Classification of Animals

Keywords: Instructional Strategies, Science, K-12

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O.k. Folks - back to the nitty gritty

The month of April we are going to be studying Animal Classifications etc. One of the TLS's (Targeted Linguistic Structure) which we will be using will be, "Most ______'s are ______. This specific ______ is/does _______." We will be focusing on using the following vocab: usually, most, as a rule, often, generally, normally, one, once, this___, my____, specific, special and for instance.

They will be writing/creating something (I have to decide this week while I'm on Spring Break).

I want them to be able to:

Recognize general info as applying to most animals in the category/class

Recognize specific info as applying to one animal within a category/class Compare and contrast characteristics of members within one group and members belonging to two different groups.

(Yes, there are more objs pertaining to characteristics, habitat etc)

I'm using a unit out of Writing To Write which is IBM Writing Curriculum/Softwa re to help them gain the structure for writing. But, this will be only a beginning exercise to launch them into free writing/creating that something.

I'm here to ask for any ideas about what to write/create. We've done reports and I'd like to do something a bit different. We *could* do a book since we do a lot of them. But, I'm curious to know if you have any ideas for a cumulative activity for this unit.

All ideas pertaining to this unit are WELCOME.

Cathy - who gets to visit the Cincinnati Zoo this month!!! Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Maybe you could do a creative writing exercise where the kids describe an imaginary visit to a zoo and talk about their favorite animal(s). If you're visiting a zoo, you could use the map as sort of a guide to places and animals to visit.

Susan

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Folks,

I'm gonna post my question of yesterday in a bit more general terms and would love to see lots of ideas come out of the woodwork from folks who work with kids of all ages.

Yesterday I asked about a culminating language arts activity for the unit on Animal Species & Classification. Allow me to just ask generally -

Other than writing reports or making a book what are some other ways kids can use written language to produce a product which would demonstrate their knowledge of the material learned?

The project doesn't have to be writing ONLY but I do want it to contain or present information in writing.

We will be taking a trip to a zoo during this unit. Perhaps they could do something which would incorporate the field trip and their classroom study.

Any ideas?

Cathy - teacher who would love to hear others ideas

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Cathy,

How about an "I-Search" paper where each child selects an animal and conducts research on it. The I-Search paper is one that I have found my own chldren (age 14 and 11) and the college seniors that I teach are able to complete successfully and learn from. It is commonly used as a pre-writing activity for a finished research paper...although information gathering and organization is basically the purpose I use it for.

The URL is:

http://www.marshall.edu/commdis/helps/isearchhow.html

If folks are unable to access the instructions this way, let me know and I will post them.

:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:

Karen L. McComas
Communication Disorders, Marshall University
Huntington, WV 25755-2634
More info? finger mccomas@marshall.edu

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In the magazine _Instructor_, there is an article titled "Science Gets Graphic" which explains the graphic organizer. I believe that this is a fine example of how visual graphics can complement writings. That article is only 6 pages long and it is worth to take a trip to library. The article is found in the March issue on page 52.

Of course, I need to insert a disclaimer that I am not teacher and I have not tried it at home except for my own personal uses.

Joseph Pietro Riolo
<riolo@scranton.com>
<riolo@postoffice.ptd.net>
<riolo@pica.army.mil>

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Cathy,

You might want to try making a mural on the different habitats. I did this with a third grade ESL (hearing class) for a unit on Africa. First we made a list of all the animals they could think of that lived in Africa (Some were surprised to find out that kangaroos did *not* live there). Then I asked them to pick one animal and research it by writing ten facts about it, one fact on each of ten index cards. Using their facts, we then worked on combining them into more natural sentences. Then I divided the class into groups by the habitats we were focussing on: grasslands, desert and jungle. Using butcher paper, each group made a mural of all the animals (sometimes two groups worked on one habitat if there were too many kids-more than about 6-8 is unmanageable and problems begin). They used oil pastels for these and the results were remarkable. One desert mural was very minimalist, and really suggested the desert. The murals were posted in various places in the school and the individual reports (in ink and in cursive--you should have heard the groaning!!!) were posted around the edges of the mural. Not only were the kids really proud of this but the rest of the school got to enjoy it and, hopefully, to learn something from it.

kathy mcfadyen
mcf@mail.utexas.edu

************************************************************** **************

Kathy McFadyen
mcf@mail.utexas.edu
Calhoun 431A
c/o linguistics Dept
Calhoun 501
UT austin
Austin, TX 78712

************************************************************** **************

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What about having the kids make up a game with trivia style questions ( and answers, too) including all of the information they learned? Maybe the game board could be like a map of the zoo. Writing questions is tricky, but a good skill to develop. Also they can play the game from time to time to see if they remember all that they learned.

