Nicci Sleeter Edel 443

Five E Lesson Plan

Working With Tortoises Grade 2 Lesson 1

Materials: 8 baby tortoises, worksheets, tortoise non fiction books, big tortoise, big paper to use for groups, crayons, and markers

Standards: L.2 A students understand that offspring resembles their parents L.2 B students understand that living things have identifiable characteristics

ENGAGE: Start out by asking the students what they know about the desert tortoise. What do they look like? Where does it live? Write the answers on the board. Look in book on page 23 and list some facts on the tortoise. Also explain there are characteristics or parts to every living thing. Tell them we are learning about three parts of a tortoise today. Then tell them we have special guests we us today. Also explain they have a disease and after handling them we will use sanitizer.

EXPLORE:Hand out a tortoise to each group and a big paper to have each group write down what they observe about the tortoise. Also if they have questions they would like to know about the tortoises. Have them try to identify the parts of a tortoise using their own words. Have a life size drawing of a tortoise and point out the three things you want them to learn. They will be labeled on the drawing. With the names covered up. While they are exploring, tell them the differences between an adult and a baby. Like the fact that the gular horn doesn’t develop until they are 6 years of age.

That is also the way you can tell a male tortoise to a female tortoise. Then put away the tortoises and sanitize the class using a helper.

EXPLAIN:Have each group explain what they wrote down. Have them explain in their words the different parts of a tortoise. Have them also try to explain where they think tortoises live. Ask them to describe a desert. What parts on a tortoise helps them to survive in the desert.

ELABORATE:Hand out the worksheet that has the parts of a tortoise on it. Explain the gular horn, which is used to turn over turtles while they are fighting. The plastron is the lower shell that protects vital organs. The carapace, which is its armor. Go over the other parts listed on the hand out with them.

EVALUATE:Let them color the three parts as you name them off. Take off the coverings on the large tortoise and make sure they know the three parts. Go around the room checking to see how they did then let them color the rest of the page. As you go around have a list so you can jot down their scores.

ACCOMMONDATIONS/MODIFICATIONS:If children are afraid of the tortoises let them go into a group and just color the worksheet with the parts on it.

Tortoise Adaptations Lesson 2

Materials: The Foolish Tortoise by Eric Carle, paper plates, yarn, markers or crayons

Standards: L2A2 Students know differences exist among individuals of the same kind of plant or animal

ENGAGE: Ask the students what they remember about the tortoises from last week. Then introduce the book The Foolish Tortoise by Eric Carle. Read the book. Ask why they think the shell is important? Go over the three words from last week: gular horn is used for fighting and turning tortoises on their backs, carapace which is a hard shell that protects them from the environment and predators, the plastron protects their insides and also from predators. Tell the students we are learning a new word today called adaptations. An adaptation which means change or something that an animal has that helps it to survive in a certain environment. Ask what adaptations would a tortoise have?

EXPLORE: Hand out the paper plates. Have the students write adaptation on the inside of the paper plate then have them write 1-4 underneath the word. Have them in a group think of four adaptations for a tortoise.

EXPLAIN: Hear the adaptations that the students have discussed. Then list on the board these adaptations. Ask questions like how do the tortoises adapt to their surroundings. Have them write the four adaptations on their paper plate.

ELABORATE: Next have them flip over the paper plate and make a T then have them draw the four adaptations they wrote on the inside of the paper plate. When they are done take the other paper plate and have them decorate it so they have a shell.

EVALUATE: As you go around and tie their “shells” to them ask them what adaptations they used.

ACCOMENDATIONS/MODIFICATIONS:Instead of having the students write the adaptations have them color adaptations with your help.

Animal Adaptations In The Desert Lesson 3

Materials: clothespins, piece of tan felt, wooden spoons, hand rake, sun visor with googly eyes glue on it, swimmer’s nose plug, small sponges and drawing paper

Standards: L2B1 Students know humans and other animals use their senses to know their world. N2A2 Students know tools can be used safely to gather data and extend the senses.

