Hello team, I’m sorry it took me so long to get back to you on this plan. This plan is basically done. Please
review my notes – green are suggestions, red is a very few amount of things in red to fix. I imagine you’ll
be certified very soon. Thanks! - gy
Animal Picmation STEAM Lesson Brief
Educators on the team: Jennifer Gaskill, Kim Melching, Laura Perkins, Heather Smith
Trained. Dates _Aug. 11 & 12, 2014
Town/State _Knob Noster, MO
Students use knowledge from across the disciplines to strengthen their understanding of each subject’s
content and its related careers through topic or theme oriented realistic problem-based activity-rich
lessons.
Theme that this lesson would tie to: Animals
Specific Topic Concept within that theme: Animal Research
PROJECT IDEA + brief notes & supplies
CC. 2013
BASIC CONCEPTS
STEAM Education
Lesson Brief
Concept: Students will participate in an
animal research project where they
will analyze data and information to
create charts, graphs, maps, and a
report to display their findings.
Still need: MA – LA – SS
Basic Plan:
Begin with what will be done for an
engagement/introduction piece.
In Science, students will participate in
an animal unit elaborate – doing what.
Technology and Engineering will be
covered by guest speakers who will
discuss those topics through their
careers describe what the students will
do. In Math, students will represent
animal data through graphs and/or
charts. During LA, students will
conduct a short research project on
one animal and write an informative
text. In Social Studies, students will
create a map to identify their animal’s
range of habitat. Art will be
incorporated through the creation of
the pictures and borders of the Animal
Picmation. The movement of the
animals will be the focus of the PE
lesson. For music, students will learn
the animal classification system
through performing songs.
Students will create an Animal
Picmation that could be displayed in
the hallway. It will be assessed using a
scoring guide.
Skill level (Grade Range): 5th
Timing of Lesson: approximately two
weeks
CC. 2013
Science –
 Concepts –A food chain shows how living things rely on
each other for food and how energy is moved from one
living thing to another.
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Goal / Objectives – The students will prove their
knowledge of food chains and related lesson
vocabulary through classifying animals according to
the food chain.
Standards – (EC 2 A) Classify populations of organisms
as producers and consumers by the role they serve in
the ecosystem.
Careers – Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists ,
Veterinarians, Agricultural Technicians , Animal
Scientists, Nonfarm Animal Caretakers
Project – The students will define producer, primary
consumer, secondary consumer, and tertiary
consumer. They will also apply this vocabulary to their
own animal research to develop a “four-flap food
chain” that includes their animal of choice for their
Animal Picmation project. Please elaborate on “fourflap food chain” – put in ‘see picture’ or add the
template please.
Assessment – Students will complete a food chain that
includes: four definitions, accurate descriptions, and
correct arrows that correctly classify animals on the
food chain. *See scoring guide
Extension - View The Food Chain by Richard Kern
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZOvqYypOuo)
Then students will explain the information in the video
to a classmate.
Other videos on the same topic:
This one is clear and non-violent – has land and
marine life – would be good to show with the one
above
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pasB5FxhVUk
More realistic – African base
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Bn7wdCP2v4
Magic schoolbus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPe7CUCV3M8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttpNGJcpJ68
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoT3h7c6tLY
- can you kids make a better video – wow there aren’t
many good ones out there for their age group
Remediation/Differentiated Instruction: Using a
STEAM Education
Lesson Brief
Basic Supplies:
All Subjects: animal resource books,
computers, art supplies, white
construction paper, large paper clips,
hole punchers, string/yarn, rulers
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Individual Subjects:
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Science: 4 flap food chain activity
page, classification songs
LA: index cards for note-taking,
notebook paper
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SS: world map
Technology and Engineering: bridge
building materials (toothpicks, popsicle
sticks, clay), poster paper, activity
cards
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PE: animal charade cards
Music: Animal classification song
IT Resources:
Smartboard
Student computers
Internet search tools
Reliable web sites
Word processing program
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Other Resources:
Library books for research
Misc: Career Guest Speakers
Photos:
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variety of visuals, multiple intelligence, and multisensory strategies:
Decoding strategies: To assist with decoding science
terms (word recognition) word attack strategies will
be used: syllabication (breaking words down into
syllables), choral reading, and picture fading approach.
Visuals and Scaffolding support: provided based on
individual students needs. For example, some
students are able to locate and copy the definition of
each term from a text glossary or a smart board;
whereas others require pre-made cloze note
definitions and a corresponding picture.
Semantic mapping/webbing will have students use a
pre-made, teacher provided web and one target term
written in the center. As words are added to the web,
the students will decide how the terms relate to each
other. This helps increase word/concept
comprehension.
