The College of New Jersey School of Education
Bianca Venice and Heather Wuest
Title: Ocean Habitat
Grade Level: 1st grade
Cooperating Teacher: Ms. Tindall
Time Allotted: 40 minutes
Description of Topic: Students will identify the basic survival needs of humans. The students will learn
that a habitat contains all of these needs. The students will observe the hermit crab. The students will
conclude that hermit crabs need water, food, shelter, and space to survive too.
Standards:
5.3.2.C.2 A habitat supports the growth of many different plants and animals by meeting their basic
needs of food, water, and shelter.
5.4.2.G.3.Identify and categorize the basic needs of living organisms as they relate to the environment.
Objectives
Students will be able to name the four basic
survival needs of humans.
Students will recognize that humans share the
same basic needs as all other living things
Assessments
The teacher will discuss with the students the
basic survival needs of humans. The students will
draw these needs on their worksheet.
The students will answer the question “Do hermit
crabs have the same basic survival needs as
people?”
Materials: Hermit Crab, Habitat worksheet, Reading Rainbow video, white board, markers
Prior Knowledge: Students will have knowledge that people need certain things to survive and so do
animals. Students may have misconceptions that animals do not have the same basic needs as humans.
Hook (5 minutes):What do all humans need to survive? (Food, water, shelter, space)These things which
we need to survive are all in our “habitat.”
Procedure :( 25 minutes)
1. A habitat is where we live. Not only is it where we live it is where plants and animals live ! Plants
and animals need a habitat too.
2. “Now let’s look at our friend _____’s habitat. Can you spot his shelter, space, water, and food? I
guess humans are not the only ones who need shelter, space, water, and food!” The students
will sing the song with the teacher.
3. The teacher will sing the song, “Food, water, shelter, space, a habitat is a wonderful place! Then
students will sing with the teacher !
4. Group by group the students will come up to observe the hermit crab.
5. The students will return to their seats and be given a worksheet where they will draw a picture
of the hermit crabs habitat.
6. The students will answer the question, “What do hermit crabs and people need in their habitat
in order to survive? Do hermit crabs have the same basic survival needs as people?”
7. The teacher will tell the students that all living things have these basic survival needs.
Closure: (10 minutes) The teacher will show reading rainbow “House for a Hermit Crab.”
Questions:
1. What do people need to survive?
2. Do hermit crabs also need shelter, space, food, and water?
3. Where can livings things find these basic survival needs?
4. What is a habitat?
Classroom Management: The students will sit in their previously assigned “mixed level” groups. The
teacher will utilize the “whole brain learning” strategies for managing the classroom including ”Hands
and eyes, hands and eyes” and “Bring it back bring it back bring it back now.” The teacher will hand out
the habitat worksheet to students after they have observed the hermit crab. Students who are not “on
task” will not be able to come up and observe the hermit crab. The students will use the crayons they
have in their desks. Students who have finished early can retrieve a challenge. Students who are working
especially well will be put on the happy list.
Transitions: The teacher will have the students come up group by group to observe the hermit crab. The
teacher will tell the students that the group sitting quietly and ready will get to look at the hermit crab
first. The students will remain at their desks for the Reading Rainbow video. All papers will go in the
ocean bag at the end of the lesson.
Individualization: The teacher will come around and scaffold the understanding of the lower-leveled
and ESL students. The ESL students will receive a support sheet with words that are prevalent in the
lesson. The support sheet will contain words written in English and picture of the word. The support
sheet will also contain common phrases used regularly in the classroom in English and a picture of the
procedure. This used regularly in the classroom to enhance their comfort in the classroom which will
also heighten their learning. The more advanced learners will collect a challenge from the “Challenge
Bucket” to complete if they finish early the class work early.