Kingdom Animalia--Optional Lessons 11-15
As promised, here is the last of the lesson plans I put together in studying Kingdom Animalia. I have included links to all the lesson plans in this final installment. I hope your children enjoy this unit study as much as mine have.
Lesson 9
After exploring kingdom Animalia's main phyla, you might end this unit study using any or all of these final 5 lessons.
Lesson 11: Conservation and Stewardship
Using a dictionary define conservation, stewardship, extinct, and endangered
Read what the Bible and catechism say about stewardship.
The entire creation narrative from Genesis is a great start, with particular attention paid to Genesis 2: 15-20
Psalm 104 and 105 express beautifully the goodness of God's creation and his loving care as well as the covenant made with Abraham and his descendants, bestowing upon them the lands of Canaan.
Matthew 6: 25-34
Isaiah 43:20-21 Colossians 1:16-17 are wonderful verses reminding us God created all and all he created serves Him first
The USSCB website has a wonderful webpage explaining stewardship from a Catholic perspective.
What is conservation? What does it mean to be a good steward? Read about endangered species and give examples of some endangered animals. Why are they endangered? What can we do as good stewards to ensure their survival?
Read about extinct species. Give examples of an extinct animal and explain how that animal became extinct. What can we do to prevent other species from becoming extinct?
Objectives: Student will be able to define the terms stewardship, conservation, extinct and endangered. Student will be able to explain Church teaching regarding good stewardship. Student will give an example of an endangered animal. Student will be able to give an example of an extinct animal.
Lesson 12: Animal Habitats
Using a dictionary define the term habitat
List and research the major habitats and give a brief description of each. Research and list what kinds of animals live in each habitat.
Polar/arctic
Mountain
Ocean
Desert
Savannah/grassland
Tropical rainforest
Woodland/forest
Tundra
Taiga
Wetland/marsh
Pond
River/lake
Coral reef
Deciduous forest
Tide pool
Cave
Many of the above listed are very similar. There isn't a single good resource for this lesson, but I found just searching the types of each habitat brought up plenty of useful information for this lesson.
Project: Older students choose a habitat to research. Describe the habitat and list types of animals that might live there. Consider the characteristics of one particular animal suited to this habitat, explain why this animal might thrive there.
Younger students choose a habitat to research and draw picture illustrating major characteristics along with at least one animal suited to that habitat.
Objectives: Student will be able to define the term habitat. Student will be able to describe different habitats and will be able to give examples of animals that thrive in particular habitats.
Lesson 13: Life Cycles and Food Chains
Younger students can explore animal life cycles for frogs and butterflies here.
Older students can find information on life cycles here.
Explore food chains using this website.
Project: Older students choose and animal and draw a diagram of its life cycle. Younger students choose a life cycle diagram to color from this website.
Lesson 14: Animal Behavior
Discover Education has a great lesson plan ready to use for this subject. Get it here.
Lesson 15: Careers with Animals
Help students list several different possible careers relating to animals and research a few focusing on job description and educational requirements.
Project: Older students research a career field you might be interested in and write a report. Include any special skills, study, or schooling that might be involved as well as a description of the career.
Younger students: Draw a picture of an animal career you might be interested in. Be sure to include an animal you might work with in your picture.
Objective: Student will be able to identify several different career fields in regard to animals.
Comments