Animal Classifications Unit

I wanted to share one of my favorite units that  I have created for TPT. I have actually been teaching this unit for about 4 years as a higher level unit but I finally made it look a little cuter for others! :) This is one of my favorite science units to teach through the year. First graders love animals so teaching animal classifications just makes sense. It's also a standard in AZ so there's another reason. :)

 

 

This unit has higher level activities and includes a link to a SMART board lesson with videos for each animal group you can play at school! My district blocks You Tube so I got smart and embedded them in SMART notebook software so they'll work from my school computer. You don't need a SMART board to use these files either! All you need to do is download the free SMART Notebook software.

There are fun activities for each animal group and even a higher level culminating project where students create their own animal, write a report about their animal, decide on a classification for their "newly discovered animal" and then present to the class. Everything you need for this project ( planning sheets, pre-writing organizers, rubrics, etc.) is included. These created animals turn out amazing because of the planning sheets.The students love being "scientists" and deciding their animal's classification.This project also meets many ELA common core standards and they are listed in the unit as well.


I also made a bulletin board set for each animal group that includes all the characteristics specific to animals in that classification. This serves as an anchor chart throughout the unit.

 

Here's all that's included:
Detailed Plans for each lesson
Bulletin Board Set with Animal Group headers and characteristics of each group.
Smart board Lesson Link with videos and activities for each animal
Animal Self Sort with a printable for 2,3 or 4 categories (higher level)
Amphibian fill in the blank
Amphibian Chant
Reptile craft
Reptile Prewriting
Reptile Writing Paper
Amphibian and Reptile Comparison Activity
Amphibian and Reptile Double Bubble Map
Build-a-Bird Game ( So fun!)
Label-a Fish printable
Mammal Activity and worksheet
Animal group sort
Create an animal planning printables
Create an animal prewriting
Create an animal writing paper
Create an animal drawing rubric
Create an animal writing rubric
Create an animal presentation rubric

I have the complete file as a preview on TPT. Check it out if you think it's something you're interested in. It will be worth your money!
Erin