LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Animals on the Move

Students will choose an animal, draw the animal, write a sentence naming their animal and write a sentence about what their animal can do using inventive as well as conventional spelling.

A lesson plan for grade K English Language Arts

By Anita Baldwin, Ann Loftis, and Genevieve Kiser

Learn more

Related pages

  • Living History - Civil War: After researching antebellum North Carolina and the role of North Carolina in the Civil War, students will write, edit, publish, and produce their own plays.

Related topics

Help

Please read our disclaimer for lesson plans.

Legal

This page copyright ©2008. Terms of use

Learning outcomes

Students will:

  • use naming words and action words in creating their own sentences about an animal of their choice.
  • create a drawing of their animal using graphic tools. (You can find the link to graphic organizers in the relevant websites.)
  • create and publish their work on the computer using Paint.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

1 week

Materials/resources

  • Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin, Jr. Henry Holt & Company, Inc., 1991. ISBN: 0805017593
  • Graphic Organizer, chart
  • Paper, pencil and crayons
  • Computer Lab (if available)
  • Computer Paint Program

Technology resources

  • Computer Lab (if available)
  • Computer Paint Program
  • Smart TV to project for wholeclass viewing (optional) http://www.aver.com/
  • Color printer
  • Digital camera (optional)

Pre-activities

Students should have prior knowledge and experiences of:

  • Naming kinds of animals
  • Naming ways in which animals move
  • Basics of using the computer
  • Basic writing practices

Activities

Class #1

  1. Teacher will read the book, Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? to the class. After reading the story the class will name some of the animals and what action they do.
  2. Using a graphic organizer the children will name various kinds of animals and the teacher will list the naming words for animals on the organizer.

Class #2

  1. Using the graphic organizer from the previous day, the children will name various ways in which animals can move and the teacher will list on the organizer the actions the animals can make.
  2. Children will be given a piece of paper with a horizontal line drawn through the middle, a pencil and crayons.
  3. Each child will choose an animal and draw a picture of that animal on the top half of their paper. On the bottom half the children will write a sentence, using inventive and conventional spelling, naming their animal and a sentence telling what kind of action their animal can make.

Classes #3, #4, and #5

  1. After the practice of drawing and writing on paper the children will view the use of a Paint Program using a Smart TV. The teacher will model for the children the drawing of a class chosen animal. Then with input from the class, a sentence will be written to name the animal and a sentence to describe the action the animal makes.
  2. Following the modeling, children will go to the computer lab in small groups. The teacher or the teacher assistant, along with the media coordinator, will assist the children as they use the paint program to create their finished product.
  3. The digital camera will be used to take pictures of students’ completed products to be used on class web page. (See attachment)

Assessment

Teacher observations

Supplemental information

Background information came from “Harcourt Science,” Life, Earth, and Physical Science and “Scott Foresman Reading,” adopted curriculum for our school system.

Please see the attachments for an example of the student project for this lesson

Related websites

http://www.teachervision.com/lesson-plans/lesson-6293.html?s2

Comments

My students could not wait until their turn to create, write and publish their pictures and sentences. This activity allowed them the freedom to be creative in their illustrations as well as their authorship. I was very pleased with the end product. I got the idea for this lesson from a science lesson but this could be adapted to most any unit or theme. As students improve their writing and computer skills, they could choose a topic of their choice to work on independently or students with higher level skills could help other students.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Computer Technology Skills (2005)

Kindergarten

  • Goal 1: The learner will understand important issues of a technology-based society and will exhibit ethical behavior in the use of computer and other technologies.
    • Objective 1.04: Demonstrate respect for the work of others. Strand - Societal/Ethical Issues
  • Goal 2: The learner will demonstrate knowledge and skills in the use of computer and other technologies.
    • Objective 2.02: Identify, discuss, and use word processing as a tool to enter letters, numbers and words. Strand - Keyboard Utilization/Word Processing/Desk Top Publishing
    • Objective 2.03: Identify, locate and use special keys (e.g., arrow keys, space bar, Shift, Enter/Return, Backspace, Delete), letters, and numbers on the keyboard. Strand - Keyboard Utilization/Word Processing/Desk Top Publishing

English Language Arts (2004)

Kindergarten

  • Goal 4: The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.
    • Objective 4.02: Use words that name and words that tell action in a variety of simple texts (e.g., oral retelling, written stories, lists, journal entries of personal experiences).
  • Goal 5: The learner will apply grammar and language conventions to communicate effectively.
    • Objective 5.01: Develop spelling strategies and skills by:
      • representing spoken language with temporary and/or conventional spelling.
      • writing most letters of the alphabet.
      • analyzing sounds in a word and writing dominant consonant letters.
    • Objective 5.02: Use capital letters to write the word I and the first letter in own name.