People and African animals
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/14/g35/africapeople.html
A lesson plan for grades 4–5 Science
In this Xpeditions lesson, students explore the ways that human activities impact African animals and their habitats. Activities in this lesson engage students in online learning, whole class discussion, and creation of an artistic project.
Students will:
- discuss human impacts on the environment near their homes;
- view pictures of the African savanna and rain forest and sketch these habitats on their own paper;
- view pictures of African animals and sketch them on the appropriate habitat;
- record behaviors of the animals they’ve sketched;
- discuss how people might affect these animals;
- draw pictures of the animals in their natural habitat with and without the effects of human impacts; and
- write captions describing their pictures.
Xpeditions provides detailed directions for completing the lesson, suggestions for assessment and extension activities, discussion questions, and links to helpful web resources.
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
Science (2005)
Grade 4
- Goal 1: The learner will make observations and conduct investigations to build an understanding of animal behavior and adaptation.
- Objective 1.01: Observe and describe how all living and nonliving things affect the life of a particular animal including:
- Other animals.
- Plants.
- Weather.
- Climate.
- Objective 1.03: Observe and discuss how behaviors and body structures help animals survive in a particular habitat.
- Objective 1.01: Observe and describe how all living and nonliving things affect the life of a particular animal including:
Grade 5
- Goal 1: The learner will conduct investigations to build an understanding of the interdependence of plants and animals.
- Objective 1.01: Describe and compare several common ecosystems (communities of organisms and their interaction with the environment).
- Objective 1.06: Explain and evaluate some ways that humans affect ecosystems.
- Habitat reduction due to development.
- Pollutants.
- Increased nutrients.