Yetti

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Cathy.

I already responded to your comment from yesterday. Other ideas, just off the top of my head

Put out a special issue newspaper using the topic of your choice.

Make a tryptich display.

Write a script and put on a puppet show

Make a book for a younger class.

Give a group presentation from written notes

Have a debate using written notes.

Make a comic strip,

Make posters.

Write letters to another class,

Make commercials,

I'll add more as I think of them.

kathy mcfadyen
mcf@mail.utexas.edu

************************************************************** **************

Kathy McFadyen
mcf@mail.utexas.edu
Calhoun 431A
c/o linguistics Dept
Calhoun 501
UT austin
Austin, TX 78712

************************************************************** **************

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Cathy--

Another idea for demonstrating knowledge and understanding is to have the kids write a first-person(first-animal?) story about their subjects. That is, a bear could tell how he prepares for a winter of hibernation, or a marsupial might explain how she nurtures her new daughter in her pouch. That would give the students a chance to translate their new-found knowledge into an everyday experience, and let them apply a little creativity as well--usually more motivating than a regurgitation of facts *<:-}. Careful, though...this can lead to illustrations, and skits, and wild speculation about "what if we were all amphibians???"

Have fun--

Paula
george@ppcc.colorado.edu

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I got a suggestion....how about asking the students, in groups of two, to develop their own Planet where most of the people are....but a few are something else...etc. and then drawing pictures to illustrate that or even building clay and stick models.

Another idea would be to search for a story book that has this as a theme...nothing comes to my mind right now but I'm sure you could find something given the right tools. . . .where mine is, I don't know ....but I know it's there!

roselle
American School for the Deaf
r_weiner@sacam.oren.ortn.edu

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-----Cathy, I will give this one a shot - in working with deaf kids I have always found the students to vary a great deal in relation to their experiences, interest, language and academic levels. As a result, it always seems necessary to design academic activities to take into consideration such differences. In relation to your animal characteristics unit and your desire to include writing in a summary, knowledge demonstration/evaluation activity, how about:

1. establish the task of designing, constructing and using a bulletin board display of the information that was gained during the course of the unit.

2. students who have a lot of topical knowledge re. unit could be assigned the task of designing the bulletin board

3. students with less topical knowledge could be assigned the task of gathering pictures and text to produce the bulletin board

4. both groups of students could then work together to actually make the bulletin board

5. once completed, the students could then collectively "brain storm" info. that the board presented and questions that could be asked of individuals who saw the board

6. a neighboring class could then be invited into see the bulletin board and discuss with your class what they saw, did and learned
- then the visiting class could be given a test that was comprised of the questions that your class developed in step #5

7. your class could then mark the quizzes and their (i.e., your class) grade for at least one part of the unit could be the average grade their neighboring classmates got on the quiz following viewing/discussing the bulletin board.

Well that is my "two cents worth," what are some ideas from other EDUDEAF readers?

************************************************************** ***************

Harold A. Johnson
Professor
Kent State University
405 White Hall
Kent, OH 44242-0001
(330) 672-2294 [voice] 2396 [tdd] 2512 [fax]
Harold@monster.educ.kent.edu

************************************************************** **************

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I think the bulletin board idea is an excellent one!!

Another Idea is to develop you own class cards... you know the ones that are periodically sent to you in the mail with the pretty color picture and information about the animals....?

Assign each child an animal and have them research it in encyclopedias and textbooks. Then have the students write a summary in which you provide a framework, for example...

NAME:
SPECIES:
AVERAGE SIZE:
WHERE FOUND:
KINDS OF FOOD IT EATS:

Plus a prose section describing the animal in more detail. Including special information!

