NGSS Lesson Plan:

All about Animals!

By: Yenica Gutierrez
Lesson # 1in a series of 1
Grade: 1 Topic: Life Science
lessons
Brief Lesson Description: This lesson will allow students to explore animals while
integrating different subjects. Students will research an animal of their choice and be able
to create a model of their animal out of recyclable items as well as collaborate with a
group to make a habitat to share with animals that are alike. Students will also be able to
make either a book or Google Slides to present the information they learned about their
animal. As students complete their research they will be able to make a class calendar
individually they will construct one month then add them to the class calendar.
Performance Expectation(s):
Ø Science
3.K.E.1 Develop an awareness of the relationship of features of living things and their
ability to satisfy basic needs that support their growth and survival.
• Make observations of the features and behaviors of many different kinds of animals
with an environment to identify and begin building a list of some of the basic needs
these organisms share, such as water, air, etc.

3.K.E.1 Develop an awareness of the relationship of features of living things and their
ability to satisfy basic needs that support their growth and survival.

Ø Math
Number and Algebraic Thinking
1.1.C.1 Count to 120, starting at any number less than 120. In this range, read and write
numerals and represent a number of objects with a written numeral.

Ø Reading
Reading Informational Text (English, Language Arts, and Reading)
3.1.A.1 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
3.1.B.6 Distinguish between information provided by pictures or other illustrations and
information provided by the words in a text.
3.1.D.10 With prompting and support, read informational text appropriately complex for
grade 1.

Ø Writing
4.1.A.2 Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts
about the topic, and provide some sense of closure.
4.1.B.5 With guidance and support from adults, focus on a topic, respond to questions
and suggestions from peers, and add details to strengthen writing as needed.
4.1.B.6 With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce
and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.
4.1.C.7 Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., explore a number of
“how-to” books on a given topic and use them to write a sequence of instructions).
4.1.C.8 With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or
gather information from provided sources to answer a question.

Specific Learning Outcomes: After students have researched an animal they will be
able to demonstrate their findings through various outlets.
Narrative / Background Information
Prior Student Knowledge:
o Students know what animals are.
o Students know that animals differ from looks, what they eat and what they do.
o Students know what a calendar is and what it looks like.

Science & Engineering Disciplinary Core Ideas: Crosscutting Concepts:

Practices:
• Asking Questions and
Defining Problems
• Developing and Using
Models
• Obtaining, Evaluating,
and Communicating
• Planning and Carrying
Out Investigations
• Choose an item. • Scale, Proportion, and
• Choose an item. Quantity
• Choose an item. • Structure and
Function
• Choose an item.
• Choose an item.

Possible Preconceptions/Misconceptions:

Preconceptions:
Ø I will not be able to present my information on Google slides or a book.
Ø I will not be able to make my animal.

Misconceptions:
Ø Recyclable materials can’t be used to make an animal.

LESSON PLAN – 5-E Model

1. ENGAGE: Story
Description of ENGAGE Opening Activity:
• Describe how the teacher will capture students’ interest.
• What kind of questions should the students ask themselves after the engagement?

The teacher will read What do you do with a tail like this? by Steve Jenkins and Robin
Page. Ask students to think about what their favorite animal is while the book is read
aloud. Students will be able to demonstrate what they already know about animals and
what they learned about the animals in the book. Ask students to share their favorite
animals to the whole class and then allow them to go to PebbleGO to check out their
favorite animal and explore other animals they saw in the book.

Questions to ask before, during or after:

§ What is your favorite animal?
§ What animals do you think we will read about?
§ Who can share a fact they learned about an animal in the book?
§ Was your animal in the book?
§ Did you see an animal that you didn’t know about?

2. EXPLORE: Research Project

Lesson Description – Materials Needed / Probing or Clarifying
Questions:
• Describe what hands-on/minds-on activities students will be doing.
• List “big idea” conceptual questions the teacher will use to encourage and/or focus
students’ exploration

The Research:
Ø Materials:
o PebbleGo
o National Geographic for Kids
o Books from School library (based on animals chosen)
o Beginning Questions for Research
o Fact Sheet Organizer
Allow students to either use their favorite animal to research, one from the book or one
they find interesting from browsing the animals on PebbleGo. Begin research with the
Beginning Questions for Research page to get them started. Students will be able to
choose their animal, draw and label their animal, look for what they eat and where they
live and then provide what are their needs. Then provide students with a Fact Sheet or
organizer that they can use to write down information they find about their animal as
they continue to research. Students should become “experts” of their animals before
moving on to the next step. Make sure they find enough information whether it is online
or check out books from the school library that talk about their animal. This can be
completed with a partner to work on this activity or team up with another class that is
older that can help with the research of the animal the student has chosen.