Frequent Review & Continuous Feedback: within a
small group or on a one-on-one basis, students will be
frequently exposed to the target science terms using
multi-sensory and multi-intelligence approaches that
fit the needs for that student. Feedback will be given
to each student regarding his/her work by answering
and asking questions. Upon asking a question, ample
wait time to process information, answer questions,
and correct errors.
Multisensory games: illustrating the definition,
matching the term to the correct definition either text
or picture. Physically manipulate terms and/or
pictures to match to concepts
Modeling & Review: Model how to read a pre-made
food web (small group and one-on-one). Continue to
analyze premade food webs (with support as needed)
and practice reading a food web to help improve
comprehension of concepts.
Scavenger Hunt: Struggles with fine motor skills
(drawing), may locate pictures on the computer
and/or in magazines then cut and paste selected
picture on their web.
Pre-Made Template: Provide a pre-made food web
template if making a food web from scratch is too
complicated. The blank template has all the lines and
links already drawn. Students may draw or glue on
pictures.
Technology & Engineering – Engineering in Animal Careers
 Concepts – Explore the engineering and technology
STEAM Education
Lesson Brief
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involved with animal careers
Goal / Objectives – Students will be able to explain
how technology and engineering is involved with
different animal careers after interacting with guest
speakers.
Standards - Create original works as a means of
personal or group expression.
Careers – Mobile Dog Groomer, Park Naturalist, Civil
Engineer
Project - Two guest speakers, a dog groomer and park
naturalist, will come talk to the students about their
careers involving animals. They will describe to the
students how technology and engineering are involved
with their careers. Students will then have a chance to
analyze the use of technology and engineering
through discussion and create models to maintain and
promote our state parks. They will do this through the
creation of a park information display, a bridge model,
an advertising display, and budget. They will use paper
and makers to create a model of their displays and
budgets, and they will use sand, clay, and popsicle
sticks to create a model bridge. This seems like a good
amount of things that don’t have a strong enough
focus. Each element should be described better and
how they will link together. The budget element
seems mostly math, the advertising mostly art and
possibly ELA.
Assessment – Students will successfully create models
of their park displays and a bridge to go in the local
state park and explain how technology and
engineering is used with animals. – this does help tie
it together, have a statement like this with a little
more detail about scope and size
Extension - Students will go to the local state park and
analyze how bridges are constructed and how they
affect the environments of the animals.
Math –
 Concepts – Represent and interpret data
 Goal / Objectives – Display data in a chart or graph in
order to make comparisons
 Standards – Represent and Interpret Data (5.md)
 Careers – Park Naturalist, Mobile Dog Groomer, Farm
Manager, Statistician, Graphic Designer
 Project – Create an organized table or graph to
represent animal data (size, life span, speed, etc.) in
order to make comparisons. This would be one panel
CC. 2013
STEAM Education
Lesson Brief
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LA –
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CC. 2013
of an Animal Picmation project.
Assessment –Students are able to create a neat,
organized graph that accurately displays and
interprets their data. (see scoring guide)
Extension - Students will create graphs using an online
graphing tool.
Concepts – Research skills, note-taking, informative
writing
Goal / Objectives – Write informative text based on
research to examine a topic and convey information
clearly.
Standards – Reading for Informational Text RI 7 & 9,
Writing W2 &7 – can you put the text in here?
Careers – Park Naturalist, Technical Writer, Magazine
Authors, Public Relations Specialists
Project – Research and write a report that describes
their animal’s habitat/shelter, food, family life, and
physical characteristics. This would be one panel of an
Animal Picmation project. What is the purpose of the
report - is this for their park information project, an
article in a journal about a specific animal’s ecosystem
& food chains or what?
Assessment – Students are able to write an organized
report of multiple paragraphs using supporting details
gleaned from informational text and correct
conventions. (see scoring guide)
Extension - Students choose 3 different reports other
than their own. Then they list 3 interesting facts
about each animal in complete sentences. Next they
would share what they learned with a small group.
Remediation/Differentiated Instruction: Using a
variety of visuals, multiple intelligence, and multisensory strategies:
Modeling: effective researching skills (complete
activity together) pre-reading questioning, during
reading questioning, and post-reading questioning.
Chunk information: Text will be provided in a
paragraph or two whereas other students may be
given a book
Questioning: Pre-reading-develop questions with the
student to think about while reading the text. For
example, where is a zebra’s habitat in the wild? If
students are unable to create their own questions, a
pre-made list of questions (cloze notes) will be
provided.
STEAM Education
Lesson Brief
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SS –
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CC. 2013
Leveled Readers: Research using leveled readers at
student’s independent reading level.
Book Walk/Preview: together teacher and student
preview the text being used for research. Teacher
points out headings, reads topic sentence of each
section, and reviews challenging vocabulary prior to
reading.
Pair Share/Reading Buddy: students read aloud
leveled text to a partner and discuss what facts are
important enough to record.