Just an idea!! :-)

Lezlie Steffen

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Wow! What wonderful ideas from all of you!!! I'm using several of them in combination with each other.

Younger kids started today on Mixed Up Habitat cards. They place a picture of an animal on the card. Then they write this sentence, "Most (animal) live in (habitat). But, this (animal) lives in (crazy, mixed up habitat)." They then draw a picture of the created habitat. Eventually on the back, they will list characteristics of the animals.

Bulletin board is an interactive board which will change tasks weekly. This week there is a sorting task, an arranging task and an ordering task. After they classify they are to write HOW they did. Next person must use a different means of grouping. Next week they do compare, contrast and chart.

Murals will be made of the five groups of animals. I have five kids so each one will do one and then share with the others. Not sure EXACTLY how this will be done. Still messin' with the ideas.

I have a GeoSafari in my room which has great card/activities for animals. I also have blank cards and codes for them to make their own cards. So, they will also be doing this.

Thanks for the great ideas!

Cathy

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How do these IDEAS sound?

1. Have your kids do a documentary about one or any group of animals they saw at the zoo. The documentary could be a video or live presentation, like a T.V. show. The children would have to draw pictures to go with the "text" of the video or live T.V. show. They'd have to do some additional research, if necessary. But, you'd get a good chance to get those kids to use language.

2. Have your kids set up interviews with different animals. One child or group has to pose questions which the other child or group answers by pretending to be the animal being interviewed. Again, you get to practice language and communcation in a non-written form, although you can require the children to write up their questions.

Hope these two ideas are helpful. A lot has to do with the age of the kids and their maturity level. But, you could have them make up a newspaper for the animals (If animals could read, what would their newspaper look like?) or a comic strip about the animals.

Well, good-bye for now,

Dr. J !

(P.S. Let me know what worked.)

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You can also consider that only ONE approach to demonstrate comprehension of material or text is by asking students to use written language (English). If you are looking for a demonstration of COMPREHENSION, that doesn't always need to get confounded with the ability to express that comprehension through print.

These are some ideas that I have found to be successful which allow students to demonstrate their understanding of concepts, but present that knowledge at times through ASL, and at other times through print:

(I'll use a simple story like "The Three Little Pigs" as an avenue for illustrating)

1) use of Venn diagrams to illustrate common character traits
- interacting circles
- put the wolf in one, the "brick pig" in another, and the other two pigs ("straw and wood pigs" in another.
- what do they ALL have in common
- what do the wolf and the "brick pig" have in common (intelligence, perseverence)
- what do the 3 pigs have in common (they are homeless)

2) give report cards

ie:
workmanship
cleverness
kindness
straw pig
wood pig
brick pig
wolf

What grades would you give each of them on each characteristic?

3) "Hot Seat"

Pretend that you are (the pig, the wolf). Put yourself in character and answer questions from the audience.

4) "Interior monologue"

Stand in front of the group as one of the characters. If you (in character of the wolf,maybe) had had the opportunity, what would you have said?

5) Write an epitaph to appear on the tombstone of the wolf.

6) Write a letter to Dear Abby telling her your story (as the pig) and ask for her advice. Write a response back from Dear Abby.

7) Make a "Wanted" poster for the wolf. Offer a description, a reward, a contact person.

8) Write a newspaper article about the death of the wolf. Who? What? When? Where? Why?

9) "Frozen scenes"

Act out the story. In the middle, freeze a scene from the story. Tap one person who speaks "in character" while the others remain frozen. They can explain what's happening in that scene and what s/he is thinking during this scene.

10) Rewrite the story. How would it have to change if the pigs were deaf. The wolf would need to ring a bell with a light signal... etc.

These are just some alternative ideas of how we might ask students to demonstrate their understanding of a story that they have read or content that they have covered without always requiring them to ONLY WRITE.

These activities DO require students to think at both lower cognitive levels such as simple knowledge and comprehension.....AND.....at higher cognitive levels such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation!!

It's important to offer all different kinds of opportunities!

Uploaded by: Melissa Close/Kent State University/ Deaf Education Major