Elementary Level: Types of Animals
Mid Level: Food Webs
High Level: The Circulatory System

Elementary Level (Kinder to Grade 2)

Subject: Types of Animals

Alignment with Standards:

• Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS):
  • 1-LS1-1: Use materials to design a solution to a human problem by mimicking how plants and/or animals use their external parts to help them survive, grow, and meet their needs (introduces animal traits).
  • 1-LS3-1: Make observations to construct an evidence-based account that young animals are like, but not exactly like, their parents (links to animal groups).
    
• Common Core State Standards (CCSS):
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.8: With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.5: Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.

Objectives

1. Understand that animals can be grouped based on shared traits (e.g., mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians).
2. Classify animals into these groups by identifying key features (e.g., fur, feathers, scales).
3. Create a chart or collage to visually organize animal groups.
4. Build observation and discussion skills about the natural world.

Materials

• Large poster paper or a notebook for the chart/collage
• Crayons, markers, or colored pencils
• Scissors and glue stick
• Pictures of animals (printed from online sources, cut from old magazines, or hand-drawn)
• Animal book (e.g., National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Animals or The Animal Book by Steve Jenkins)
• Optional: Toy animals or flashcards with animal pictures

Activities

Day 1: Introduction to Animal Groups (30-45 minutes)

1. Warm-Up (5-10 minutes):
   • Ask: “What’s your favorite animal? What makes it special?”
   • Say: “Today, we’re going to sort animals into fun groups—like a big animal party!”
2. Direct Instruction (15 minutes):
   • Introduce five animal groups with simple traits:
     • Mammals: Have fur or hair, drink milk from moms (e.g., dog, cat, whale).
     • Birds: Have feathers, lay eggs, most fly (e.g., eagle, penguin).
     • Fish: Live in water, have scales, use gills (e.g., goldfish, shark).
     • Reptiles: Have scales, lay eggs on land (e.g., snake, lizard).
     • Amphibians: Live on land and water, slimy skin (e.g., frog, salamander).
   • Show pictures or toys for each group and point out traits (e.g., “Look at this bird’s feathers!”).
3. Discussion (10 minutes):
   • Read a page from an animal book. Ask: “Which group does this animal belong to? Why?”
4. Wrap-Up (5 minutes):
   • Say: “Tomorrow, we’ll make something to show these groups!”

Day 2: Classifying Animals (45 minutes)

1. Review (10 minutes):
   • Recap: “Who remembers one animal group? What’s special about it?”
   • Play a quick game: Show a picture (e.g., turtle) and guess the group (reptile).
2. Hands-On Activity: Sorting Practice (25 minutes):
   • Lay out 10-15 animal pictures (e.g., bear, eagle, frog, snake, salmon).
   • Sort them into piles: “Is this a mammal? Why?” (e.g., “Bear has fur!”).
   • Help them notice traits: “Penguins don’t fly, but they’re still birds because of feathers!”
   • Write the group name by each pile or use toy animals if available.
3. Wrap-Up (10 minutes):
   • Ask: “Which group had the most animals? What’s one new animal you learned?”

Day 3: Creating a Chart or Collage (45 minutes)

1. Warm-Up (10 minutes):
   • Say: “Let’s make a big picture or chart of our animal groups!” Decide together: chart (list style) or collage (pictures).
2. Hands-On Activity: Chart/Collage Creation (25 minutes):
   • Chart Option: Draw 5 columns on poster paper, label them (Mammals, Birds, Fish, Reptiles, Amphibians). Draw or glue 2-3 animals per group, write one trait (e.g., “Fur” under Mammals).
   • Collage Option: Divide the paper into 5 sections, label each, and glue animal pictures in the right spots. Add a fun title (e.g., “Animal Party!”).
   • Talk as they work: “Why does the lizard go here? What’s cool about fish?”
3. Wrap-Up (10 minutes):
   • Display it: “Look at our animal groups! Which one do you like best?”
   • Share with family or take a photo to keep.

Assessment

• Informal Observation: Note their ability to name groups and match animals during sorting.
• Sorting Accuracy: Check if they correctly classify most animals (e.g., 80% right).
• Chart/Collage: Look for clear group labels and at least one example per group with a trait.

Extensions

• Go on a “zoo hunt” outside: Spot animals (e.g., squirrels, birds) and name their groups.
• Watch a short animal video (e.g., on YouTube Kids) and classify what they see.
• Add a “Mystery Animal” game: Describe traits (e.g., “I have scales and swim”) and guess the group.

