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

A Seasons Arts Integration Unit

Hi everyone! I hope you had a great Labor Day weekend! I mentioned before about it being so hard to post since school started, but I think after 4 weeks, I'm finally getting back in the groove! I have 28 students this year which has been an adjustment but I also have two who need my constant attention.  So, my goal is that I post more than this one time in September!

Now on to something you can hopefully use...
My teammate and I usually do a Seasons Unit the 2-3 week while we are working on months of the year and student birthdays.

First, we read What Makes the Seasons.


The next day we read, My Favorite Time of Year.

I don't have this book but it looks great and it's now on my wishlist!


After reading about the seasons, we created a Circle Map together to show what we know about the seasons.

I then created a few season circle maps without the season listed in the middle. Students then had to infer the season that would be in the middle of the circle map by looking at the pictures describing the season.

Next, we created our own seasons movement showing what we had learned.  I took my students to the dance room this year just because I have so many students and space can be an issue. For the last two years, I have done this in my own room though.
 I start with a movement activity to help students understand how the seasons change. I have the class stand in a circle and choose one to be the sun in the middle. I then chose another student to be the earth and model the earth rotating and orbiting the sun. We all then pretend we are the earth turning every day as we revolve around the sun for the year. We tip our bodies closer to the sun to show why summer is hotter and tip away to show why winter is colder.
Next, we begin to create movements for each season. The students create all the movements themselves. I just use questioning to get them thinking about each season and how we could use our bodies to show our learning.
Here is a video of our movement. This was done in one class period!!!

Here are a few seasons resources I found if you'd like them. Click here to get them from Google Docs.

The first is a cute sorting activity that my teammate found on a blog. She doesn't remember where she got it but if you know, please tell me. I'd like to give credit.

We also make these adorable season books. First, cut pink, green, orange and brown construction paper in half. 1 of each color for each child.

Then use q-tips to paint the leaves onto the trees to show the seasons. Make sure the students color the tree trunks brown first.

Add a cover...

Staple together and voila! ( Note: In my haste to post these pics, I forgot to color my tree trunks brown. Shame on me! :)

Click the link above if you want to make this book and save time finding trees and a cover. Leave me some love if you can use any of these resources or ideas!