Script: Did you see that? Right over there! (point somewhere in your classroom) Welcome, scientists! We’re glad to have your help. Here on Ingenia there have been recent sightings of a new, strange animal. It seems like it could be a hybrid, or mix, of a few known animal species. We’re very glad to have your help in identifying this animal and helping us to better understand it.
As guests to our Biology Department on Ingenia you’ll be helping us to learn more about animals we already know so that we can use that knowledge to learn about this new, exciting species! Biologists study living things. What living things do you already know about? (wait for student response)
Play a simplified version of charades to get students thinking about animals and animal characteristics and behaviors.
Script: To start our learning today, we’re going to play a quick game of charades. Charades is a game where someone does motions or movements and everyone else guesses what is being acted out. I’ll be doing the motions and movements for this game. As the person acting things out I cannot say any words or make any sounds. Have you played charades before? (wait for student response)
Play charades by acting like the following animals:
Tip: If this is challenging for your students, give them a hint by telling them that everything you act out will be an animal.
As time allows, continue playing with other animals. You can invite students to act out animals for others to guess, too.
Students will learn about the features and behaviors that make different animals unique and recognizable.
5 min Script: We can recognize an animal from its unique features. A feature is a part of something that is especially noticeable or important. One way biologists can identify different animals is through their unique features. For example, we can tell the difference between an elephant and a rhinoceros because they have different important features. While they are both grey and large, there are distinct differences. What are some important features of an elephant? It’s big ears, it’s long trunk, tusks. What are some important features of a rhinoceros? It has a horn, it’s small ears.
10 min Show the Guess the Animal slides. Have students look at the isolated feature and guess which animal it is. Use questions and prompts like:
10 min Read a book highlighting animal features. See suggestions above.
Students will use what they’ve learned about the unique features of different animals to create an animal caricature, or exaggerated portrait, that emphasizes one or more key features.
5 min Script: Now that we’ve learned about how biologists use unique features to recognize animals, you’ll create an animal caricature. A caricature is a drawing that emphasizes or makes larger a specific feature or features. [Show the caricature example] Ask: What feature or features are exaggerated or larger in these caricatures? The mouths, the chins, the size of their heads, etc.
For your animal caricature, you’ll select an animal, identify its key feature or features, then create a drawing that makes those features large or exaggerated.
TIP: Provide printed or displayed images of various animals for students to reference.
30 min Dismiss students to create their animal caricatures.
5 min Gather students together once caricatures have been created. Have students turn and talk using the following questions:
Watch this short video about Creature Features: Creature Features: Walrus, Manatee, Seal, and Cheetah | PBS LearningMedia (http://pbskids.org/wildkratts/)
5 min Lead a discussion. Ask:
5 min Script: Just like animals, people have features that make us special! Now, you’ll get to draw your own special features. For example, some special features of me are [give examples of things like skin color, hair color/texture, eyes, favorite type of clothing, etc.]. Before we begin drawing and coloring, turn and talk to someone nearby to tell them about some special features of you!
15 min Distribute a coloring page (Person Outline - Free Printable Coloring Pages for Kids) to each student and have them fill it in with their special features.
Have students observe an animal in or around their home (bird, squirrel, dog, fish, etc.) and draw a caricature highlighting its most important features.
