Ultimate Adaptations

Name(s) : Billy Irvine and Brandon Barker

Time Allotted: Around 1 Hour

Grade Level: Fourth Grade

Subject: Science/ELA

Materials Required: Animal feature chart, poster paper, pencils, utensils to color, environment
description cards, completed example of created animal, assessment rubrics, PowerPoint
presentation, small soft ball (safe to throw in classroom)
Michigan Content Expectations (GLCE, Common Core State Standard or Next Generation
Science Standard written out)
Science
S.RS.04.11 - Demonstrate scientific concepts through various illustrations, performances,
models, exhibits, and activities
S.IP.04.11 - Make purposeful observation of the natural world using the appropriate senses
ELA
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2 - Write informative/explanatory text to examine a topic and
convey ideas and information clearly
Objective(s): A specific, measurable portion of a GLCE or HSCE (may more clearly state
with Blooms taxonomy verb) including the level of proficiency.
1.

2.

The student will Use prior knowledge to list physical features of animals connected to survival in their
environments and create an illustrated poster representing a make believe animal with labels that explain the
animals adaptations/features that make it possible to live in a given environment and then present the animal to
the class
The student will Choose physical features to create an animal that will survive in a given environment

Student friendly version objectives:

1. I can use what I already know about animals to describe their features and where they live
and then draw and label an animal I made up and tell you why it can survive in its
environment through an in class presentation
2. I can pick features that make life in a given environment possible
Assessments:
Formative Assessment: This assessment will take place during the modeling and guided
practice portion of the lesson presentation. Students will work together with the teacher to fill in
a chart listing different animal features making life in a given environment possible. This chart
will also serve as a visual representation for the students as they work on their summative
assessment. Each student will need to present one correct idea that can be placed on the chart and
explain why it belongs in that column in order to be considered proficient. Students are able to
pass if they cannot think of an idea but they must name one before the class is able to move on to

the next portion of the lesson. Students will be picked randomly to determine the order they go.
Once every student reaches the correct level of proficiency (one animal feature), the class can
move onto the next part of the lesson.
Summative Assessment: The summative assessment takes place at the end of independent group
work as the groups present their final project. Students use the final portion of the lesson
designing, creating, and presenting their made up animal that could live in the environment they
were designated. If the students presentation includes a drawn animal, labels identifying the
animals features, and an explanation as to how these features make the animals life in their
environment possible, that group of students is considered proficient. If the group only includes
two of the three required features, they are considered near proficient, and if the group only
includes one of the required features, they are not proficient.
Instructional Procedure: What information do students need to accomplish the objective?
(The following steps dont have to occur in number order 1-9, nor are they necessarily separate components.
You may structure your lesson however you like to best meet your planning needs but make sure to somehow
still identify that you have each component.) INCLUDE TIME FOR PACING PURPOSES FOR EACH
SECTION

1. Anticipatory Set: 2-3 Minutes

Students will be asked a series of questions to refresh their memories regarding animal
adaptations and different animal features. We will refer to the fossil project the class did
earlier in the year by asking the students if they remembered drawing the animals found
in their fossils. After the class responds, we will ask questions about those animals
features and have them explain why they had the features they did. Teacher would
begin lesson by saying, Alright class, do you all remember a few weeks back in Miss
Frazier science class when everybody created their own fossils? Students will either
respond by saying yes, nodding their head, or giving a thumbs up. Once all students
respond, teacher should ask, Can one of you tell me what kind of physical features the
animals in you fossils had? A few students should respond with answers such as
wings, scales, or beaks. When a student responds, teacher should then ask the student to
explain why that animal had that physical feature. Teacher should say, Why do you
think that animal needed that feature in order to help them survive? Once a few
students have gone, teacher should move on to stating the objective of the lesson so
students are aware of what is expected of them.
2. State Purpose and Objective of Lesson:
a. We want you to learn how different animal features such as scales, fur, and gills
make life possible in the environment they live in
b. Explicit: This is important for you to learn because animals can live places we
will never be able to. If we know a lot about an animal, we can figure out what
kind of place it lives. If we know a lot about a certain place, we can figure out
what kind of animals might live there.
c. Systematic: What you learn today relates to the fossil project you all did
previously with Miss Frazier. You learned how to make an animal based on its
fossil but today you will be able to use that knowledge to create your own, made
up animal with physical features that would help it survive in the environment
assigned to you and your group.

