Subject: Science

#4398. What Animal Am I Thinking About?

Science, level: Kindergarten
Posted Fri May 22 13:04:49 PDT 2009 by Ella Buttery (Ella Buttery).
NA
Cherokee Elementary School, Cherokee, NC/USA
Materials Required: Flashcards with pictures of regional animals on them.
Activity Time: 20 minutes
Concepts Taught: To familiarize students with regional animals, and to be better able to name these animals in the Ch

Standards Addressed: Science
General Goal(s):
Science Goal: 1-The learner will make observations and build an understanding of similarities and differences in animals.

Cherokee Language/Culture Curriculum:Goal 9- ANIMALS-The learner will apply knowledge of animals through identification, classification, and cultural importance.
Specific Objectives:
Science
1.05 Observe the similarities of humans to other animals including:
• Basic needs.
• Growth and change.
• Movement.
Cherokee Language/Culture Curriculum:
9.01 Identify and label animals.
Required Materials:
-Flashcards with pictures of regional animals on them.

Anticipatory Set (Lead-In): There are many different regional animals that we have been learning about for some time. Let's see how many names that we can remember in English and in Cherokee of these animals.

Step-By-Step Procedures:
1. Begin this guessing game by naming something about a particular animal. For example: This animal is often big, furry, and it hibernates during winter. Answer: Bear. Then, we all name the animal in Cherokee. . .Yona.
2. If students are having difficulty, I will have them look briefly at the flashcard of the unknown animal.
2. Then, I will ask again what the animal's name is in English. Then, for us, teacher would then ask what the animal's name is in Cherokee.
3. This game can be played in teams or one-on-one, whatever the teacher and students want.

Plan For Independent Practice: Whenever we begin our year, students work with teams. By the end of the year, students are asking for flashcards to play with a partner usually. Therefore, I usually have a student who is very successful paired with a less proficient student or a shy student who does not like to offer answers in a large group.

Closure (Reflect Anticipatory Set): We all celebrate the fact that we have so very many different animals living so close to us. We count how many animals were named from

Assessment Based On Objectives: I simply observe who is having difficulties, and have others assist during the game. Then, as a one-on-one reinforcement, I will call the students over and ask them one at a time if they know the animals. I do this until each student can successfully name at least 10 animals in Cherokee.
Adaptations (For Students With Learning Disabilities):
For my hearing impaired, I offer the names of animals in sign language.
For those who are sight impaired, one could use larger pictures of animals, and/or different seating arrangements.
If the sight impaired student still is having difficulty, the Braille system could be used as an alternative or audio taped sounds that the animals make.

Extensions (For Gifted Students):
For gifted students, I have them try to write the names of the animals or write a short story about their favorite animal. As another extension, teachers could have students do research about an animal of their choice and tell peers about the animal. If students wish, they could not offer the name, just facts that were learned through research, and have others guess what animal it is.

Possible Connections To Other Subjects:
Social Studies: Teachers could use animals from their region of the world also. In addition, teachers could use names of the animals in different languages other than English like we do. could be a part of this lesson by showing on a map where to find certain animals.
Mathematics: Students could measure how big the animals are compared to themselves. Or how many animals of a certain kind live near them.
Language Arts: Having students write about animals is a great activity. Having them write about what they would do if they were a certain animal if they were that animal is always a fun project.