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LESSON TITLE: Vibrant Volcanoes

GRADE LEVEL: 2 – 4

TOPIC/SUBJECT MATTER: Earth Science

TIME ALLOTMENT: 1-2 class periods

OVERVIEW:

This lesson will introduce elementary students to the fiery and explosive nature of volcanoes, using segments from the NATURE film, “Kilauea: Mountain of Fire.” Students will get to know different features of volcanoes and volcanic activity: what volcanoes are like, where they are found, how and why they erupt, and what happens after an eruption. Students will begin by learning key terms about the earth’s structure and plate tectonics, and followed by a hands-on demonstration of plate tectonics. Students will then view video clips to provide an overview of volcanic activity and the effects on the surrounding landscape. As a culminating activity, students will explore the locations of volcanoes around the world.

MEDIA RESOURCES:

NATURE: Kilauea: Mountain of Fire, selected segments

Video Clips

1) Volcanic Views

2) Lava Landscapes

3) Steamy Seas

Access the streaming and downloadable video segments for this lesson at the Video Segments Page.

Web sites

National Geographic Decade Volcanoes

This map highlights sixteen volcanoes that have been designated as Decade Volcanoes, due to both their potential activity and proximity to populated areas.  There are photos of each volcano on the map, as well as information and statistics about its activity.

WorldAtlas Ring of Fire

This map shows the series of volcanoes circling the Pacific Ocean that are known as the “Ring of Fire.”  More than half of the world’s active volcanoes are in this region, which coincides with the edges of tectonic plates.

Volcano Cross-Section

This image shows the basic components of a volcano.

Standards:

National Science Education Standards, Grades K – 4

http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=4962

Content Standard B:

PROPERTIES OF OBJECTS AND MATERIALS

• Materials can exist in different states-solid, liquid, and gas. Some common materials, such as water, can be changed from one state to another by heating or cooling.

LIGHT, HEAT, ELECTRICITY, AND MAGNETISM

• Heat can be produced in many ways, such as burning, rubbing, or mixing one substance with another. Heat can move from one object to another by conduction.

Content Standard D

PROPERTIES OF EARTH MATERIALS

• Earth materials are solid rocks and soils, water, and the gases of the atmosphere. The varied materials have different physical and chemical properties, which make them useful in different ways, for example, as building materials, as sources of fuel, or for growing the plants we use as food. Earth materials provide many of the resources that humans use.

CHANGES IN THE EARTH AND SKY

• The surface of the earth changes. Some changes are due to slow processes, such as erosion and weathering, and some changes are due to rapid processes, such as landslides, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes.

Content Standard F

CHANGES IN ENVIRONMENTS

• Environments are the space, conditions, and factors that affect an individual’s and a population’s ability to survive and their quality of life.
• Changes in environments can be natural or influenced by humans. Some changes are good, some are bad, and some are neither good nor bad. Pollution is a change in the environment that can influence the health, survival, or activities of organisms, including humans.
• Some environmental changes occur slowly, and others occur rapidly. Students should understand the different consequences of changing environments in small increments over long periods as compared with changing environments in large increments over short periods.

MATERIALS

For each student:

• Volcanic Vocabulary Student Organizer (PDF) (RTF)
• Lava Landscapes Student Organizer (PDF) (RTF)

For each group of 3-4 students:

• Medium-cooked egg (boiled for 5 – 8 minutes, depending on the size of the egg)
• Paper towels

For the class:

• Volcanic Vocabulary Terms and Definitions Answer Key (PDF) (RTF)
• Lava Landscapes Student Organizer Answer Key (PDF) (RTF)
• World Map
• Computer with internet access
• Chart paper, chalkboard, or whiteboard
• Raw egg (optional)
• Push pins or small sticky notes

OBJECTIVES

Students will be able to:

• Recognize key characteristics of volcanoes and volcanic eruptions
• Define vocabulary terms relating to volcanoes and volcanic activity
• Understand how volcanic eruptions change the Earth’s surface
• Identify locations of volcanoes around the world

PREP FOR THE TEACHERS

Prior to teaching this lesson, you will need to:

Preview all of the video segments and Web sites used in the lesson.

Download the video clips used in the lesson to your classroom computer, or prepare to watch them using your classroom’s Internet connection.

Make copies of the student organizers for each student in the class.

Bookmark the Web sites used in the lesson on each computer in your classroom. Using a social bookmarking tool such as del.icio.us or diigo (or an online bookmarking utility such as portaportal) will allow you to organize all the links in a central location.

Prepare chart paper or chalkboard/whiteboard by writing the vocabulary terms from the Introductory Activity: Crust, Mantle, Magma, Lava, Plates.  Leave enough room to write the definitions as you cover them in the lesson.

Prepare medium-cooked eggs for the Introductory Activity.  These eggs should be boiled for approximately 5 – 8 minutes, depending on the size of the eggs, and should be thoroughly cooled before distributing to students.

Proceed to ACTIVITIES.

]]> http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/lessons/vibrant-volcanoes/lesson-overview/5159/feed/ 1 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/lessons/righteous-reptiles/lesson-overview/4681/ http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/lessons/righteous-reptiles/lesson-overview/4681/#comments Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:52:14 +0000 robin cannito http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/?p=4681 (Click here for a printer-friendly version of this lesson.)

GRADE LEVEL

Grades 2-4

TIME ALLOTMENT

Two 45-minute class periods

OVERVIEW

This lesson introduces students to some fascinating members of the reptile kingdom, focusing on lizards and snakes. Students first view segments from the NATURE episode “The Dragon Chronicles,” where they will learn about several kinds of cobras, a python, and two lizards – the water monitor and the Draco, the “flying dragon.” Students will complete a chart comparing and contrasting lizards and snakes, learning about key features shared by all reptiles as they do this. They will then focus on defense mechanisms, using information from the video and web resources to compile a list of various strategies that snakes and lizards have developed as adaptations for protection from predators.  Lastly, they will complete a writing and drawing assessment summarizing their knowledge of one of the snakes or lizards featured in the video segments.