Questions to make sure they answer:

à Basic needs of your animal?
à What is the habitat of your animal?
à Is your animal endangered?
 à How does your animal stay protected?
à What does your animal eat?
à Where can we find your animal?

Beginning Questions for Research: Example of Fact Sheet Organizer:

The making of the Google slides/ book:

Ø Materials:
o Google Slides
o Write Reader
o Chromebooks
o Research Notes
The research has been completed and now it is time to put it all together. Either have an
upper grade that has experience with Chromebooks or start individually or in small
groups show students how to use Google slides or give them the option to write a book
online by using Write Reader. Students will put together their information on either
option in the order they want. When they have completed adding their information it is
time to PROOFREAD their writing. Allow them to add pictures to complete their
slides/books.

The making of the calendar:

Ø Materials:
o Activinspire
o List of Holidays/ classmate’s birthdays
Students will either choose a month or be given a month. The teacher will let them know
what day the month starts that year and how many days are in the month assigned. Then
the student is able to show their proficiency in ordering numbers from 1 to either
28,29,30,31. Students will also be able to show their understanding of days of the week by
making sure every day from the start of the month gets a number. Once they complete
that they can then add holidays and birthdays to the month they are in charge of. They
can add clipart to decorate their calendar. Students will then be ready to draw their
animal for the picture portion of the calendar, this is where students will show their
knowledge of how their animal looks and make sure they include all body parts that the
animal has that is observable. Once the picture is done students will be able to add facts
to the picture they created about the animal they researched.

Example of calendar:

The making of their animal:

Ø Materials:
o Collect recyclable materials
o Tape
o Glue
o Paper to cover animals
Students will design how they will make their animal that they researched with recyclable
materials that can be collected. The animal should resemble the animal chosen and the
student should decide what materials are needed and how much of it. Then they will be
able to start assembling their animal on their own unless they need adult help with things
like cutting a certain material or using a hot glue gun. Remember to have a mini lesson on
recycling and the importance Ada’s Violin by Susan Hood is a great story to tie both
topics of animals and recycling once they hear how Ada and her community used
recyclable items. Have students understand instead of buying materials for their project
they will use recycled materials to make it happen and therefore are helping our planet.

Example of Recyclable Animal:

Making of animal habitat:

Ø Materials:
o Collect recyclable materials
o Tape
o Glue
Students will use the same recyclable materials that were used to create their animal to
now work in a group that has the same habitat as their animal. Students will be able to
collaborate to make a place where now their animals can live. Students need to
remember their animal needs to make a habitat that is close to the real thing. Students
will need to think about making sure their animal is safe.

3. EXPLAIN: Concepts Explained and Vocabulary Defined: Digital

Presentation
Description:
Vocabulary:
• Student explanations should precede introduction of terms or explanations by the
teacher. What questions or techniques will the teacher use to help students
connect their exploration to the concept under examination?
• List higher order thinking questions which teachers will use to solicit student
explanations and help them to justify their explanations.
Students will present their completed Google Slides or Books that they made to the
audience that was chosen (invite classes, parents or present to the whole class). Their
presentation should demonstrate that students know the basic needs of their animal,
describe observable features of their animal as well as share a diagram of the animal with
labeled body parts. Students should share the information they learned about their animal
like how they protect themselves and survive which tie into their basic needs. The
students should have contributed to the completion of the class calendar. Students should
also present the animal they made out of recyclable materials and be able to share what
they used and how they used it, the animal should also resemble the animal they
researched and be able to point out their body part names. As a group they will share the
habitat they created and present how all the animals belong there and showcase what
they need in their habitat.

4. ELABORATE: Applications and Extensions: Other

Description:
• Describe how students will develop a more sophisticated understanding of the
concept.
• How is this knowledge applied in our daily lives?

After going through this whole animal project, students can move their focus on where
their animal lives. Students could locate different habitats and also locate where in the
world we can find their animals by using maps. Students could also be asked how they can
try to keep their animals safe? Could their animals be endangered? Could there be a way
to prevent their animal from being endangered?

5. EVALUATE: Teacher Observation

Formative Monitoring (Questioning / Discussion):

Completion of each step of the animal project

Summative Assessment (Quiz / Project / Report):

The delivery of the presentation of information, their animal and calendar

DIFFERENTIATION/MODIFICATIONS: Choose an item.

Description:
ELL:
§ Find easy reads to find information
§ Use sights that could read to students
§ Pair with another student
§ Provide questions to find information instead of open ended research

Specials Needs:
 § Pair with another student
§ Allow other method to present research
§ Help to make design plan for recyclable animal

Helpful Resources:

PebbleGo
National Geographic for Kids
Google Slides
Write Reader
Activinspire