Georgia State Animals & Plants: Habitats and Adaptations
A GC&B Puppet Show Script
Description:
These scripts discuss the habitats and adaptations of six animals and one plant found in Georgia. A full-length
script is included that requires 45-60 minutes for the production, as well as a condensed script which requires
approximately 20-30 minutes. Characters in the script are Georgia State Symbols, plus a penguin as Master of
Ceremonies:
State Marine Mammal: Right Whale
State Butterfly: Tiger Swallowtail
State Reptile: Gopher Tortoise
State Wildflower: Azalea
State Amphibian: Green Tree Frog
State Fish: Largemouth Bass
State ‘Possum: Pogo (“We have met the enemy, and he is us” comic)
Materials:
The following puppets are needed for this production:
Penguin
Right Whale
Gopher Tortoise
Green Tree Frog
Opossum
Swallowtail Butterfly
Azalea Bush (Use as a stick puppet; artificial flowers purchased at a craft store)
Largemouth Bass
A toolkit that contains puppets and scripts may be borrowed from Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful. To schedule a
loan of these kits, contact Brenda McDaniel, Education Manager, at bmcdaniel@gwinnettcb.org or 770-8225187. Additionally, puppets may be purchased commercially or be made by students. Hand puppets may be used
as well as stick puppets, sock or paper bag puppets, marionettes, etc. A puppet theater could be used if desired; a
refrigerator box may be cut out and decorated; or students may use a desk or table that has a skirt or front to
conceal puppeteers. Backgrounds of the habitats may be drawn and taped to a wall behind the stage area. Soft
music may be added if desired; nature sounds are especially appropriate.
The Teacher Resources page includes links for coloring pages, background information, puppet templates, etc.
Essential Questions:
1. What animals and plants are Georgia State Symbols?
2. For each plant and animal in the play, what is their natural habitat?
3. For each plant and animal in the play, what adaptations to their environment help them survive?
AKS:
(3SC_D2006-12) Investigate the habitats of different organisms & the dependence of organisms on their habitat.
12a - differentiate among the habitats of Georgia (mountains, marsh/swamp, coast, piedmont, Atlantic
Ocean) and the organisms that live there
12b - identify features of green plants that allow them to live and thrive in different regions of Georgia
12c - identify features of animals that allow them to live and thrive in different regions of Georgia
12d - explain what will happen to an organism if the habitat is manipulated/changed
(3SC_D2006-13) Explain the effects of pollution and humans on the environment
13a - explain the effects of pollution (littering) to the habitats of plants and animals
13b - identify ways to protect the environment such as conservation of resources and recycling of materials
(3LA_A2005-6) Listen to and view a variety of media to acquire information
(3LA_B2005-8) Listen to, read, comprehend and identify a variety of literary and informational texts
(3LA_B2005-12) Integrate language structure, meaning clues, phonetic strategies and sight vocabulary when
reading text orally and silently
(3LA_B2005-18) Summarize important ideas in informational text
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Georgia State Animals & Plants: Habitats and Adaptations
A GC&B Puppet Show Script
(4SC_D2006-16) Explain various factors (adaptation, variation, behavior, external features) that affect the
survival or extinction of organisms
(4LA_A2005-3) Demonstrate listening comprehension through restating main ideas and details, inferring,
summarizing, offering opinions and drawing conclusions
(5LA_A2005-1) Demonstrate listening comprehension through restating main ideas and details, inferring,
summarizing and making generalizations
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Georgia State Animals & Plants: Habitats and Adaptations
A GC&B Puppet Show Script
Teacher Resources for background information and extensions
Georgia State Symbols: http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2005_06/house/kids/elemsymbols.htm
Georgia Wildlife Resources: http://www.georgiawildlife.org/educatorresources_education.aspx
Georgia regions: http://www.promotega.org/uga07010/ (page by a 3rd grade class)
Map links: http://www.netstate.com/states/maps/ga_maps.htm
Okefenokee Map: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Okefenokeelocatormap.png
Urban habitats (Atlanta):
http://www.sherpaguides.com/georgia/atlanta_urban_wildlife/backyard_herps/index.html
Right whale- “Getting Whale Conservation Right”:
http://www.wildlifetrust.org/enter.cgi?p=news/2007/0201_2_whales.shtml
Right whale lesson plans and stick puppet pattern:
http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonrepro/lessonplans/profbooks/whales.htm
Gopher Tortoise: http://www.uga.edu/srel/edpubs/gopher.htm
Gopher tortoise pictures and information: http://www.nbbd.com/godo/ef/gtortoise/
Green Tree Frog :USGS Page- sound, movie:
http://fl.biology.usgs.gov/education/Herpetology/herpetology.html
http://fl.biology.usgs.gov/herps/Frogs_and_Toads/H_cinerea/h_cinerea.html
Green tree frog adaptations:
http://www.stuartholme.com/eureka/frogs/web%20page%20frog/adaptatins.htm
Opossum coloring page and word find: http://www.opossumsocietyus.org/fun_for_the_joeys.htm
GA DNR Fact Sheet: http://www.goboatgeorgia.com/content/displaycontent.asp?txtDocument=451
Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly:
Great close-up photos, including feeding with proboscis:
http://www.cirrusimage.com/butterfly_etigerswallow.htm
Kid’s butterfly activities: http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabasl/kids.htm
Enchanted Learning’s butterfly pages: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/butterfly/
Swallowtail Butterfly black-line drawing to color: Scroll down to “Coloring page: Tiger Swallowtail
butterfly”:
http://www.abcteach.com/directory/basics/science/animals/bugs/
Butterfly puppet bags: http://www.crayola.com/crafts/detail/butterfly-puppet-party-bags-craft/
Native Azaleas:
http://www.sherpaguides.com/georgia/flint_river/wildnotes/index.html
See ‘Photo Album’ for pictures of natives: http://www.mindspring.com/~earlsommerville/home.htm
Largemouth bass:
Description- http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Micropterus_salmoides/
Kids page: http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/eek/critter/fish/largemouthbass.htm
Coloring page: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/kids/fun_stuff/color/color_largemouth_bass.phtml
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