Animal Adaptations using Glogster
Heather Pirraglia-Hanes
Target Audience – My 5th grade students. I currently teach 3 classes of 5th grade writing and science. I have 22 students in two classes and 7 in the other.
Materials – PowerPoint, computer, smart board, Animal Adaptation content to teach.
Objectives –
The learners will identify the adaptations of a specific animal using research tools in order to create an interactive poster in Glogster.
The learners will analyze adaptations of a given animal in order to create an interactive poster.
The learners will explain how an animal uses its adaptations to thrive in its environment on the interactive poster created using Glogster.
Procedure – This is a weeklong mini unit.
Day 1 – Slides 2 - 5
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Teacher will display and read the essential question on slide 2 and tell students that they will know the answer to the question by the end of the mini-lesson.
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Teacher will read aloud the Key Vocabulary Terms from slide 2 and then add them to the science word wall. Words: adaptation, trait, camouflage
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Slide 3: Review the definition of adaptation
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Slide 4: Link to the web site on plant adaptation. Point out adaptations that plants have made in order to adapt to the resources in a variety of different environments.
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Slide 5: Summary-Round Table: each students give an example of a plant and its adaptations
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Assign students a plant or animal for their Glogster project.
Day 2 – Slides 6-7
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Slide 6: Link to the web site on animal adaptation. Point out adaptations that animals have made in order to adapt to the resources in a variety of different environments.
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Slide 7: Summary: Tag, You’re It! Toss a stress ball from student to student. The student with the ball gives an example of an animal adaptation and then tosses the ball to another student. If the receiving student cannot think of an example they toss it and sit down. Play continues until all students are seated.
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Allow students time during centers to work on their Glogster project.
Day 3 Slides 8-14
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Slide 8: Working with their shoulder partner, have students come to agreement on answer. Have students share and then check their answers on slide 9.
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Slide10: Working with their shoulder partner, have students come to agreement on answer. Have students share and then check their answer on slide 11.
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Slide12: Working with their shoulder partner, have students come to agreement on answer. Have students share and then check their answer on slide 13.
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Slide 14: Summarizing…answer the LEQ (What adaptations of organisms allow them to thrive in their environments?)
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Allow students time during centers to work on their Glogster project.
Day 4 – Slides 15-20
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Students read and work independently to answer questions on slide 15-18. Check the answers on slide 19. Teacher should review answers with students.
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Slide 20 Summarizing..First person writing.
Day 5
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Give students mini assessment.
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Glogster presentations.
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Give students a homework assignment to write about how they felt about using Glogster, how their project went, and what changes they would make next in doing this again.
Web 2.0 Tool – Glogster. Glogster is a website that allows you to create interactive posters that include graphics, images and video.
Social Participation/Social Learning – cooperative learning activities are utilized throughout the lessons. Students are working in pairs and in small groups during instruction and then they are in small groups for centers.
Making Connections – Each student will be learning all about the adaptations of a specific plant or animal, thus connecting them on a global scale. By having the students present their projects, students are connecting with each other by providing feedback and they are also connecting with the new plant or animal. Students are learning there are different places around the world and becoming familiar with the different environments. By giving some students animals they would find close to home, they also form a deeper connection with their home environment.
Create/Produce – Students will create an interactive poster using Glogster. Posters will be shared on the last day via the SmartBoard.
Assessment – Students will take a mini assessment quiz at the end of the week to assess their knowledge of the material. I will design a rubric for the Glogster posters.
Reflection –Students will reflect on how their project went over the weekend, after giving their presentation in their science journals. Reflections should indicate how they feel the project went, what they liked about Glogster, what the didn’t like about Glogster and what they would change if they had to do the project again.