Mid Level (Grade 3 to 5)

Subject: Food Webs

Alignment with Standards:

• Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS):
  • 4-LS1-1: Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction (links to food web roles).
  • 5-LS2-1: Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment (Note: Grade 4 builds toward this with food webs).
• Common Core State Standards (CCSS):
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.5: Add audio recordings and visual displays to presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes.

Objectives

1. Understand that a food web shows how living things are connected through what they eat.
2. Identify producers, consumers, and decomposers and their roles in a food web.
3. Explore the interconnectedness of organisms by creating a food web poster.
4. Develop skills in observation, organization, and explaining relationships.

Materials

• Large poster paper or cardboard
• Crayons, markers, or colored pencils
• Scissors and glue stick
• Pictures of organisms (printed from online sources, cut from magazines, or hand-drawn)
• Yarn or string (to connect organisms on the poster)
• Science book or article about food webs (e.g., Who Eats What? by Patricia Lauber or a National Geographic Kids page)
• Optional: Index cards for planning, tape

Activities

Day 1: Introduction to Food Webs (45 minutes)

1. Warm-Up (10 minutes):
   • Ask: “What did you eat today? Where did it come from—like plants or animals?”
   • Say: “Today, we’re learning how everything in nature is connected by food!”
2. Direct Instruction (15 minutes):
   • Explain: “A food web is like a big map of who eats who. It’s messier than a food chain because everyone’s linked!”
   • Introduce roles:
     • Producers: Plants that make food from sunlight (e.g., grass, trees).
     • Consumers: Animals that eat plants or other animals (e.g., rabbit, hawk).
     • Decomposers: Break down dead stuff (e.g., worms, mushrooms).
   • Example: “Sun → Grass → Rabbit → Hawk → Worm (when hawk dies).”
3. Discussion (15 minutes):
   • Read a short food web passage or show pictures. Ask: “What happens if the rabbit disappears? Who’s affected?”
4. Wrap-Up (5 minutes):
   • Say: “Next time, we’ll pick animals for our own food web!”

Day 2: Planning the Food Web (45 minutes)

1. Review (10 minutes):
   • Recap: “What’s a food web? Name one producer, consumer, and decomposer.”
   • Quick game: “I’m grass. Who might eat me?” (e.g., rabbit).
2. Hands-On Activity: Brainstorming (25 minutes):
   • Choose an ecosystem (e.g., forest, pond, backyard).
   • List 8-10 organisms on paper or cards (e.g., for forest: sun, tree, mouse, snake, hawk, worm, berry bush, deer, owl, mushroom).
   • Sort them: “Which are producers? Consumers? Decomposers?”
   • Draw arrows on paper: “Tree → Mouse → Snake → Hawk → Worm.” Add extra links (e.g., “Berry → Deer → Hawk”).
3. Wrap-Up (10 minutes):
   • Ask: “How many connections did we find? What happens if one animal goes away?”

Day 3: Creating a Food Web Poster (45 minutes)

1. Warm-Up (10 minutes):
   • Review the plan: “Who eats the mouse in our web? What’s a decomposer doing?”
2. Hands-On Activity: Poster Creation (25 minutes):
   • Draw or glue pictures of organisms on the poster (e.g., sun in the corner, plants at the bottom, animals above).
   • Use yarn or draw arrows to connect them based on the plan (e.g., “Mouse eats berries, hawk eats mouse”).
   • Label roles: Write “P” for producer, “C” for consumer, “D” for decomposer next to each.
   • Add a title (e.g., “Forest Food Web Frenzy!”).
3. Wrap-Up (10 minutes):
   • Discuss: “Look at all these connections! What’s the busiest animal in our web?”
   • Display it or share with family.

Assessment

• Informal Observation: Note their understanding of roles and connections during discussions.
• Planning Accuracy: Check if they correctly identify producers, consumers, and decomposers in their list.
• Poster: Ensure it shows at least 6 organisms with clear, accurate connections and labeled roles.

Extensions

• Add a “What If?” scenario: Remove one organism and redraw arrows.
• Explore a different ecosystem (e.g., ocean: algae → fish → shark).
• Watch a food web video (e.g., on BBC Earth Kids) and compare to their poster.

High Level (Grade 6 to 8)

Subject: The Circulatory System

Alignment with Standards:

• Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS):
  • MS-LS1-3: Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells (focus on circulatory system).
  • MS-LS1-2: Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and ways parts of cells contribute to the function (links to blood cells).
• Common Core State Standards (CCSS):
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.7: Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information expressed visually (e.g., in a flowchart or diagram).
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.

