Infusion of Literacy into the Science Curriculum
Book Information
Title
Scranimals
Author
Jack Prelutsky
Publisher
New York: Greenwillow Books
Copyright Year
2002
IBN#
0688178200
Summary
Availability
Welcome to the world of scranimals in this
original and surprising picture book, where
nothing is as it seems--especially the scrambled
animals. Full color.
Arlington Central Library; APS Library system
Barcroft, Arlington Traditional, Ashlawn; Amazon
(for purchase).
How can the book content be infused into the science curriculum?
Grade Level
K-5
Strands
Scientific Investigation, Reasoning and
Logic; Matter
Kindergarten
Scientific Investigation, Reasoning and Logic
K.1; K.2- Five senses, descriptions and
sequencing
Life Processes
K.6 & K.7 Basic life needs, processes of plants
and animals
Grade 1
Scientific Investigation, Reasoning and Logic
1.1- Classifying, measuring, predicting
Life Process
1.4 & 1.5
Plants and Animals- needs, parts, characteristics
Grade 2
Scientific Investigation, Reasoning and Logic
2.1- Measurement, classification, graphs,
unexpected data
Living Systmes
2.5 Systems include living and nonliving things;
habitats
Grade 3
Scientific Investigation, Reasoning and Logic
3.1- Making predications and observations, data
charted, drawing conclusion
Life Processes
3.4 Animal Adaptations
Scientific Investigation, Reasoning and Logic
4.1- Hypotheses, predictions, measurement
Grade 4
Grade 5
Scientific Investigation, Reasoning and Logic
5.1- Classification key, measurement, graphing
data, variables
Living Systems
5.5 Characteristics for organism’s survival
Sample Activities
Grade K-2
Students will travel to Scranimal Island. This is an
island that is not located on any maps. Only
scranimals live there. A scranimal is an animal
with at least two different body parts. For
example; an Mooscheetah is an moose and
cheetah combined as one animal.
After reading the poems from the book Scranimal
Island play a round of New Zoo using the script: A
zebra has black and white stripes…put his stripes
on a gorilla…make up a new name to describe this
animal….did you think of zeb-orilla or how about
gor-bra. Continue with other combinations of
creatures.
The students will now have a chance to create their
own Scranimal. It must be a combination of two
real living creatures. First they are to draw both
real creatures. They are then to name the creature
that they make up combining the two. They will
then list three descriptive words about the creature
and write a full sentence explaining one amazing
thing their creature can do. The student will create
their own scranimal by drawing or painting them,
and creating a background for their scranimal to
live in.
(New Zoo is a game from the book Scamper,
Creative Games and Activities for Imagination
Development).
Grade 3
Start with the activities from above. Then students
will create a new unusual creature that was
discovered in Arlington, VA. Students will draw and
write about this new creature.
Using the SCAMPER method students will write
about How this animal has been able to survive in
Virginia.
1.
Substitute the legs it currently
has for other ones. How would this help or
hinder the animal?
2.
What are some combinations on
this animal that help it survive? Explain.
3.
Combine parts from other
animals, things, people, to make the animal
more adaptable to Virginia.
4.
What part of the animal could
you change to make it more adaptable to its
environment? Explain.
5.
What could you modifiy or
change on the animal? How would this
help/hinder its survival as a species?
6.
Put this animal to other uses.
How could this animal be used in society?
7.
What would happen if you
eliminated a part of the animal’s unique
features? How would it change its survival
and/or habits?
8.
Reverse the situation. In the
assignment you have been showing ways this
animal is adaptable to our region. Now, it’s your
chance to show what ways you would make it so
that it wasn’t adaptable to our area. How would
you do this? What parts would you change on
the animal to make it less adaptable to our
environment? Explain your reasoning.
Adapted from Biological Wonder Discovered in
Arlington, VA APS Gifted Services 2008