Description
This lesson combines three great technologies to teach about habitats, including video clips from United Streaming, an interactive web site, and Kidspiration.
Grade Level(s): Grade 2
Subject Area(s): Science Technology
Duration: 45 minutes
Curriculum Standards
Science Life Sciences Technology Technology for Productivity Applications Technology and Communication Applications
1. Explain that animals, including people, need air, water, food, living space and shelter, and plants need air, water, nutrients (e.g., minerals), living space and light to survive.
2. Identify that there are many distinct environments that support different kinds of organisms.
3. Explain why organisms can survive only in environments that meet their needs (e.g., organisms that once lived on earth have disappeared for different reasons such as natural forces or human-caused effects).
5. Explain that food is a basic need of plants and animals (e.g., plants need sunlight to make food and to grow, animals eat plants and/or other animals for food, food chain) and is important because it is a source of energy (e.g., energy used to play, ride bicycles, read, etc.).
7. Compare the habitats of many different kinds of Ohio plants and animals and some of the ways animals depend on plants and each other.
A4. Use a variety of computer and multimedia technology resources for directed learning activities (e.g., computer, VCR/DVD player, audio player, camera).
B2. Identify and use input and output devices to operate and interact with computers and multimedia technology resources (e.g., scanner, digital camera, video camera).
A1. Use media to view information.
B1. Use graphic organizers to plan a presentation (e.g., graphic organizing, charting or mapping software).
Detailed Plan
Step 1: Introduction Explain to the students that they will be learning about habitats today. If they are familar with the term, have the students give their definitions. If not, provide them with the definition that a habitat is the home of a plant of animal, and it provides the plant or animal with everything it needs to live. Feel free to illustrate this introduction by refering to the class pet of class plants if your room has them. Alternately, feel free to bring in a plant or animal, or even bring in stuffed animals (if live ones would not be practical or would be too distracting). Note about video clips for this lesson: All the video clips can be found in the Links Section below. To access the video clips directly you will need your NCCS username and password. Otherwise the video clips can be downloaded from United Streaming. Either way, it is recommended that you save the video clip to your computer, rather than try to stream it live from the web site. To save it, right-click on the link and choose "Save target as..." For schools that do not have subscriptions to United Streaming, the video can probably be borrowed from your area media center. The title is "Habitats - Homes for Living Things". Step 2: Video Clip 1 - Introduction to Habitats Step 3: Video Clip 2 - Forest Habitats Step 4: Video Clip 3 - Pond Habitats Step 5: Interactive Web Site Next, go to the "Animal Homes Game" web site (in the Links Section below) and play "Level 1". This interactive game has four habitats (jungle, farm, house, and sea) and gives you animals to place in their correct habitat. This will help reinforce the idea that each animal has a specific habitat that provides its needs. If you want, feel free to have students come to the computer to do the activity (after you have shown how). Use this as an opportunity to talk about how to use the mouse properly. Step 6: Kidspiration Activity Finally, wrap up the lesson by using the Kidspiration activity "Plant and Animal Needs" (which can be found in the Files Section below). This is a Venn diagram activity that asks the students to sort needs into three categories: "Animal Needs", "Plant Needs", and "Both Plant and Animal Needs". When complete, the sorting should be: Note: There are two versions of the Kidspiration file, one for version 1 and another for version 2. Step 7: Evaluation When the lesson is complete, please fill out the lesson evaluation (in the "Files" section below) and return it to the tech team. This will help us know the value of this lesson and how we can improve it for the future.
Files
Evaluation
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Lesson Evaluation
lesson_evaluation.pdf When the lesson is complete, please fill out this evaluation and return it to the tech team. This will help us know the value of this lesson and how we can improve it for the future.
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Plant and Animal Needs - Kidspiration 1
Plant_and_Animal_Needs.kid This activity has students place plant and animal needs in a Venn diagram. For use with Kidspiration version 1.
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Plant and Animal Needs - Kidspiration 2
Plant_And_Animal_Needs2.kid This activity has students place plant and animal needs in a Venn diagram. For use with Kidspiration version 2.
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Links
General
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Animal Homes game
This cute online game has the student identify which animal lives in which habitat. There are three levels of play. For this activity, play Level 1 where the students match animals to their correct habitats.
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Habitat Video - Conclusion
This video clip provides a conlusion to habitats and sumarizes the main points. (41 seconds long) Right-click and choose "Save Target As..." to save the video to your computer.
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Habitat Video - Forest Habitats
This video clip provides information about the forest habitat. (2 minutes 13 seconds long) Right-click and choose "Save Target As..." to save the video to your computer.
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Habitat Video - Introduction
This video clip provides a general introduction to habitats and what plants and animals need to live. (1 minute 23 seconds long) Right-click and choose "Save Target As..." to save the video to your computer.
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Habitat Video - Pond Habitats
This video clip provides information about the pond habitat. (1 minute 13 seconds long) Right-click and choose "Save Target As..." to save the video to your computer.
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Needed Resources