SUBJECT MATTER

Living Environment/Biology

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Students will be able to:

• Name the key distinguishing characteristics of reptiles;
• List several types of snakes and lizards, describing unique features of each;
• Describe defense strategies used by different snakes and lizards;
• Interpret information about reptiles presented in video segments;
• Use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast features of snakes and lizards;
• Write a summary sheet describing features of one species of snake or lizard.

STANDARDS

National Science Education Standards:

Standards available online at: http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=4962&page=127

Life Science

Content Standard C

As a result of activities in grades K-4, all students should develop understanding of:

The Characteristics of Organisms

• Organisms have basic needs. For example, animals need air, water, and food; plants require air, water, nutrients, and light. Organisms can survive only in environments in which their needs can be met. The world has many different environments, and distinct environments support the life of different types of organisms.
• Each plant or animal has different structures that serve different functions in growth, survival, and reproduction. For example, humans have distinct body structures for walking, holding, seeing, and talking.
• The behavior of individual organisms is influenced by internal cues (such as hunger) and by external cues (such as a change in the environment). Humans and other organisms have senses that help them detect internal and external cues.

MEDIA COMPONENTS

NATURE: The Dragon Chronicles, selected segments

Clip 1: “Cobras and Pythons”

Three different snakes demonstrate their defense strategies.

Clip 2: “Water Monitor”

Water monitors in Sri Lanka are very intelligent and coexist with humans easily.

Clip 3: “Draco”

Draco is a flying lizard in India’s rainforest.

Access the streaming and downloadable video segments for this lesson at the Video Segments Page.

Web sites:

Reptiles: Defense on Yahoo Kids

This page has pictures of different reptiles demonstrating the ways they defend themselves. (NOTE – if you do not have computers for student use in your classroom, print the information here for your students).

Centralpets.com – Central Lizard Page

Directory of lizards commonly kept in captivity, including Draco (Flying Dragon) and Water Monitor.

Snakes – with Kidsbiology.com

Short descriptions and photos of snakes, including King Cobra, Spitting Cobra, and Reticulated Python.

MATERIALS

For the teacher:

• Righteous Reptiles Video Organizer Answer Key (PDF) (RTF)

For each pair of students:

• Snake/Lizard Comparison Chart (PDF) (RTF)

For each student:

• Righteous Reptiles Video Organizer (PDF) (RTF)
• Righteous Reptiles Summary Sheet (PDF) (RTF)

PREP FOR TEACHERS

Prior to teaching this lesson, you will need to:

Preview all of the video segments and Web sites used in the lesson.

Download the video clips used in the lesson to your classroom computer, or prepare to watch them using your classroom’s Internet connection.

Bookmark the Web sites used in the lesson on each computer in your classroom. Using a social bookmarking tool such as del.icio.us or diigo (or an online bookmarking utility such as portaportal) will allow you to organize all the links in a central location.

Print and copy the student organizers mentioned in the “Materials” section.

PROCEED TO ACTIVITIES

GRADE LEVEL: 2 -3

TIME ALLOTMENT: One to two 45-minute class periods

OVERVIEW:

Students learn that living things experience diverse life cycles. For example, baby birds go through distinct stages as they grow up into adult birds. This lesson uses the eagle to model universal avian life stages: from egg, to chick, to fledgling juvenile, to adult.

Students begin by creating a collage of bird images, discussing the characteristics that all birds share. A well-known story, The Ugly Duckling, is then read to introduce the concept of change over the life span. Students then use segments from the NATURE film American Eagle to learn how eagles look and act in different stages of their life cycle. At the conclusion of the lesson, students diagram the eagle life cycle, and may enhance their science learning with vocabulary and math activities.

SUBJECT MATTER:

Science, Language Arts

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Students will be able to:

• Describe the characteristics of birds;
• Understand that different kinds of birds display a wide variety of similarities and differences;
• Identify the stages in the life cycle of birds;
• Understand vocabulary associated with the life cycle of birds;
• Diagram the life cycle of the American Bald Eagle.

STANDARDS:

From the National Science Standards for Science Content, Grades K-4.

CONTENT STANDARD C: Life Science
As a result of activities in grades K-4, all students should develop understanding of:

LIFE CYCLES OF ORGANISMS

• Plants and animals have life cycles that include being born, developing into adults, reproducing, and eventually dying. The details of this life cycle are different for different organisms.
• Plants and animals closely resemble their parents.
• Many characteristics of an organism are inherited from the parents of the organism, but other characteristics result from an individual’s interactions with the environment. Inherited characteristics include the color of flowers and the number of limbs of an animal. Other features, such as the ability to ride a bicycle, are learned through interactions with the environment and cannot be passed on to the next generation.

MEDIA COMPONENTS

Video:

NATURE: American Eagle, selected segments

Clip 1: “Challenges of Incubation”

Eagles must protect their eggs from cold, snow and predators.

Clip 2: “Hatching”

For eagles, getting the hang of parenting takes practice.

Clip 3: “Fledglings”

Fledglings begin to fly.

Clip 4: “Growing Independent”

Young eagles learn to catch food.

Access the streaming and downloadable video segments for this lesson at the Video Segments Page.

