The Pit

The Pit is a game that can be played to review any topic. It matches picture game cards to target vocabulary on a game board. This particular lesson focuses on classification of animals.

A lesson plan for grade 4 English Language Development and Science

By Eileen Carter and Tracey Casto

Learn more

• BioKIDS Critter Catalog a website containing pictures, sounds and information relevant to classifying animals
• Classifying Critters the game of matching animals for use in assessment
• Animal Clip Art animal clip art, which could be used to create additional animal cards

Related pages

• Animals undercover: Students will learn about the different animal coverings using the inquiry method. They will learn about how the covering is used for protection and to control body temperatures.
• Termites, ink pens and pheromones: Students will investigate the behavior of termites to understand and use the scientific method.
• First class butterflies: This is an integrated unit on raising and releasing Painted Lady butterflies. Students will learn that technology is very useful in obtaining and sharing information about butterflies via the internet.

Related topics

• Learn more about biology and life science and science.

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Learning outcomes

Collaborative groups will match animal picture game cards with a game board indicating target vocabulary.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

30 minutes

Materials/resources

Each group will need:

• a game board
• a set of animal picture game cards

Technology resources

Computer lab with internet connection

Pre-activities

Prior knowledge required about animal classification in the following groups: Reptiles, Amphibians, Mammals, Birds, Fish, Arthropods, Mollusks, and Insects.

Prior to participating in “The Pit” activity, students should familiarize themselves with information, pictures, specimens, sounds and classification of birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, fish, myriapods, crustaceans, annelids, mollusks, insects and arachnids.

Activities

The object of the game is to match an animal game card to the target vocabulary (animal name) on the game board.

1. Divide the class into heterogeneous groups of four to five students.
2. Provide each group with a game board and set of eight animal picture game cards. Each set of cards should be mixed in such a way so that groups have only one or two animal game cards that match the targeted vocabulary (animal names) on their game board for the first round. For example a set of cards may have three cards for birds, four cards for mammals, and one amphibian. Another set of cards may have only four reptiles and four fish.
3. One student from each group will enter the “Pit” (a circle of chairs set up in the room, with one chair allotted per group) at the direction of the teacher in order to exchange unneeded game cards. (Teacher will say the word, “pit” after all groups have matched useable game cards.) If a group has three bird cards, then two of those cards would be exchanged in the Pit, and one would be placed on the game board.
4. One student at a time from each group goes to the Pit to silently exchange the unwanted card. No one may look at their new card until they return to their group. Once they return, the group determines if they can match the card to the game board or decides to exchange it.
5. The game continues until one group successfully covers all sections of the game board.

Teacher will provide modified oral and written directions to ELL students.

Assessment

Students will evaluate each other’s performance on the task using the provided rubric.

If students want to informally assess themselves, they should go to the www.learnnc.org website and click “Elementary 4” from the “For Students” heading on the right sidebar. Under Hot Topics, click “Animal Adaptations” then click “Classifying Critters.” After reading the information, click one of the animal icons to play the game. As they are playing the game, the “Now Go On” icon will allow them to continue without returning to the home page until the activity is complete.

Supplemental information

Attachments:

• Rubric
• Alternate Assessment: doc | rtf
• Modified Directions
• The Pit
• Animal Cards

Modifications

• The game cards should have pictures of the animals as well as including the animal names.
• Group work (if needed, pair ELL learner with another student during group work).
• Teacher will demonstrate how to play the game.
• Teacher will provide modified written/oral directions to ELL students.

Alternative assessments

A teacher checklist can be used to provide documentation of ELL student’s mastery of the material.

Critical vocabulary

• amphibians
• arthropods
• birds
• classification
• fish
• insects
• invertebrates
• mammals
• mollusks
• reptiles
• vertebrates

Comments

This lesson plan was developed during the English Language Development Standard Course of Study lesson planning institutes hosted by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and LEARN NC, June and July, 2004. It includes specific strategies, instructional modifications, and alternative assessments, which make this lesson accessible to limited English proficient students. Please note that this lesson has been aligned with the goals and objectives of the North Carolina English Language Development standards.