Week Five

Schedule
Two 45-minute classroom periods for research

Goals
Students continue researching which animals live in their biome. They learn about animal adaptations in each biome, such as camouflage or body structure. And then they translate this knowledge by making three-dimensional representations of animals for their models.

Materials
Teacher-made articles, images, visual encyclopedias of animals, books

Procedure
Allow time for students to review their written and web-based research notes with an emphasis on animals. Ask students which animals interest them and why. Ask students to consider how these animals have adapted to their particular biome. Have members of each group decide which animals each person will make.

Assessment
Formal: Teacher review of note-taking sheets
Informal: Asking children individually and in whole group about learnings, discoveries, and questions about animals in their biome

Suggestions for Teachers

• Online and visual encyclopedias of animals are very helpful.
• Ensure that students have chosen animals that do in fact live in that particular biome.
• Allow plenty of time for students to do this work, as the interest level in animals is always so high.
• Challenge students to create more than one type of animal, and then to create several of them.

Schedule
One hour with classroom, art, and student teacher or volunteer teachers

Goals
While thinking about the most important animal in their biome, students will be pulling, pinching, and sculpting the shape of their animal. During this process, students will be learning about the malleable properties of clay along with how to represent an animal from the real world.

Materials
Sculpt-it, pin tools, pipe cleaners, beads and scissors

Procedure
Motivation Question:

• What is the biggest animal in your biome? (Listen to a few students.)
• Which is the smallest? (Listen to a few students.)
• What are all the parts that make an animal? (Make a list.)
• If I have to shape this sculpt-it with my hands to make an animal, where should I start? Who would like to show me? (Allow demonstration from a child.) What shall we do next? (Allow children to demonstrate.)

Introduction of materials
If you are interested in small details, you can use a pin tool to scratch the surface or you can add materials such as beads or pipe cleaner. Once it dries, you will paint them and you will see that this is when they will come to life! Before you begin, have a dialog with your group as to who will be making the largest animals and use that for scale. You can also get the house so it can be used for scale.

Assessment
Informal: Observing children’s conversations, choices and model-building decisions. Asking questions about their choice of shape and size.

Suggestions for Teachers

• Allow each child to touch and explore with sculpt-it.
• Assign an adult to each group. This adult will be their mediator and role model during the duration of the construction. We found that it helps to manage conflicts and progress if an assigned teacher is dedicated to the group.
• Have photos and computers available.
• Provide pin tools or toothpicks for fine details.
• Provide watercolors once dry.
• Provide a tray for each group to save their work.

• Animals Note Sheet (pdf)