus in order to reach not
only the teachers goals for them but
their goals they set for themselves as
well.

Representation

Activity
1.3 Offer alternatives for visual information

2.1 Clarify vocabulary and symbols

3.3 Guide information processing, visualization,

and manipulation

How would this help students meet

the goal?
This would help those with visual
impairments or those who are
threatened or distracted by too much
visual information to have access to the
information being taught; therefore they
would have help in meeting the goal.
This could be used ahead of time by
either pre-teaching the vocabulary word
trait or by supplying students with a
graphic depiction or alternative text
description of the word in order for
students to refer to during the lesson,
which will then aid in them reaching the
overall goal of the lesson and to lean the
information taught.
This can be used by gradually releasing
information to the students which will
help them in processing the information
and visualizing it. This then, will help in
preventing information overload or
confusion and will aid in understanding
the topic and meeting the goals.

Action and Expression

How would this help students meet the goal?

4.1 Vary the methods for response and
navigation

How would this help students meet

the goal?
This would help students meet the goal
because by removing the requirement of
students to respond verbally and by
physically interacting with materials by
hand it will provide more opportunities
for the students and will make the

6.2 Support planning and strategy development

6.4 Enhance capacity for monitoring progress

lesson more accessible to different

students.
This can be used by providing a stop
and think prompt before the
assessment and give students the chance
to decide and plan on how they are
going to convey their understanding,
what tools they need, what they would
prefer to do as a task, and how they are
going to reach the teacher and goals set
by themselves.
This can help students meet the goal
because if the teacher provides
formative feedback and also provides a
simple rubric for the assessment so
students can monitor their progress and
can change any misunderstandings or
mistakes that the student is making
opposed to waiting till the end and then
trying to undo they wrongs that they
have learned.