MATERIALS:

For the class:

• Nature and wildlife magazines (or pictures of birds from other sources)
• Scissors and glue
• Oaktag, posterboard or construction paper
• Feathers (optional)
• Hans Christian Andersen’s The Ugly Duckling (or any other storybook demonstrating changes in the bird life cycle)
• Photo of an American Bald Eagle
• Computer and projection system for class viewing of video segments

For each student:

• Eagle life cycle student organizer (PDF) (RTF), or 4 sheets of paper to complete life cycle drawings
• Pencil and crayons or markers

Prep for Teachers

Prior to teaching this lesson, you will need to:

Ask students to bring in nature and wildlife magazines from home.

Preview all of the video segments used in the lesson.

Download the video clips used in the lesson to your classroom computer, or prepare to watch them using your classroom’s Internet connection.

If desired, make a word wall of any of the following vocabulary words your students do not yet know: Egg, chick, eagle, eaglet, incubate, fledgling, hatch, instinct, endangered species.

Proceed to ACTIVITIES

From images of death or ill omen to images of placing the sun in the sky, the raven has captured the attention of civilizations throughout the centuries. In this lesson students will conduct research to learn about the fascinating ways and lore of the raven.

Grade level: Grades 4 – 6

Subject area: Language Arts

Learning objectives:

Students will be able to do the following:

• Analyze the variety of ways the raven has been perceived by different cultures. 
• Conduct research on the raven and classify the information. 
• Design art and language activities using their knowledge of ravens.

Bookmark the following sites:

Native American Lore
http://www.ilhawaii.net/~stony/loreindx.html

Ravens and Crows – Pennsylvania Game Commission
http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/view.asp?a=458&q;=150475

Common Raven: Alaska Department of Fish and Game
http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/pubs/notebook/bird/raven.php

The Raven Archive – bibliography
http://www.rinzai.com/raven/bibliography.html

“The Raven” – E. A. Poe Society of Baltimore
http://eapoe.org/works/poems/ravenb.htm

Standards

www.mcrel.org

Language Arts

Uses the stylistic and rhetorical aspects of writing

Level 2 (Grade 3-5)

1. Uses descriptive language that clarifies and enhances ideas (e.g., common figures of speech, sensory details)

2. Uses paragraph form in writing (e.g., indents the first word of a paragraph, uses topic sentences, recognizes a paragraph as a group of sentences about one main idea, uses an introductory and concluding paragraph, writes several related paragraphs)

3. Uses a variety of sentence structures in writing (e.g., expands basic sentence patterns)

Level 3 (Grade 6-8)

1. Uses descriptive language that clarifies and enhances ideas (e.g., establishes tone and mood, uses figurative language, uses sensory images and comparisons, uses a thesaurus to choose effective wording)

2. Uses paragraph form in writing (e.g., arranges sentences in sequential order, uses supporting and follow-up sentences, establishes coherence within and among paragraphs)

3. Uses a variety of sentence structures to expand and embed ideas (e.g., complex sentences; parallel structure, such as similar grammatical forms or juxtaposed items)

4. Uses explicit transitional devices

Life Sciences (Grade 3-8)

Understands relationships among organisms and their physical environment

Working With Others (Grade K-12)

Contributes to the overall effort of a group

We often talk about the beauty of nature. Well, sometimes you have to dig a little deeper to appreciate the beauty of some funny looking creatures. In this lesson students will vote for what they consider to be the ugliest animal, observe the animal’s features and predict how the animal’s unique features help it to survive, and create a critter guide that features an “ugly” animal. Students will also research an animal and write a poem that includes factual information about the animal.

Grade level: Grades 2 – 4

Subject areas: Science, Language Arts

Learning objectives:
Students will be able to do the following:

• Analyze an animal’s unique features and predict how they might be instrumental in the animal’s survival.
• Research an animal and create a critter guide.
• Synthesize information about an animal and write a poem that incorporates factual information.

Materials:

• Computer with Internet access
• The video of the episode: “The Beauty of Ugly” from Thirteen’s series NATURE
• “You Think I’m Ugly?” handout (PDF)
  
• “Ugly Critter Guide” rubric (PDF)
  
• “Ode to the Ugly” poem organizer (PDF)
  
• Colored construction paper
• Glue

Bookmark the following sites

• Oklahoma Microscopy Society’s Ugly Bug Contest
  http://www.uglybug.org/
  This website contains information on their ugly bug contest.

The following websites contain information about a variety of animals:

• PBS Nature
  http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/critter.html
• Kid’s Planet
  http://www.kidsplanet.org/factsheets/map.html
• People’s Trust for the Environment
  http://www.ypte.org.uk/docs/animal_facts.html
• Texas A&M University
  http://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/

Level I [Grade: K-2]

7. Writes in a variety of forms or genres (e.g., picture books, friendly letters, stories, poems, information pieces, invitations, personal experience narratives, messages, responses to literature)

8. Writes for different purposes (e.g., to entertain, inform, learn, communicate ideas)

Level II [Grade: 3-5]

5. Uses strategies (e.g., adapts focus, organization, point of view; determines knowledge and interests of audience) to write for different audiences (e.g., self, peers, teachers, adults)

6. Uses strategies (e.g., adapts focus, point of view, organization, form) to write for a variety of purposes (e.g., to inform, entertain, explain, describe, record ideas)

Standard 7. Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of informational texts

Level I [Grade: K-2]

1. Uses reading skills and strategies to understand a variety of informational texts (e.g., written directions, signs, captions, warning labels, informational books)

2. Understands the main idea and supporting details of simple expository information

3. Summarizes information found in texts (e.g., retells in own words)

Level II [Grade: 3-5]

1. Uses reading skills and strategies to understand a variety of informational texts (e.g., textbooks, biographical sketches, letters, diaries, directions, procedures, magazines)

2. Knows the defining characteristics of a variety of informational texts (e.g., textbooks, biographical sketches, letters, diaries, directions, procedures, magazines)

