NGSS-2013.3-LS4-4.LS4.D.1
Populations live in a variety of habitats, and change in those habitats affects the organisms living there. (3-LS4-4)
US-CC-ELA-2010.3.RI.5
Use text features and search tools (e.g., key words, sidebars, hyperlinks) to locate information relevant to a given topic efficiently.
US-CC-ELA-2010.3.RI.7
Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the words in a text to demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g., where, when, why, and how key events occur).
US-CC-ELA-2010.SL.6-12.ANCHOR.4
Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
In groups, students will research one habitat.
Students will use text features and illustrations in informational texts to help them find information.
In groups, students will present information about their habitat.
When given a habitat, students will identify features of the habitat including climate, vegetation, and animals.
When given informational texts, students will use text features and illustrations to find information.
When given a habitat and informational texts, students will present in groups to the rest of the class on the habitat they researched.

This lesson is for a class of 25 third graders.
Working with the informational texts and seeing the posters of other groups will appeal to visual learners. The creation of the poster will appeal to kinesthetic learners. The discussions within the group and the presentation to the class will appeal to auditory learners.
Desks will be pushed together to form tables of four or six desks. These tables will be spread around the room.
This lesson will take two periods of about 35 minutes each.
I would allow a child on the functioning end of the autism spectrum to choose his or her group mates. Though I would encourage the student to participate in the presentation, I might also excuse that child from presenting depending on his/her comfort level.
I will allow the group that an ADD student is a part of to work in the hallway or somewhere else relatively quiet and away from the other groups. I will check on this group more often and provide encouragements and reminders to stay on task.
Habitat video
A variety of texts on habitats including deserts, rainforests, oceans, grasslands, deciduous forests, and tundra
6 poster boards
Crayons, colored pencils, and markers
6 checklists (1 per group)

I will show the habitat video.
After the video, I will ask students to name habitats that they either learned about in the video or already knew about.
I will make a list on the board.
I will guide students if necessary so that our list includes desert, rainforest, ocean, grassland/prairie, deciduous forest, and tundra.
I will explain that we will be doing group work to research one habitat and make a poster to present to the class. I will assign 4-5 students to each habitat. I will provide each group with a checklist of things they need to include on their poster. I will go over the checklist before dismissing students into their groups.
I will provide each group with several books on their habitat. I will inform students that we do not have a lot of time to research and create the posters. I will remind students to use features of the text, such as the index or table of contents, to find specific information. I will also remind students to look at the illustrations as well as the text to find information.
We will use the rest of science time to work on the posters. Groups will be presenting their posters the following day during science. I will give students 3 minutes before the first presentation to prepare. I will inform students that every group member needs to participate in the presentation.
After each group has presented, I will ask students to tell me what type of habitat we live in.
I will ask students what type of habitat beavers like the one in “How the Beaver Got His Tail” live in.
I will ask students what might happen to the animals in a habitat if something changed. For example, what might happen to the animals in the grasslands if we cut down the grass and built a shopping mall? Or, what might happen to the plants and animals in the oceans if we decided to

dump all of our trash in the oceans? I will lead a short discussion on the effects of changes on a habitat.
Each group will be graded according to the rubric below.
Habitat Presentation Rubric
Group
Work
Target (3 pts)
All group members worked efficiently and effectively together to research and create the poster.
Acceptable (2 pts) Unacceptable (1 pt)
Most of the group members Group members were worked efficiently and effectively together to research and create the poster. unable to work together.
Each member created their own poster.
Presentation All of the group members Most of the group members One student presented the participated in presenting the poster. participated in presenting the poster. poster.
Illustration The poster is illustrated with plants and animals relevant to the assigned habitat.
The poster is illustrated with plants and animals, the that is not relevant to the majority of which are
There is a small illustration assigned habitat. relevant to the assigned habitat.
Climate The climate of the habitat is discussed. The
The climate of the habitat is The climate of the habitat either is neither discussed nor is information on the poster is correct. not discussed or incorrect. the information on the poster correct.
Vegetation
Location
The vegetation of the habitat is discussed. The information on the poster is correct.
An example location of the assigned habitat is given.
The vegetation of the habitat is either not discussed or incorrect.
The vegetation of the habitat is neither discussed nor is the information on the poster correct.
An example location of the habitat is given but it is incorrect.
Names The names of the group members and the habitat are included on the poster.
Animals 3 animals that live in the assigned habitat are correctly identified.
The name of the habitat or the names of the group members can be found on the poster.
Two animals that live in the One animal that lives in the assigned habitat are correctly identified. assigned habitat is correctly identified.
For an extension to this lesson, students may go to http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/animals/creaturefeature/ . Click on a habitat that you did not research and read about three animals that live in the habitat. Scroll through all the pictures

and text slides. Record two facts about the animal that you didn’t know and list dangers the animal faces (predators, loss of habitat, extreme conditions, etc).