ENGAGE: Start by reminding students what adaptations are. An adaptation is change or something that an animal has that helps it to survive in a certain environment. Show them the desert box, explain that each will come up and explore the contents of the box with the teacher. Tell them we are going to learn about the adaptations of other animals beside the tortoise from the desert. Explain what a desert is in case some of the children do not know. Talk about animals in the desert but don’t write them down see if they can remember them for the next part.

EXPLORE: Have each student come explore the contents of the desert box. While each student come up have the other students answering questions you have written on the board about what could be in the box. Questions like: Name other animals you remember from the desert? What adaptations do these animals might have to survive in the desert? What kind of place is the desert? On the box are the instructions for explaining what each piece represents of an adaptation or sense that other animals use in the desert.

EXPLAIN: After everyone has come up to the desert box. Have children explain to the class what they saw and how adaptation fits in to what they saw. Explain more in depth how the desert box explains the adaptations and what kind of animals use these adaptations. See if they can guess the animals.

ELABORATE: Give them drawing paper and have them draw the animals and have them label the adaptation they drew. Tell them they can’t use a tortoise since we did those adaptations last week.

EVALUATE: Go around and check to see if the students were able to identify adaptations in other animals. When finished pick up the papers.

ACCOMENDATIONS/MODIFICATIONSHave these students color desert animals. Maybe give them a color sheet.

Mojave Desert Animals Lesson 4

Materials: books, encyclopedias, computers, and big drawing paper

Standards: L2B Students understand that living things have identifiable characteristics

ENGAGE: Explain we are going to learn some animals of the Mojave Desert. Since that is where we live! Start by showing the website www.Mudface.net/MDW/html. Go over the words they might not know like habits: as in how they survive and how you can find them, food source: what they eat, predators: who hunts them. Any other words they find they do not know. Then go over the animals on the website.

EXPLORE: Break them in to groups and have them pick an animal from the website. There are 12 do not count the desert tortoise.

Have books about each of the animals in the classroom so they can gather more info. Also encyclopedias and computers out in the hall are available for their use. Make sure they have each of the 4 subjects to learn more about.

EXPLAIN: After giving them plenty of time to get the information probably 30 minutes. Have them come back together maybe after lunch and share what they learned with the class. Especially make sure they get the characteristics of the whole animal needed to complete the assignment. Have the students write notes about the other animals while their classmates are sharing. There are notes with this lesson plan that has everything that I want them to know about the animals

ELABORATE: Next have them take big sheets of paper and design a picture and underneath all the info that they came up with.Go around and make sure they have enough info on each subject.

EVALUATE: After they are finished have them hand them in for a grade.

ACCOMENDATIONS/MODIFICATIONS: Have them help draw the picture of the animal and if can help find information.

Cactus Hotel Lesson 5

Materials: Cactus Hotel by Brenda Z Guiberson, non-fiction book, yarn, fact page

Standards: N2A1 Students know how to make observations and give descriptions using words, numbers, and drawing

ENGAGE: What has arms but no legs? What can weigh as much as an elephant and be taller than a giraffe? What looks like a giant pickle? Start out with these questions. Tell them a Saguaro Cactus!

Show the lengths of a cactus with the string. Have a student help you with the longer ones. Explain that this is how long a Saguaro Cactus can get. Then introduce the book and start reading.

EXPLORE: Have them in groups and write the following questions on the board and have them discuss them. First Discuss how the Saguaro seed was moved from one place to another. Write What other ways that seeds can move? (wind rain, by animals, etc)What is a coyote? (meat eating animal, smaller than a wolf)What is a jackrabbit? (hare found in the open country of western North America)Where are the flowers on a cactus? (top) When do they open? (night)

EXPLAIN: Go around and answer the questions from the board. Read more about the Saguaro cactus on page 9 of Living In A Desert. Read the fact sheet on the Saguaro Cactus.

ELABORATE: Do the role playing activity that is on the fact page. Assign students the different roles from the book. Then go back through the book and let students act out their parts.

EVALUATE: Go around and ask each student a fact about a Saguaro Cactus and make sure to listen to their observations of the cactus.

ACCOMDENTATIONS/MODIFICATIONS:Have the students help the other students with the questions. Maybe make sure they are involved in the reenactment of the story.