Exploring the World through Wildlife – 7360

TIPC Ratings

Approaching: Students were allowed to research through a variety of internet and non-fiction resources. Students investigation was facilitated by the librarian, classroom teacher, and a graphic organizer including the key information required for the lesson. Students selected the appropriate information to use when they completed their slide. Students were also challenged to construct a question about their continent they did not find in the initial research. Students worked together to research then individually assembled and organized their information to complete the continent slide.

Approaching: Students chose continents, in which they had an interest. Students placed their names on sticky notes and then placed them on the continent they chose. Small groups were formed based on the student’s continents, and it worked out to be about 4 students per continent. This group worked to collect research in the library and then share with each verbally to maximize the experience. Students completed their google slide individually but did present their continent information to the class so all students were able to learn more about continents they did not specifically research. Since the google presentation was available online students could reference the information, at any time.

Approaching: Students focused on several problems to expand their thinking and experiences through out this project. Students were first asked to choose a continent to research where they had an interest. Once they completed research on their continent they were asked to use that information to justify decision making regarding an animal’s habitat and adaptations which may occur in a different location. Students were challenged to generate a question to guide further research on the continent, which extended the critical thinking used in research their chosen continent. Participating in the zoo cams exploration allowed students to think critically in regards to the changes which might take place if the location of the animal and/or zoo cam would change. Students would not be able to make these conjectures due to a firm understanding of the basic knowledge and high-order thinking questions being posed throughout the lesson.

Approaching: As students reviewed the different zoo cams, they were challenged to think about the animals living on the continents they researched. The question was posed by the teacher and librarian, What would animals need in the climate of your continent? Students would need to generate an answer based on the knowledge of they have about their continent, climate, animal, habitat and animal adaptations. Students would have to use all of the previous skills to develop the idea for the animal. What about it would change and then how would that changed help the animal in its new location?