7. Understands structural patterns or organization in informational texts (e.g., chronological, logical, or sequential order; compare-and-contrast; cause-and-effect; proposition and support)

Life Science

Standard 7. Understands biological evolution and the diversity of life

Level I [Grade: K-2]

2. Knows that there are similarities and differences in the appearance and behavior of plants and animals

Standard 5. Understands the structure and function of cells and organisms

Level II [Grade: 3-5]

2. Knows that living organisms have distinct structures and body systems that serve specific functions in growth, survival, and reproduction (e.g., various body structures for walking, flying, or swimming)

3. Knows that the behavior of individual organisms is influenced by internal cues (e.g., hunger) and external cues (e.g., changes in the environment), and that humans and other organisms have senses that help them to detect these cues

Level II [Grade: 3-5]

3. Knows that an organism’s patterns of behavior are related to the nature of that organism’s environment (e.g., kinds and numbers of other organisms present, availability of food and resources, physical characteristics of the environment)

ISTE Technology Standards
National Educational Technology Standards
http://cnets.iste.org/currstands/cstands-netss.html

Pre K-2

2. Use a variety of media and technology resources for directed and independent learning activities. (1, 3)

5. Work cooperatively and collaboratively with peers, family members, and others when using technology in the classroom. (2)

10. Gather information and communicate with others using telecommunications, with support from teachers, family members, or student partners. (4)

Grades 3-5

7. Use telecommunications and online resources (e.g., e-mail, online discussions, Web environments) to participate in collaborative problem-solving activities for the purpose of developing solutions or products for audiences inside and outside the classroom. (4, 5)

Introductory Activity

Time for Completion: 20 Minutes

The purpose of these activities is to pique students’ interest in the subject of ugly animals.

1. Pass out the “You Think I’m Ugly?” organizer. This organizer will be used in the Introduction Activity and in Activity One as well. Send students to the “Vote for the Ugliest Animal” section of the Nature website. Ask students to vote for the animal that they consider to be the ugliest. After students have voted, ask them to record their choice and answer the first question in the “You Think I’m Ugly?” organizer. When students have finished answering the question in their organizer, have them share with the class which animal they voted for and the reasons for their choice. Students may choose to read what they wrote when explaining their choice.

Steps

Activity One

Time for completion: Two 50-minute class periods and one homework assignment

In this activity, students will analyze photographs of “ugly” animals and predict how the animals’ unique features may help them survive in the wilderness. Students will also research an ugly animal and use the information to create a critter guide.

1. Ask students to refer to Part Two of their “You Think I’m Ugly?” handout. Review this section with the students. Explain to students that there are no “right” or “wrong” answers for this activity, merely guesses based on their observations and information they might already possess regarding the animal. Begin watching “The Beauty of the Ugly” program at 12:36, pausing the program on the image of the wart hog’s head. Leave the image of the wart hog’s head on the screen as students answer the questions in the handout.Wart hog
   Why do you think the wart hog has a very hard head?
   Why do you think the wart hog has a muzzle shaped like a shovel?
   Why do you think the wart hog has tusks?
   Why do you think the wart hog has warts?
2. After students have finished answering the questions, have them share their predictions with the class. When students have finished sharing their guesses, resume playing the program from the location where you paused to 15:08.
3. Repeat the same process for the naked mole-rat. Begin watching “The Beauty of the Ugly” program at 29:37, pausing the program on the image of the naked mole-rat. (WE COULD ALSO USE A PROGRAM CLIP HERE IF IT IS AVAILABLE.) Leave the image of the naked mole-rat on the screen as students answer the questions in the handout.Naked mole-rat
   Why do you think the naked mole-rat doesn’t have any fur?
   Why do you think the naked mole-rat has buck teeth?
   The naked mole-rat’s lips shut behind his front teeth. What do you think the reason is for this?
4. After students have finished answering the questions, have them share their predictions with the class. When students have finished sharing their guesses, resume playing the program from the location where you paused to 32:27.Teacher Note: You may choose to feed your students some basic information about these animals if they are struggling with this activity. The following is a list of facts that you might choose to share with your students:Wart hogs
   Habitat – Found in moist and arid savannas
   Diet – Eats grass and digs for bulbs, tubers and roots during dry season
   Predators – Humans, lions, leopards, crocodiles and hyenas 

   Naked mole-rat
   Habitat – Underground tunnels and burrows in semi-arid grassy regions
   Diet- Roots and tubers
   Predators – Mostly snakes

5. Explain to students that they are going to learn more about the animal they voted for and how its features help it to survive in its environment. Tell students to record information about this animal in Part Three of the “You Think I’m Ugly?” organizer.
6. After students have finished researching their animal, visit the Critter Guide section of the Nature website. Provide time for students to explore the Critter Guide. After students have read several Critter Guides, explain to students that they are going to use the information in their organizer to create a “Critter Guide” for the animal they voted for. Review the categories listed below. Remind students that they will be providing accurate information to go along with these headings.
   • Description
   • Where do they live?
   • What do they eat?
   • Critter Fact
   • Did you know?
   • Photograph or drawing
7. After students have completed their “Critter Guides,” display the guides in the classroom.

Activity Two

Time for Completion: Three 30 – minute class periods

In this activity students will analyze how seemingly unattractive features in an animal can actually be the “Beauty of the Ugly.” Students will collect information about an animal and incorporate the information into a poem that expresses how the “ugly” can be an animal’s biggest survival asset.

