Animal Research Projects

TIPC Ratings

This lesson scores in the Developing range in Research & Information Fluency. Students chose an animal to research. Classroom teachers and the librarian helped students pick appropriate animals. Students learned about The Big6 Research method. The school librarian guided students through a Promethean Board lesson on organizing their research. Classroom teachers modeled how to complete the Animal Facts Graphic Organizer. Students used resources in the library to record facts about their animal on their graphic organizer. Classroom teachers and the school librarian monitored and supported students with finding facts and completing the Animal Facts Graphic Organizer. The students were required to find certain facts but they were also asked to find one “fun fact” of their choice.

This project scores in the Developing range of Communication & Collaboration. Although students worked individually on this project, they did present their projects to the class, they evaluated their presentations using a rubric, and they published their work online for others to see outside of their classroom.

This project scores in the Approaching range of Critical Thinking & Problem Solving. Students chose type of digital tool they thought would best convey their information (movie, slideshow, comic). They were also asked to solve one of two real-life problems: (1) Your animal is endangered and becoming extinct. How will you inform others about your animal. How will you encourage people to help? (2) If you were a zookeeper, how would you create a habitat for your animal to survive at your zoo? Finally, students evaluated their own work using a rubric.

This project scores in the Approaching range of Creativity & Innovation. Students could choose whether to make a movie, slideshow, or comic to present their animal research. They added their own ideas to solve an authentic problem. They also reflected on the creative process through their self-evaluation rubric.