Script: Hello, biologists! We’re glad to have you here again because we have some important new information about the mystery animal on Ingenia. People all around Ingenia have been seeing signs of the animal. Here’s what we know about how this animal behaves: it seems to only come out at night; it moves very quickly and can jump very high; it has been seen up in trees; we think it is digging holes.
5 min Write each behavior on chart paper for students to refer to. Lead a group discussion. Ask:
Read each riddle aloud and invite students to guess the animal. As you read each riddle, invite students to stand up and act out what is being read.
As needed, after reading a riddle, break it down into the individual sentences and have students make guesses at each part.
Students will learn about behaviors that make different animals unique.
Materials: for the class
5 min Script: In the last lesson, we learned about unique animal features. Not only do animals have features that look distinct, they also have specific behaviors. We can learn a lot about animals by observing their behaviors, or how they act and what they do. Around the classroom are printed pages of different animals and a few of their key behaviors. You’ll rotate around the room in a small group to learn about these animals and their behaviors as we prepare to play a game. As you read about the animal behaviors, think about which behaviors feel most useful, helpful, or interesting to you.
25 min Group students and dismiss them by groups to each Animal Behavior page. Consider grouping students with varied reading abilities together so readers can support non-readers in learning about the animal behaviors. Rotate student groups every 5 minutes until all students have read each Animal Behavior page.
5 min Lead a Discussion:
Students will use what they’ve learned about the behaviors of different animals to select an animal character and engage in a role-play style game.
Materials: for the class
5 min Script: Now that we’ve learned about the important behaviors of 5 well-known animals, you’ll put these animal behaviors to the test. In this game, you’ll pick 1 animal to play. Everyone will start at this line, and as you listen to the different scenarios, your selected animal will either take steps forward, stay where you are, or take steps backward. We’ll keep playing until 1 animal crosses the finish line first. (Note, you can continue to play using additional scenarios until all animals have crossed the finish line.)
25 min Have students each select an animal card and stand at the start line. Read through the various scenarios:
5 min Gather students together once the game is done. Have students turn and talk using the following questions:
15 min: Watch this Hero Elementary video about observing animal features and behaviors to identify a mystery animal: https://kcts9.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/young-animals-live-and-grow-media-gallery/hero-elementary/ (2020 Twin Cities Public Media Workshop, LLC. All rights reserved.)
**Pause the video after Mr. Quiver’s describes the monster: timestamp 2:44
Ask:
Continue playing the video to the end.
5 min Discuss: Lead a discussion with students:
Have students research an animal and write their own riddle that uses the animal’s features and behaviors as clues.
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