Cloze Notes: students use pre-made cloze while
reading text and are asked to fill-in the blanks to
take notes.
Graphic Organizers: students will be provided with a
pre-made graphic organizer to help them organize
their notes and ideas during research.
Text Lookback Tactic : (post-reading) After student has
read the text at least one time, with or without
support, students will be asked look back over the text
to locate specific information (answers to their
questions)
Typing: students may type notes and paragraphs using
a laptop or Alphasmart instead of paper/pencil.
Visuals/Pictorial representation: students will use
pictures (drawn or found in magazines/computer
while on a scavenger hunt) with corresponding
phrases to describe their animal’s habitat/shelter,
family life, etc. instead of writing a multiple paragraph
report.
Concepts – Range and Mapping
Goal / Objectives – Students will be able to construct a
map correctly displaying their chosen animal’s range
around the world.
Standards - SS 5.5A – construct maps
Careers – Range Manager, Mapping Technicians,
Zoologists and Wildlife Biologist
Project - Student will research the habitat and range
of their chosen animal. After studying and analyzing
the information and already created maps, students
will use a printed map of the world to correctly record
the range of their animal. Once they have completed
their map, they will create the title panel of their
animal picmation project. On their panel they will
write the animal’s name, draw a picture of the animal,
paste their map at the bottom, and create a border
STEAM Education
Lesson Brief
that relates to their animal.
 Assessment – The students will be assessed on their
completed title panel and the accuracy of their
constructed range map. (See scoring guide)
 Extension –Students create one large map for each
class period where everyone in the class labels the
range of their animal on the same map. Once
everyone posts the range of their animal, they analyze
the overlapping of the ranges and the relationships
between the animals that live in the same areas.
 If students did this on google earth or as a prezi with a
world map, they could be blended and be a very
dynamic presentation.
Remediation/Differentiated Instruction:
 Modeling: teacher reviews parts of a map. An
example is provided showing where to place the title,
picture, and border.
 Chunk: Instead of using a world map, student selects
their location of their animal’s specific habitat
(country/area) when presented with 3 or 4 options.
 Compare & Contrast Discussion: students discuss all
the possible locations their animal may live (Africa,
zoo, farm, etc.). Daily, students compares and contrast
the habitat of his/her animal for example discussing
the difference between living in the wild and the zoo.
 Scavenger Hunt: students go on a scavenger hunt to
find a picture of their animal on the computer or in a
magazine, in place of drawing the animal.
Art –
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Concepts – Artwork created for various purposes
 Goal / Objectives – The students will create an animal
portrait with related borders on all four panels of their
Animal Picmation project.
 Standards –Strand 1 Product/Performance ( VA 1)
Portrait: Create a portrait from observation
 Careers - Photographers, Fine Artists, Including
Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators
 Project – Draw and color a portrait of the animal
chosen for research and create borders on all four
panels that relate to that animal.
 Assessment – The students will create an animal
portrait and borders that are neat and colorful.
 Extension – Finished projects are displayed in the
hallway creating a gallery for students and parents to
view.
PE – excellent
CC. 2013
STEAM Education
Lesson Brief
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Concepts – Physical movement of animals
Goal / Objectives – 1) Compare the forms of
movement of various animals 2) Communicate ideas
and feelings through movement
Standards – PE Physical Activity and Lifetime Wellness:
Rhythms and Dance 3B
Careers – Animal breeders, animal trainers, animal
control workers, Veterinarians, Farm and Nonfarm
animal caretakers
Project – 1) Create a frequency chart and graphs
comparing the movement forms of animals (fly, swim,
walk/run, hop/jump, crawl/slither). 2) Demonstrate
animal movements and/or characteristics through
Animal Charades with a small team.
Assessment – 1) Students will be able to accurately
chart, graph, and interpret data. 2) Teammates can
determine the animal during charades based on the
body movements of the player. Students can orally
describe how humans and animals communicate their
ideas (wants and needs) through movement.
Extension – Field trip to the zoo or KN State Park to
observe animal movement
Music –
 Concepts – Educational Music
 Goal / Objectives – Students will learn and teach
through music.
 Standards - HC1D Identify available music related
careers in a given setting.
 Careers - Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten
and Elementary School, Poets, Lyricists and Creative
Writers, Singers
 Project – Learn the scientific animal classification
system through music. See:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gj15UF08lUI
 Assessment – Students will be able to recite the levels
of classification: kingdom, phylum, class, order, family,
genus, and species.
 Extension – Students create their own song or rap to
teach classmates the classification system.
 More music resources here:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zim2hrBfRVQ
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQFhd3X8p6g
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE6wqG4nb3M
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CC. 2013
STEAM Education
Lesson Brief
CC. 2013
STEAM Education
Lesson Brief