d. Behavior Expectations: Throughout todays lesson, you all will have plenty of
opportunities to talk and move around. When you are in your groups, I expect
that you will remain on task and your talking should remain on conversation
levels 1 or 2. When we are working together as a full class before we move onto
group work, be sure you are only talking when it is your turn or you are called on
by the teacher. Remember to stay in your seats as well during the lesson but, you
will have chances to get up and move around.
3. Instructional Input/Direct Instruction:
a. Describe what the teacher will do TTW begin instruction by displaying the
student objectives onto the board using a PowerPoint slide. They will be read
together as a class so students are reminded of their expectations. The following
slides will introduce students to different environmental biomes found around the
world. At this point, the teacher should deliver this definition for the term biome,
A big chunk of land that has a certain climate and certain living things. The
first biome will be the desert. The PowerPoint provides a visual for the students
but the teacher is required to read the descriptions of the biome to the students.
After the description of the first biome has been read, the following slide will list
animals that live within that biome. Along with the animals that live in that
biome, the teacher will explain where that specific biome is most commonly
found around the world. These regions will be listed on the PowerPoint along
side the description of that biome. This will be repeated seven more times until
each biome has been described, the animals within that biome were presented,
and where the biome can be found around the world, one final slide will be
displayed. The teacher will go over the final slide with the class as review of
what they just learned. The final slide will list all eight biomes with the animals
commonly found within those biomes. This slide will remain displayed as the
class moves on to the guided practice portion of the lesson. This will be all the
instruction that will be delivered to the full class. The information that was
presented should give them enough knowledge to complete the requirements of
the lesson but, the instruction should also spark student thinking to use what they
already know about animals and their physical features that make living in their
environment possible.
b. Describe what the student will do TSW begin the lesson seated in their own seat
at their desk. They will respond to prompts from the teacher as they ask questions
that prepare them for what they are going to learn (see anticipatory set). Once the
lesson begins and the teacher displays the PowerPoint, students will remain in
their seats as they listen to and view the PowerPoint describing different biomes,
the animals in the biomes, and where the biomes can be found around the world.
Students can ask questions to clarify anything being discussed but personal input
should be held to a minimum. After the PowerPoint presentation ends, students
will then participate in a group discussion. During the discussion, each student
must take their turn writing an animal feature under the appropriate biome on a
chart that would make animal life possible in that biome. The student must also
include an explanation as to why that animal feature makes life in that biome
possible. All other students will remain seated and attentive to the student whose

turn it is to list and explain an animal feature. Every student will be responsible
for having their own chart filled out matching the one on the board that the class
completed together. After every student has gone and every student has their
matching chart completely filled out, the class is ready to move onto the final
portion of the lesson. With the chart that was just filled out, students will work in
small groups to create made up animals that could survive in a biome assigned to
their group. Students can use the features from the list or they can make up
features of their own. They must draw their made up animal, label the animals
features, and then present their animal to the class explaining why they chose the
features they did and how those features help the animal survive.
4. Modeling:
a. After instruction has taken place, the class will participate in a guided practice
activity that will be modeled by the teacher. After the teacher has passed out the
blank chart to the class, teacher should begin modeling how the chart should be
filled out. An identical copy of the chart will be displayed on the board. The
teacher should model and explain how the chart should be filled in. The teacher
will write an animal feature under a certain biome that makes life for an animal in
that biome possible. After writing the feature in the appropriate square, the teacher
continues to explain why that feature makes animal life possible in the biome. A
few examples should be modeled to ensure complete student understanding of
what is to be done. After guided practice is completed, the teacher will also need
to model the next aspect of the lesson before dismissing the class for independent
practice. In this portion of the lesson, the teacher will model the three required
stages of independent practice. First, the teacher will model drawing their made
up animal. This should be done using a form of projection so the entire class can
see it being done clearly. Once a few features have been drawn onto the animal,
the teacher will model labeling the features while including descriptions as to why
that features supports the animals life in their environment. Lastly, teacher will
model what a completed animal poster should look like for the class. They should
also model how to present their animal to the class to model the expectations of
the presentation.
b. During the guided practice portion of modeling, teacher says, In the first blank
space on our chart under rainforest I am going to put camouflage. I chose to put
camouflage here because there are a lot of predators in the rainforest. If there are
a lot of predators, an animal might want to blend in with their surroundings in
order to hide from the predators who are looking for food. In the first blank under
freshwater, I am going to write gills. I chose gills because they make breathing
underwater possible. You and I have lungs, can we breath underwater? After the
class responds, teacher should say, Now we are each going to take a turn coming
up to the front and filling in one spot on the chart. Once you have written your
animal feature, you should explain why the feature you chose makes animal life
in that biome possible just like I did. Before dismissing the class for
independent practice the teacher must also model the three aspects involved.
While modeling the first steps of making the make believe animal, the teacher
will say, I have the deep ocean biome so the first thing I will draw is a fish like

