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Grade: Elementary
Subject: Science
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Introduction
The Los Angeles Zoo has hired you to help set up their animal exhibit. They need you to research your favorite animal. The zoo director will use your research to create a habitat. Remember to pay close attention to the adaptations of your animal. These adaptations help your animal live within their environment. Also, you will use your research to care for the animal. Therefore, it is extremely important that during your research, you pay close attention to facts regarding your animal's description, habitat, life cycle and food chain. Make sure you find out some interesting facts about your animal that you, the zookeeper, can share with visitors.
The Task
Your task will be to produce a six page research report for the zoo director. We have all learned that paragraphs need to contain a topic sentence, at least three details and a conclusion. Each page of your report will have a complete paragraph on the page topic. Your research report will have a page description page, habitat page, life cycle page, food chain page, adaptations page and interesting facts page. These pages are extremely important because your animal's habitat and care will depend on your accuracy and hard work. You must also include a colorful front cover, title page, table of contents, reference page and author's page. You must have at least one page with a caption, one page with a labeled drawing, and a compare and contrast page. You must give an oral presentation of your findings to the Los Angeles zoo director and board. If you do a terrific job, you will be retained as a zookeeper. (See teacher's page for standards and prior knowledge.)
Resources
You will find lots of books and magazines to look at in the library. They will help you decide on an animal and learn more about it for your research.
animaltrial.com is a website where you can look at pictures of animals, participate in animal activities and there is a ton of links to other web sites.
enchantedlearning.com is a web site that will help you to search the world wide web to find information about your animal. When you get there type in your animals name in the search box. There should be several links to other sites.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/ at this website you can find out interesting wildfacts. You can type in your animal's name to locate pictures and information.
Gander's Academy is a web site where you can find more animal related resources on the world wide web. When you get there click on the group your animal is in and you will fond a list of animals to learn more about.
http://www.pitt.edu/~poole/eledscienceBioMammal.html at this site you can see an Africam which is a live camera that shows animals in action in the wild. You can also find many facts about your animal. Look for your animal's category. For instance, look under cats for tigers.
http://projects.cbe.ab.ca/ict/2learn/mmspeight/zooschool/zooschool/html/games.htm is a web site that had lots of animal activities like games, word searches, quizzes and much more!
animalomnibus.com is a great site to visit to get more information on animals. You might need help in finding your animal, so ask an adult to help you.
A fun place to play a listening game and learn even more about animals is a site called http://www.naturepark.com/sound1.htm. You will have to listen carefully to find out which animal is talking.
seaworld.org is a terrific web site for animal research. You can obtain many facts about your animal.
yahooligans.com is a search engine. When you get there, you just type in what your looking for!
The Process
1. First you need to decide on an animal to research. Start by looking at the books and magazines in the library and visiting the internet links above.
2. Once you have decided on your animal, get a copy of the research facts and resources sheet.
3. Next, use the same resources to obtain information on your animal and record them on your fact and resource sheet. Make sure you include all texts and websites you utilized.
4. Check the encyclopedia for additional information and record on the fact and resource sheet.
5. Make sure you find information for all six areas of your report (Description, habitat, life cycle, food chain, adaptations and interesting facts). Turn in a completed copy to your teacher.
6. Next, let's take a break from research and design the front cover of your research report. Your cover needs to have a realistic, colorful illustration. You also need to include the title and author and illustrator's name.
7. After you design your cover, get a copy of the rough draft template from your teacher. Begin writing your six paragraphs. You will take facts listed on your fact sheet and write a paragraph for each of the six areas. Make sure your page is titled, has a topic sentence, at least three details and a conclusion.
8. When your rough draft is complete, use a dictionary and thesaurus to help you edit your rough draft. Look for punctuation, capitals and spelling errors. Use our editing aid.
9. Now, let's take a break and sign up for a peer editor. As a peer editor don't forget you need to utilize a dictionary, thesaurus and other classroom aids. Once your paper has been edited by a peer, sign up for a conference with the teacher. Remember, most of your editing should be done by you, and a peer. . .not the teacher.