1. Watch the “Beauty of the Ugly” program from 53:08 until the end. Ask students how they think beauty is defined and if they have changed their idea of what makes an animal ugly.
2. Tell students that they are going to write a poem about an “ugly” animal. Students may choose to use an animal from the contest section of the Nature website or select an animal of their own choosing that they consider to be ugly.
3. Pass out and review the “Ode to the Ugly” poem organizer. You may choose to copy the instructions for the poem structure on the board. Each student should have an image of the animal available to look at when writing his or her poem. Review the poem structure.Poem Structure
   Line 1: I am a (name of animal).
   Line 2: Three words, or sets of words, that describe the animal’s physical characteristics.
   Line 3: A positive statement that refers to line 2.
   Line 4: A sentence that says something negative about the animal’s looks, but shows that it really is a positive. Use the word “but” to link the two parts of the sentence.
   Line 5: Three words, or sets of words, that describe something the animal eats, or does with its body.
   Line 6: A positive statement that refers to line 5.
   Line 7: A sentence that says something negative about the animal’s looks, but shows that it really is a positive. Use the word “but” to link the two parts of the sentence.
   Line 8: Three words, or sets of words, that describe the animal’s physical characteristics.
   Line 9: End with something along the idea of “Pretty or not, I’m a (insert animal’s name).
   Teacher Note: The last line is merely a suggestion. Students may end the poem in any way they choose. 

   Sample Poem
   I am a wart hog
   Wart sacks, hard head, rubbery snout,
   Hey leopard! Just try to bite my head.
   People hate my warts, but they protect my eyes and mouth.
   Grass, Bulbs, Roots,
   My shovel shaped mouth makes eating them a breeze.
   People think my tusks are tacky, but they keep me safe.
   Big tusks, hair-less skin, tiny eyes
   Pretty or not, I’m a wart hog.

4. Provide time for students to research their animal. After students have finished gathering the information about the animals, check each student’s work to be certain that their information is correct and that they have enough material to draw upon to create their poems. Explain to students that they might want to refer to words that they wrote in their organizer when they are writing their poem. Students may use a variety of sources to gather their information. These may include classroom and library books, periodicals, and videos. The websites listed below contain information that might be helpful. If students are having difficulty finding information on a particular animal, they may choose to use the Google website to search for information on their animal.
   • Kid’s Planet
     http://www.kidsplanet.org/factsheets/map.html
   • People’s Trust for the Environment
     http://www.ypte.org.uk/docs/animal_facts.html
   • Texas A&M University
     http://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/
     
5. After students have completed their poems, have them glue their poem and a photograph or drawing of the animal on a piece of colored construction paper. Hang the poems around the classroom.

Assessment Suggestions
Activity One may be assessed using the “Ugly Critter Guide” rubric.
Activity Two may be assessed using the students’ “Ugly” poems.

Extension Activity
If you haven’t already, host or participate in a school or statewide “Ugliest Bug” contest. This website provides information on the Okalahoma contest. http://www.uglybug.org/

About the Author
Laurel Blaine is founder of Digital Narratives LLC, a curriculum design company. In addition to content development, Digital Narratives also works with young people to enhance their literacy skills as they explore the power of digital storytelling. Over the past decade, Laurel has created educational materials for a diverse range of clients including The Kennedy Center, Oakland East Bay Symphony, Learning Matters/Listen Up! and Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt Museum.

Overview

When filmmaker Simon King rescued two three-month old cheetah orphans, he accepted a daunting responsibility filled with the emotional and strategic challenges of teaching wild animals how to survive in the wild. In this lesson, students will engage their critical thinking skills as they work in teams to brainstorm possible techniques for teaching baby cheetahs what they need to learn to survive in the wild. Students will also predict what happened to the abandoned cheetah orphan after the program was filmed and compare their predictions with what really happened.
Grade level: Grades 3 – 5
Subject areas: Science, Language Arts
Learning objectives:

Students will be able to do the following:

• Analyze a problem and develop techniques to help solve the problem.
• Consider the complexities of a situation and predict what will happen in the future.
• Write a news story based on their predictions of what will happen in the future.

Materials:

• Computers with Internet access
• The video of the episode “Cheetah Orphans” from Thirteen’s series NATURE
• “Cheetah Survival Solutions” organizer (PDF)
  
• “Cheetah Survival Solutions Presentation Group Self-Assessment” (PDF)
  
• “Toki News Update” rubric (PDF)
  

Bookmark the following sites

• Google Earthhttp://earth.google.com/This website contains interactive maps and satellite imagery of the world.
• Defenders of Wildlifehttp://www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/wildlife/cheetah.php
  This website contains information about cheetahs.
• Cheetah Outreachhttp://www.cheetah.co.za/facts.htmThis website contains information about cheetahs.

www.mcrel.org
Level III [Grade 9-12]
Language Arts
Standard 1. Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process
Level II [Grade: 3-5]

6. Uses strategies (e.g., adapts focus, point of view, organization, form) to write for a variety of purposes (e.g., to inform, entertain, explain, describe, record ideas)

7. Writes expository compositions (e.g., identifies and stays on the topic; develops the topic with simple facts, details, examples, and explanations; excludes extraneous and inappropriate information; uses structures such as cause-and-effect, chronology, similarities and differences; uses several sources of information; provides a concluding statement)
Standard 4. Gathers and uses information for research purposes
8. Uses strategies to compile information into written reports or summaries (e.g., incorporates notes into a finished product; includes simple facts, details, explanations, and examples; draws conclusions from relationships and patterns that emerge from data from different sources; uses appropriate visual aids and media)
Life Sciences

Science
Standard 5. Understands the structure and function of cells and organisms
1. Knows that plants and animals progress through life cycles of birth, growth and development, reproduction, and death; the details of these life cycles are different for different organisms

2. Knows that living organisms have distinct structures and body systems that serve specific functions in growth, survival, and reproduction (e.g., various body structures for walking, flying, or swimming)

