Heather Turner

Title: Why Polar Bears are White

Subject Area: Science

Grade Level: First

Description or Outcome Statement: Students will be learning about camouflage as they study polar bears and their habitat.

QCC Objectives:

Topic: Science Inquiry, Process Skills and Problem Solving

Standard: Asks questions, makes and keeps simple records of observations, sorts and classifies objects, communicates with others, makes predictions, uses estimation and measurement, and makes sketches and diagrams to explain ideas.

Topic: The Living World: Animals

Standard: Describes and compares characteristics of different animals such as coloration that enhance survival.

Specific Lesson Objectives:

The students will learn:

how color can help animals in the wild.
the meaning of the word camouflage.

Materials:

Camouflage by Bernard Stonehouse
colored toothpicks
a white bear cut out for each student
a bear cut out that has been designed with color
a piece of white paper
markers

Procedures:

MOTIVATION: To get the student’s attention and get them excited about this specific lesson, we will be doing an activity with colored toothpicks. Scatter colored toothpicks in the grass near school and give the students a few minutes to pick up as many as possible.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: The purpose of this lesson is for the students to get a complete understanding of the purpose for animals using camouflage.

TEACHER MODELING: discuss with the class the results of the toothpick find. Have a class discussion on camouflage. When something is camouflaged it blends in with its surroundings. Camouflage is used to help animals attack their prey as well as defend themselves from predators. If you are a predator you can surprise the animal you want to ear. Have you ever tried to scare someone? What did you do? Did you try and hide and then jump out without them knowing you were there? That is what camouflage is allowing the animal to do. Show the students different animals that use camouflage from the book, Camouflage.

CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING: Why do you think you picked up fewer green toothpicks? What do you think the word camouflage means? Why do animals need camouflage? Can you name some different animals that use camouflage?

GUIDED PRACTICE: It is important to remember that some animals can only blend into one surrounding. Give each student one each of the bear cutouts and a piece of white paper. Allow the students to see that the white bear cutout is camouflaged with the white paper and the other bear is not.

INDEPENDENT PRACTICE: Students will design a pattern using their white paper to camouflage the bear given to them. Allow the students to use markers to design their paper so that their bear is camouflaged with the paper.

Closure: To tie up the lesson, I would allow the students to share their camouflaged bears with the class and have them share one thing they learned about camouflage.

Adaptations:

For an ESL student I would do the following:

Keep questions brief and to the point.
Allow for extra time to complete assessments.
Break down activities into small steps and provide a lot of verbal reinforcement.

For a student with a mild intellectual disability I would do the following:

Provide a sample of the finished product before beginning the activity.
Have in place a clear roadmap for the child to follow. Sequence of steps precisely given to him.
Change steps, eliminating multi-level tasks when needed.
Place self-checking and self-rewarding activities after each step to motivate the student.

Assessments: The students will be assessed by observation from the teacher and class participation.

Extensions: Having the students choose an animal and make a three-dimensional model so that their animal is camouflaged with its surroundings could extend this lesson.

Remediation: For students who need extra help with this lesson, I would allow them to use the following fun websites on camouflage. I would also refer the students to a list of books that would help him.

Websites:

http://oncampus.richmond.edu/academics/as/education/projects/webunits/adaptations/ca mou1.html

http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/camouflage/camouflage.html

http://www.eoascientific.com/interactive/animal_adaptations_animals_which_camouflage/animal_adaptations_animals_which_camouflage.html

Booklist:

Carle, Eric. The Mixed-Up Chameleon. New York: HarperFestival, 1998.

Goor, Ronald and Selsam, Millicent Ellis. Backyard Insects. New York: Scholastic Inc., 1981.

Heller, Ruth. How to Hide a Butterfly & Other Insects. New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1985, 1992.

Heller, Ruth. How to Hide a Polar Bear & Other Mammals. New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1985.

McDonnell, Janet. Animal Camouflage: Hide-and-Seek Animals. Chicago: Children’s Press, 1990.