10. Conference with your teacher for final editing and get a copy of the final draft template.
11. Begin your six page final draft. Use your best penmanship.
12. After you have completed your final draft, use the atlas to locate the continent your animal lives on. Color and label the continent, on the world map, on page 2 of your report.
13. Next, use blank copy paper or Microsoft Word to create your title page. Your title page needs to have the title and author and illustrator's name.
14. Then, use blank copy paper or Microsoft Word to create your Table of Contents. The headings need to be on the left and the corresponding page numbers need to be on the right of the page. You can look at the classroom example if you need to see how it is done.
15. Your next step is to use copy paper or Microsoft Word to create you reference page. Make sure you include all references.
16. Now it's time to design you author's page on blank copy paper or Microsoft Word. Write sure you write about yourself.
17. Hurray, you're almost done! Turn in all of your work in your animal research folder to your teacher.
18. Finally, prepare your oral presentation to the Los Angeles Zoo Director and sign up for a time.
Evaluation
Your research report will be graded by the following rubric.
Poor Zookeeper
0 Developing Zookeeper
1 Accomplished Zookeeper
2 Exemplary Zookeeper
3 Score
Fact and Resource Sheet
The fact resource sheet was incomplete or lost The fact resource sheet contained information in most of the areas and listed limited resources. The fact resource sheet contained information in all areas, was neatly written, and listed different types of resources. The fact resource sheet contained lots of information, was neatly written and listed all types of resources.
Writing Process Writing steps were skipped and final copy contained many mistakes. Some writing steps were skipped or carelessly done, the final copy contained mistakes. The writing process was followed, the final copy contained few mistakes and was neatly written. The writing process was closely followed, the final copy had minimal mistakes and was extraordinarily neat in appearance.
Main Idea and Supporting Details
The paragraphs did not contain a topic sentence, three details and a conclusion. Most of the paragraphs contained an appropriate topic sentence, three paragraphs and a conclusion. Each of the six paragraphs contained an appropriate topic sentence, three details and a conclusion. Each of the six paragraphs contained an appropriate topic sentence, three details, a conclusion and expanded sentences were used.
Authenticity
No facts were accurate. Report contained some facts that were incorrect. Report contained accurate information on the animal Report contained accurate and unusual information on the animal.
Research Report complete with Cover, Title Page, Table of Contents, Author's Page, caption page, label page, map and comparison The research report did not contain any of the listed items. The report contained most of the listed items. The report contained all of the listed items and displayed neat writing and illustrations. The report contained all of the written items and was presented in a creative, neat manner.
Research Sources
No resources were listed on the sheet and there was no reference page. Limited resources were listed on the sheet and reference page was present but not in correct format. Different types of resources were listed on the sheet, reference page was present and in correct format. All types of resources were listed on sheet and reference page was in correct format.
Creativity Report displays no creativity. Report contains some creative elements found in the writing and/or illustrations. Report contains creative elements such as descriptive writing, colorful illustrations and others. Report contains numerous creative elements.
Presentation
No presentation was prepared. The oral presentation was unorganized, posture was inappropriate, voice was too low, and rate of speech was too fast or too slow. The oral presentation was organized, posture was appropriate, voice was projected, eye contact was made with audience and rate of speed was appropriate. The oral presentation was organized and entertaining, posture was appropriate, voice was projected, eye contact was made with audience and rate of speed was appropriate.
Conclusion
Your research mission is now complete. You have accomplished a tremendous task and should be very proud of your efforts. Now you need to organize all your materials into your manilla folder. Be sure to include your fact and resource sheet, rough draft, and final copy. You have utilized the internet, encyclopedias and non-fiction books to obtain facts about your animal. You have completed every step of process writing and utilized a dictionary in the process. You have a completed a six page report complete with a cover, title page, table of contents, reference page and author's page. You have included a caption page, label page and compare and contrast page. You're a terrific zookeeper and you animal is lucky to have you! Congratulations!
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