Standard 6. Understands relationships among organisms and their physical environment

2. Knows that the transfer of energy (e.g., through the consumption of food) is essential to all living organisms

3. Knows that an organism’s patterns of behavior are related to the nature of that organism’s environment (e.g., kinds and numbers of other organisms present, availability of food and resources, physical characteristics of the environment)
Life Skills
Working with Others
Standard 1. Contributes to the overall effort of a group

Level IV [Grade: K-12]
1. Knows the behaviors and skills that contribute to team effectiveness

2. Works cooperatively within a group to complete tasks, achieve goals, and solve problems

4. Demonstrates respect for others’ rights, feelings, and points of view in a group

5. Identifies and uses the individual strengths and interests of others to accomplish team goals

8. Evaluates the overall progress of a group toward a goal

9. Contributes to the development of a supportive climate in groups

10. Actively listens to the ideas of others and asks clarifying questions
ISTE Technology Standards

National Educational Technology Standards

http://cnets.iste.org/currstands/cstands-netss.html
GRADES 3 – 5

Performance Indicators:
All students should have opportunities to demonstrate the following performances.

Prior to completion of Grade 5 students will:

Use telecommunications efficiently and effectively to access remote information, communicate with others in support of direct and independent learning, and pursue personal interests. (4)

Use technology resources (e.g., calculators, data collection probes, videos, educational software) for problem solving, self-directed learning, and extended learning activities. (5, 6)

The purpose of these activities is to pique students’ interest and to build background knowledge on the continent of Africa and the challenges that cheetahs face in surviving in the wild.
Time for completion: 25 minutes
Introductory Activity One
Teacher Note: In preparation for this activity, make sure that Google Earth software is downloaded onto your computer. If it isn’t, you may download it for free at http://earth.google.com/

1. Send students to the Google Earth website. After opening Google Earth, ask students to locate the continent of Africa. After students have located Africa, ask them to zero in on the country of Kenya. Once they have found Kenya, ask them to find the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in northern Kenya. Ask students to share their observations regarding this area of the world. Tell students that the activities that they are going to complete are based on a real-life incident that took place in this area of the world.Teacher Note: Depending on the number of computers you have access to, this activity may be completed as an individual, small-group, or whole-class activity.

Introductory Activity Two

1. Send students to the “Toki’s Survival Challenge” section of the Nature website. Ask students to help Toki navigate through the interactive. After students have spent 5 to 10 minutes investigating the interactive, ask students to share what they learned about the challenges that a cheetah faces in his or her environment.

Steps
Activity One
In this activity, students will work together in small groups to brainstorm possible ways to help an orphaned baby cheetah hone its skills to survive in the wilderness.
Time for completion: Two to Three 50-minute class periods

1. Begin by watching “Cheetah Orphans” from the beginning to 01:26. After watching this section of the program, involve students in a brainstorming session to create a list of the things that an orphaned cheetah would have to learn in order to survive in the wild. Record students’ answers on the board.
2. Divide the class into small groups. Discuss with students the idea that people often need to create solutions for unique problems or situations that they have never encountered before. Touch on the idea that new inventions, cures for diseases, educational programs, etc., are often the result of people working to find a solution to a problem.
3. Pass out and discuss the “Cheetah Survival Solutions” organizer. It might be particularly important to review the brainstorming guidelines outlined in the organizer. Explain to students that they are going to work in teams to come up with ideas and techniques to teach the orphaned cheetahs the skills they will need to survive in the wild.
4. After students have completed the assignment, provide time for each group to share its ideas with the class.
5. After all of the groups have finished sharing their ideas, watch the “Cheetah Orphans” program from 01:37 to 08:39 and from 11:09 to 12:55 to see how Simon King taught survival skills to Toki and Sambu. You may also visit the “Cheetah Learning Checklist” section of the Nature website to learn about the techniques that some people have used to help cheetahs learn new skills.
6. Ask students to fill out the “Cheetah Survival Solutions Presentation Group Self-Assessment” handout. Meet with each group to discuss its assessment.

Activity Two
In this activity, students will predict what happened to Toki after the show ended.
Time for completion: Two 50-minute class periods

1. Begin by watching “Cheetah Orphans” from the beginning to 11:33, from 13:34 to 17:05, and from 46:41 to the end. (It is not necessary to watch the beginning segment of the program if you watched it during Activity One. You may, however, choose to refresh students’ memories of what happened in the beginning of the program.)
2. Involve the students in a discussion about what they think happened to Toki after the program was filmed. Record students’ predictions on the board.
3. After students have finished making their predictions, go to the “Update of Toki” section of the Nature website. Compare students’ predictions with what really happened to Toki.
4. Ask students to contemplate what they think Toki’s life will be like four years from today. Tell students that they are going to create a news story that describes Toki’s life in the future. Explain to students that the report should include the following:
   • General background information on Cheetahs and the challenges they face in the wild
   • Specific background information on Toki’s unique history
   • Description of Toki’s surroundings
   • An update on the specifics of Toki’s current situation based on what you predict will happen to Toki
5. Before students begin, pass out and review the “Toki News Update” rubric.Teacher Note: You may choose to have the news story be completed as a newspaper article, or a television or radio report.

Assessment Suggestions

The “Cheetah Survival Solutions Presentation Group Self-Assessment” handout may be used to assess Activity One.
The “Toki News Update” rubric may be used to assess Activity Two.
Extension Activity

Further explore the kinds of technology used to track Toki by introducing 3-D Tracking software to your students. You can use a mobile phone or PDA, along with a GPS receiver, to record and view students’ movements on Google Earth or Google Maps.
About the Author

Laurel Blaine is founder of Digital Narratives LLC, a curriculum design company. In addition to content development, Digital Narratives also works with young people to enhance their literacy skills as they explore the power of digital storytelling. Over the past decade, Laurel has created educational materials for a diverse range of clients including The Kennedy Center, Oakland East Bay Symphony, Learning Matters/Listen Up! and Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt Museum.