Objectives

1. Understand the role of the circulatory system in transporting blood, oxygen, and nutrients throughout the body.
2. Learn how blood circulates through the heart, lungs, and body in a continuous loop.
3. Diagram the path of blood flow through the heart and identify key parts (e.g., chambers, vessels).
4. Develop skills in scientific modeling and explaining biological processes.

Materials

• Notebook or paper for notes and diagrams
• Pencil, pen, or markers (red and blue for oxygenated/deoxygenated blood)
• Large paper or poster board for the final diagram
• Scissors, glue, and colored paper (optional for 3D effect)
• Diagram of the circulatory system (printed or hand-drawn reference)
• Science book or video (e.g., Human Body Systems by National Geographic or a Khan Academy clip)
• Optional: Stethoscope (to hear heartbeat), play-dough (for modeling)

Activities

Day 1: Introduction to the Circulatory System (45 minutes)

1. Warm-Up (10 minutes):
   • Ask: “What keeps us alive every second? Feel your pulse—what’s happening?”
   • Say: “Today, we’re diving into the circulatory system—our body’s delivery service!”
2. Direct Instruction (15 minutes):
   • Explain: “The circulatory system moves blood around, carrying oxygen, food, and waste. The heart pumps it, blood vessels carry it, and blood does the work.”
   • Key parts:
     • Heart: Pump with 4 chambers (right/left atrium, right/left ventricle).
     • Blood Vessels: Arteries (away), veins (back), capillaries (tiny swaps).
     • Blood: Red cells (oxygen), white cells (fighters), plasma (liquid).
   • Overview of flow: “Heart → Lungs (gets oxygen) → Heart → Body → Back to Heart.”
3. Discussion (15 minutes):
   • Watch a short video or read a page about the heart. Ask: “Why do we need oxygen in our blood? What happens if the heart stops?”
4. Wrap-Up (5 minutes):
   • Assign: “Draw a quick heart and guess where blood goes next!”

Day 2: Mapping Blood Flow (45 minutes)

1. Review (10 minutes):
   • Recap: “What’s the circulatory system’s job? Name one part of the heart.”
   • Check their drawing: “Where did you send the blood?”
2. Hands-On Activity: Diagram Basics (25 minutes):
   • Use a reference diagram to teach blood flow:
     • Right Atrium: Gets oxygen-poor blood from body (via veins).
     • Right Ventricle: Pumps it to lungs.
     • Lungs: Blood picks up oxygen.
     • Left Atrium: Gets oxygen-rich blood from lungs.
     • Left Ventricle: Pumps it to body (via arteries).
   • Practice on paper: Draw a heart with 4 chambers, label them, and sketch arrows for flow (blue for oxygen-poor, red for oxygen-rich).
   • Add major vessels: Vena cava (to right atrium), pulmonary artery (to lungs), pulmonary vein (from lungs), aorta (to body).
3. Wrap-Up (10 minutes):
   • Ask: “What’s the busiest part of the heart? Why do lungs matter in this loop?”

Day 3: Creating a Blood Flow Diagram (45 minutes)

1. Warm-Up (10 minutes):
   • Quick quiz: “Where does blood go after the right ventricle? After the left atrium?”
2. Hands-On Activity: Poster Diagram (25 minutes):
   • On large paper, draw a big heart with chambers, lungs (two ovals), and a body outline.
   • Label parts: Right Atrium, Right Ventricle, Left Atrium, Left Ventricle, lungs, body.
   • Use red/blue markers to trace blood flow with arrows:
     • Vena cava → Right Atrium → Right Ventricle → Pulmonary Artery → Lungs (blue turns red) → Pulmonary Vein → Left Atrium → Left Ventricle → Aorta → Body → Back to Vena cava.
   • Add a title (e.g., “Blood’s Big Adventure!”) and a short note (e.g., “Oxygen-poor blood is blue, oxygen-rich is red!”).
3. Wrap-Up (10 minutes):
   • Discuss: “What did you learn about blood’s journey? How does this keep us alive?”
   • Display or share the poster.

Assessment

• Informal Observation: Note their grasp of circulation during discussions and practice.
• Practice Diagram: Check for correct chamber labels and basic flow direction.
• Final Poster: Ensure accurate flow (right side → lungs → left side → body) and key parts labeled.

Extensions

• Measure pulse before/after jumping jacks: “How does exercise change circulation?”
• Model a heart with play-dough, showing chambers and vessels.
• Research a circulatory issue (e.g., clogged arteries) and explain its impact.