This lesson is for : Grade 6,Grade 7:
Summary
Imagine this! You are working in the field as a zoologist and find a strange new creature. How would you classify it? You want to include this new animal in your zoo collection but need to prove how it fits into an existing animal phylum. As students research and collaborate to become experts on the different phyla in the animal kingdom, they will apply their knowledge to create a new animal and justify why it belongs. By the end of the project the entire class will create a virtual “zoo” full of new creatures to explore and learn about each of the animal phyla. Students will also reflect and share their new creatures with fellow “expert scientists” at a different school about different creatures under the same phylum through a Skype session.
TIPC Ratings
Research & Information Fluency
Rating: Approaching – Explanation: Students were asked to locate and evaluate informational sources on the internet as they researched and become experts on a particular phylum characteristics. Students used RADCAB as a way to help make decisions on the sources chosen and determine validity. Students were able to explore some of their own questions about a phylum when finding fun facts about animals belonging to that group.
Communication & Collaboration
Rating: Ideal – Explanation: Communication and Collaboration was exhibited throughout the entire length of the project. Students formed groups based on choice of phylum they wished to research. In some cases students used Google Docs to collaborate in and out of the classroom to complete the research. Students also collaborated as a class when they shared their final creations and explanations in the class’s interactive virtual zoo in ThingLink. As is was not possible for the students from both schools to meet physically, students were able to share their gained expertise, original creations, reflect and receive feedback from each other via Skype.
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
Rating: Approaching – Explanation: As students learned about their phylums and the characteristics animals had in common, students were required to apply that learning to brainstorm ideas for the creation of a new animal that might be classified as such. Student had to go a step further and justify why the new animal belonged through a short written explanation
Creativity & Innovation
Rating: Ideal – Explanation: In the creation of an original animal, students synthesized their new knowledge gained about their chosen phylum, choose appropriate digital tools for creation and justified why their new animal belonged in the class phylum zoo. Innovation was displayed as students went further and created scientific names to accompany their creatures along with placing them in an appropriate habitat. Once completed, students reflected on their work as they discussed and received feedback from students in another school who had become experts and created creatures in the same phylum.
Student Artifact
Lesson Materials