In this lesson students will view the film Dogs: The Early Years. They will use critical thinking skills to determine which breed of dog would best fit their personality and living situation. They will also write a short story from a dog’s perspective.

Overview

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

• Use critical thinking skills to make a decision on the choice of a dog
• Analyze information about breeds of dogs
• Write a children’s book from a dog’s point of view

Bookmark the following site:

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/abc.htm

Standards

Language Arts

http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/Benchmark.asp?SubjectID=7&StandardID=2
Uses the stylistic and rhetorical aspects of writing

Level 2 (Grade 3-5)

1. Uses descriptive language that clarifies and enhances ideas (e.g., common figures of speech, sensory details)  

2. Uses paragraph form in writing (e.g., indents the first word of a paragraph, uses topic sentences, recognizes a paragraph as a group of sentences about one main idea, uses an introductory and concluding paragraph, writes several related paragraphs)

3. Uses a variety of sentence structures in writing (e.g., expands basic sentence patterns)

Level 3 (Grade 6-8)

1. Uses descriptive language that clarifies and enhances ideas (e.g., establishes tone and mood, uses figurative language, uses sensory images and comparisons, uses a thesaurus to choose effective wording)  

2. Uses paragraph form in writing (e.g., arranges sentences in sequential order, uses supporting and follow-up sentences, establishes coherence within and among paragraphs)

3. Uses a variety of sentence structures to expand and embed ideas (e.g., complex sentences; parallel structure, such as similar grammatical forms or juxtaposed items)

4. Uses explicit transitional devices

Thinking and Reasoning
http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/Benchmark.asp?SubjectID=21&StandardID=6
Standard 6 Applies decision-making techniques

Working With Others
http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/Benchmark.asp?SubjectID=22&StandardID=1
Contributes to the overall effort of a group

Procedures for Teachers

Background Activities

Activity One

The purpose of this activity is for students to activate their background knowledge of dogs.

•  
  • Famous sayings that contain the word “puppy” or “dog”
  • Books/poems whose main character is a dog
  • Songs that refer to dogs
  • Jobs that utilize a dog’s skills

1. Break students into small groups and have them think of as many items as they can for the following categories: 

2. After the groups have finished, have them share their results.

3. Discuss why dogs have such an important role in people’s lives.

Steps

Activity One

The purpose of this activity is for students to use their critical thinking skills to select a breed of dog that would best fit their lifestyle.

1. Read the following scenario to your class:  

Because of the number of dogs that are put to sleep each year, a new law has been passed requiring anyone wishing to get a puppy to go through a screening process in order to receive a permit to own a dog.

2. Tell the students that they are each going to apply for a puppy permit, and will need to submit the following information to the Puppy Permit Board.

Part A
Write a brief statement explaining why you want to own a dog.

Part B
Answer the following questions:

• What is the inside of your house like?
• What is the outside of your house like?
• How many people live in your house?
• Do you have young children living in your house?
• Is anyone in your house allergic to dogs?
• Do you have many strangers coming to your house?
• How much time do you have to spend with a dog?
• How much money do you want to spend on a dog?
• How much time do you want to spend training a dog?
• How much time do you want to spend grooming a dog?

Part C
Send students to the Dog Breed Info Center Web site (http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/abc.htm) to read about various breeds of dogs and to select the breed of dog that would best fit their lifestyles. Tell students to write an explanation of why this particular breed is a good match for them.

•  
  • Do you think this breed of dog is suitable for this person’s
    living area? 
  • Do you think this breed is a good match for this person’s personality?
  • Do you think this person has enough time to spend with a dog?
  • Do you think this person is ready to own a dog?
  • (The board may choose to add questions of its own.)

3. Select a group of students to sit on the “Puppy Permit Board.” 

4. Allow time for every student to present his or her case to the board. (You may alternate members on the board so that the board members will be able to present their case to the board.)

5. Board members will either issue or deny the permit based on the following criteria:

Activity Two

The purpose of this activity is for students to write a picture book from a dog’s point of view.

•  
  • Spend 10-15 minutes sharing dog stories
  • Return to some of the stories and discuss how the story would be different if told from the dog’s point of view
  • Select one of the stories to turn into a children’s picture book
  • Work as a team to write and illustrate the story

1. Discuss the following quotation from “Dogs: The Early Years”: 

“Puppies learn from us, but they also teach us. One of the principle pleasures of raising a puppy is learning to think the way they do. Viewing the world through their eyes shows us ourselves from a new perspective and reveals our own quirks and foibles as the unique behavior of the human species. Our world widens when we see it through a puppy’s eyes.”

2. Break the students into groups of two or three students.

3. Give each group the following tasks to complete:

4. Share the completed books with a younger class.

Extension Activities

Have students contact their local Humane Society to gather information about unwanted pets. Ask students to create a school information campaign to educate the student body on this topic.

Organizers for Students

The following links will open a new window. Each new window will contain a Student Organizer or Activity sheet for you to print out. Close the new window to return to this page.

Background Activity | Activity One | Activity Two

Grade Level: Upper Elementary 3-5

Overview:

In this lesson students will learn about the rich and vibrant environment of the Kalahari Desert. They will learn about the diversity of life and land in the desert, create artistic responses to the film, and explore interactive Web site features to learn about the geography, wildlife, flora, topography, and people of this area. The students will work in collaborative research groups, create graphic organizers, and share what they have learned with their classmates.

