Exploring Mammals

Lesson Background:
Grade Level: Kindergarten
Subject: Science
Content Standards:
S.K2.LS.1. Essential Concept and/or Skill: Understand and apply knowledge of the
characteristics of living things and how living things are both similar to and different from
each other and from nonliving things.
S.K-2.SI.1. Science is Inquiry: Ask questions about objects organisms and events in the
environment.
S.K-2.LS.3. Understand and apply knowledge of the basic needs of plants and animals and
how they interact with each other and their physical environment.
Objective: Following the lesson, the student will be able to identify charcteristics of
mammals with 100% accuracy when asked 4 questions; each question with two answers to
choose from.
Materials Needed:
Schuetz, K. (2013). Mammals. Minneapolis, MN: Bellwether
Media.
Mammal worksheet~ See attached
Prerequisite Skills: Students have already learned how to

classify animals (classifying living things) in a previous lesson.

Last week we discussed vertebrate versus invertebrate. This
week we are starting the animal classification unit.

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Interaction with Students:

1.

Provide objectives:

Time: 2 minutes

There are five different classes of animals that we will be learning about this week. A
class is a group of animals that share many of the same characteristics. We use classes to
help us learn about animals. Today, we are going to learn about one class of animals called
mammals. At the end of our lesson today, we will be able to fill in the Mammals portion of
our Classification worksheet (see attached). We will continue to add to it after each lesson.
2.

Demonstrate knowledge or skill:

Time: 8 mins

Questions before reading:

Can anyone predict what mammals might be?

What animal is on the cover of this book?

Read book aloud to class.

Questions during reading:
Could someone share with us what the word EXTINCT means? We talked about it
during our lesson on dinosaurs. (page 4)
Vertebrates and Invertebrates are what we discussed last week. Who remembers
what the difference is between them? (page 7)
Use an anchor chart on the bulletin board to list some examples of mammal
characteristics.
Discuss book and review poster of mammals on the bulletin board.
Questions after reading:
What makes a mammal a mammal? (fur or hair, drinks milk as a baby, and is warm
blooded)

Based on what we now know about mammals, are there any other animals
that are mammals that werent in this book? (refer to mammal poster for
clues).

3. Provide guided practice:

Time: 8 mins

4. Check for understanding and provide student feedback:

Time: 12 mins
Every student will have a turn to pick a match. Students will then be asked what animal(s)
they drew and why they think the animal is a mammal and why.

5: Provide extended practice and transfer:

Mammal worksheet (Attached Worksheet)
6. Assessment / Closure:
See attached rubric.

Time: 5 mins

Time: Graded outside of class.

7. DIFFERENTIATION of Content, Process or Product:

a. Adaptation for students who need extra help, time, or attention?
Teacher will monitor student behavior and ask additional questions to prompt

thoughts.
Students will be given extra wait time for processing questions or comments.
Teacher will write key words or important thoughts on the board to guide the
students to the key points.

b. Extension for students of high ability? (Remember, assigning gifted

students to be the tutor for others is not sufficient academic
challenging for students who have mastered the lesson).

Teacher will ask more specific questions: What makes this mammal a mammal? Why
wouldnt this mammal be a mammal?
Students will be allowed to explore more facts about mammals.
Students will be allowed to explore mammals of other climates and prehistoric
mammals.

http://magicandmarkers.blogspot.ca/search/label/Anchor%20Charts

MAMMALS
1) Members of the animal kingdom are grouped by how they
are ________ (alike/different).

2) Mammals are ____________ (warm/cold)-blooded animals.

3) Mammals have __________ (hair or fur/scales).

4) Mammals drink ________ (milk/juice) when they are

babies.

8. References Consulted (Curriculum books in Drake SOE curriculum lab, previous teachers
as resources, online websites, your past experiences, or your own initiatives, etc):

Schuetz, K. (2013). Mammals. Minneapolis, MN: Bellwether Media.

http://www.primatoys.co.za/product/wwf-animal-memory-game-mammals/
Educ 122 Curriculum & Pedagogy class packet
Reading questioning taken from EDUC 170: Reading in the Content Area
Des Moines Public Library
Amazon.com
Google clip art images
www.magicandmarkers.com
www.pinterest.com
www.teacherspayteachers.com