body shape. Next, I will add some jet like fins to make my animal swim really
fast to escape the big sharks and whales that may try to eat it. After a few
features are drawn, teacher will say, Now that my animal is taking shape, I need
to label the features. You can either draw arrows to the features or you may
number/letter them and add the description to the back of the poster. I am going
to letter my features. Its gills will be labeled A and the fins I will label B. Now
that the features are labeled, I will turn my poster over and write a name and
description of what that feature does to help the animal survive. The teacher will
then display a finished copy of a made up animal meeting all the requirements.
The teacher will say, This is what my animal looks like when I am done. It has
five different features drawn on, labeled and described. Once each groups
animals have theirs drawn and you add your labels, you will present the animals
you made to the rest of the class. After the class has had time and they have
finished drawing and labeling their animals, the teacher will model the
presentation. The teacher will go to the front of the class and say, This is my
animal, it is called a super jet fish. It is sleek, skinny, and smooth so it can dart
through the water. It has jet fins to help it swim really fast to escape bigger fish. It
also has a sack of ink, much like an octopus, to spray in the face of faster fish
coming from behind. I also added a flashlight to its head to help it see way deep
in the ocean where it is dark so it can find food. A fish with a flashlight on its
head looks pretty silly but I got to make up the animal so anything is possible, as
long as I explain why it helps my animal survive. Now each group will present
their animal to the class just like I did.
5. Guided Practice: 10-12 Minutes
a. Teacher will guide students as they each take a turn writing an animal feature in a
blank space on the chart. The teacher will also ask the students to explain why
they chose to put the feature where they did. Teacher should add to the students
explanation if necessary to better help the classes understanding. Students will use
a small, soft ball to throw to one another to determine the order students go up to
the board. Each student must go once and none should go more than once.
b. Teacher monitors students responses at all times. If a student cannot think of
something after a few teacher prompts, they will be skipped over and came back
to later. This is the formative assessment taking place. If every student names an
animal feature that fits correctly in the space they select, they are considered
proficient. If they are unable to name a feature or unable to correctly explain why
it fits where they put it they are not proficient. This chart will serve as a visual as
students make up their own animals so it is important each feature is listed in the
appropriate spot.
6. Independent Practice: 30-40 Minutes
Students work together in small groups (3-4) as they pick and choose features that
make life possible in the environment that is designated to their group. The teacher
will already have the groups decided in order to meet the needs of all students within
the class. They will draw and label the animal together and when every group is done,
they will take turns presenting their animals. To ensure one group member is not doing
all the presenting, each will have their own role in the presentation. One student will

tell the class the animals name and how they decided on it. The next student will
identify the different features their group gave their animal. The final student will
explain how their animal features help that animal survive in their environment. This
activity can be fun and relaxed as long as students are on task and are using their time
wisely. Students drawings do not need to be perfect but they must look like they put
effort towards them. Teacher must display the grading rubric where the entire class is
able to see it so they are always aware of the expectations. Teacher may benefit from
reminding the students that they must also label and think of ways to present their
animal to the class so they do not spend too much time on drawing and run out of time
to label. About 20 minutes should go towards drawing, 5 minutes towards labeling,
and 10-12 minutes for the class to present their animals. If a group feels they are
finished before time is up, refer to the next section (Differentiated Consideration) as to
what those students should be directed to do next.
7. Differentiated Consideration (Adjust instruction, tools, resources or activities for
students who): Student grouping are made based on students strengths and weaknesses.
Multiple intelligence are used throughout the lesson as they discuss, draw, explain, and
work together making up their animals. If students think they are finished, they will be
told to practice their role in the presentation with their group using quiet voices. If they
feel they are prepared to present, then they should add more details to their drawing such
as drawing the environment in which their animal lives in the background of their poster.
Students who might struggle to complete the assignment on time will be paired with a
student who can help them move through the process but wont just do it all themselves.
This will prevent any group from not finishing in time.
8. Closure: 2 Minutes
a. Today we wanted to learn how different animal features such as claws, beaks,
and wings make life in a given environment possible. As we learned from the
book we read at the beginning of the unit about wolves, where an animal lives
helps determine what kind of features it needs to survive.
b. Can you tell me one thing that makes life in oceans possible? Forests? Deserts?
It seems like you all enjoyed making up your own animals. Can we all now
choose animal features that make life in a given environment possible? I think we
can! I can tell we can all use what we know about animals and their environments
to draw our own animals that can survive in their environments because you all
did so well presenting your own animals.
c. I really enjoyed how on task we remained and how creative we were when we
made up and explain our own animals. You all did a great job and I can tell you
really had fun and you learned a lot about what makes life possible for animals in
different environments.
9. References:
Biome/Habitat Animal Printouts - EnchantedLearning.com. (2015). Retrieved April 26,
2015, from http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/