Learning Objectives

• Students will conduct research on varied aspects of the Kalahari Desert.
• Students will synthesize and evaluate a variety of information sources.
• Students will summarize content knowledge from varied resources and apply this knowledge by creating an artistic and informative presentation.

Bookmark the following sites:

• http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/kalahari
• http://www.zoomschool.com/biomes/desert/desert.shtml
• http://www.wordcentral.com/
• http://www.m-w.com/netdict.htm
• http://www.natureserve.org/
• http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/actbank/torganiz.htm
• http://wildnetafrica.com/wildlife/wildlife.html
• http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/postcards.html

Standards

Language Arts Grades 3-5

Writing, Standard 1, Level II
http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/Benchmark.asp?SubjectID=7&StandardID=1
Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process.

Prewriting: Uses prewriting strategies to plan written work (e.g., uses graphic organizers, story maps, and webs; groups related ideas; takes notes; brainstorms ideas; organizes information according to type and purpose of writing).
Uses strategies (e.g., adapts focus, point of view, organization, form) to write for a variety of purposes (e.g., to inform, entertain, explain, describe, record ideas).

Reading, Standard 7, Level II
http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/Benchmark.asp?SubjectID=7&StandardID=7
Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of informational texts.
Summarizes and paraphrases information in texts (e.g., includes the main idea and significant supporting details of a reading selection).

Viewing, Standard 9
http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/Benchmark.asp?SubjectID=7&StandardID=9

Uses viewing skills and strategies to understand and interpret visual media.
Understands different messages conveyed through visual media (e.g., main ideas and supporting details; facts and opinions; main characters, setting, and sequence of events in visual narratives).

Science Grades 3-5

Standard 6, Level II
http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/Benchmark.asp?SubjectID=2&StandardID=6
Understands relationships among organisms and their physical environment.

Knows that an organism’s patterns of behavior are related to the nature of that organism’s environment (e.g., kinds and numbers of other organisms present, availability of food and resources, physical characteristics of the environment).

Knows that changes in the environment can have different effects on different organisms (e.g., some organisms move in, others move out; some organisms survive and reproduce, others die).

Knows that all organisms (including humans) cause changes in their environments, and these changes can be beneficial or detrimental.

Geography Grades 3-5

Standard 4, Level II
http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/Benchmark.asp?SubjectID=2&StandardID=6
Understands the physical and human characteristics of place.

Knows how the characteristics of places are shaped by physical and human processes (e.g., effects of agriculture on changing land use and vegetation; effects of settlement on the building of roads; relationship of population distribution to land forms, climate, vegetation, or resources).

Background Activities

Activity One

The purpose of this activity is to introduce background vocabulary that will facilitate students’ understanding of the lesson activities.

1. Divide the students into small research groups and provide them with the list of words below. Ask each group to use varied information sources to define the terms. Tell the students to list the source or sources they used to find information about each term.

• Desert
• Delta
• Plain
• Silt
• Predator
• Arid
• Climate Zone

2. Ask each group to present its definition and the sources it used. Compare each group’s definition and the sources used. Students may use dictionaries, encyclopedias, trade books, and the Internet to find information.

The following is a list of Internet sources that may be helpful:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/kalahari/
http://www.zoomschool.com/biomes/desert/desert.shtml
http://www.wordcentral.com/
http://www.m-w.com/netdict.htm
http://www.natureserve.org/

3. Lead a class discussion about how one is able to learn different kinds of information depending on the source materials used.

Activity Two

The purpose of this activity is to encourage students to aesthetically respond to the film through drawing.

1. After watching the film, tell the students to draw a scene that captures the beauty and power of nature in the Kalahari Desert. Encourage students to use color to capture the richness of the land and wildlife.

Steps
Activity One

The purpose of this activity is to encourage students to explore the diverse elements of the Kalahari Desert.

1. As a class, visit the “Introduction to the Eco-Explorer” at http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/kalahari/eco_explorer.html. Ask the students to predict what information will be described in each section of the Eco-Explorer.

2. Divide the students into groups of three or four. Assign each group one section of the Eco-Explorer to investigate.

• Group One: Map It
• Group Two: Terra Zone
• Group Three: Wildlife
• Group Four: Florascope
• Group Five: People
• Group Six: Eco-Alert

3. Give each group a copy of the graphic organizer provided on the Organizers page to collect, record, and categorize information from the Web site section it has been assigned. A graphic organizer is a visual/spatial representation of information. It helps students explore new information and show interrelationships among concepts. Tell the students to use the Kalahari Desert Graphic Organizer as a model, modifying it by adding additional shapes and text to show connections between the facts they collect.

Activity Two

The purpose of this activity is for students to learn about the animals of the Kalahari Desert.

1. Tell the students to choose one of the following animals:

• African bullfrog
• Crocodile
• Eagle
• Elephant
• Flamingo
• Pangolin
• Sandgrouse
• Termite
• Wildebeest
• Zebra

After each student has selected his or her animal, send them to the site.

2. Provide each student with a 4×6 index card. Ask each student to draw a picture of the animal he or she has chosen on the front of the card, and to write a minimum of six facts on the back of the card.

3. After the students have created their animal cards, provide time for them to exchange cards with their classmates.

4. Create a classroom display of the students’ cards. Encourage the students to create more cards to add to the display if possible.

Extension Activities

Activity One

Have the students send a NATURE postcard to a friend by visiting the following section of the NATURE Web site.

Activity Two

Have the students visit the Puzzles & Games section of the NATURE Web site and explore the varied interactive activities.

Activity Three

Ask the students to browse the Wild Net Africa Web site at http://wildnetafrica.com/wildlife/wildlife.html and find a topic that is of interest to them. Have the students write a script for a television commercial that will interest readers in finding out more about the selected topic.