LEARN NC

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

Goal 1

The learner will conduct investigations and make observations to build an understanding of the needs of living organisms.

Objective 1.02

Investigate the needs of a variety of different animals:

  • Air.
  • Water.
  • Food.
  • Shelter.
  • Space.

Resources aligned to this objective

Whose habitat is that? (Lesson 3)
This lesson is designed to help students explore the surroundings animals find in each of the five habitats. This plan is written for the desert habitat but the same plan should be used for the exploration of all five habitat settings.
Format: lesson plan (grade 1 English Language Arts and Information Skills)
By Kelly Stewart.
Using a Venn diagram to illustrate that bears and humans are both mammals.
Students use their collected information on bears to compare them to humans through a Venn diagram, as preparation for an introduction to mammals.
Format: lesson plan (grade 1 Mathematics and Science)
By Susan Lovett.
Turtles are terrific
This lesson will engage the students in the study of turtle attributes and their habitats. The lesson will integrate science, math, language arts and computer/technology curriculums.
Format: lesson plan (grade 1 English Language Arts and Science)
Snakes are cool
This lesson begins with a reading of Verdi by Janell Cannon. It integrates science with language arts as the students learn about snakes and write about their findings.
Format: lesson plan (grade 1 English Language Arts and Science)
By Marcia Reich.
The needs of animals
In this lesson plan first grade students will examine photographs of 4-H club members with animals from North Carolina. They will make observations from the visual material to build an understanding of the needs of animals. They will begin to learn that these needs have remained the same in different times.
Format: lesson plan (grade 1 Science)
By Pauline S. Johnson.
Is it living?
Students will identify living and nonliving things.
Format: lesson plan (grade 1 English Language Arts and Science)
By Genita Powell.
How much is that doggy in the window?
Using internet sources, students will explore information associated with owning a dog. Students will access a controlled collection of websites regarding owning a dog within the scavenger hunt.
Format: lesson plan (grade 1–2 English Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies)
By Kathy Beck.
A home for Lars
Our lesson plan is based on the book, Ahoy There, Little Polar Bear, by Hans de Beer. We will use the book to introduce the polar bear's habitat and will elaborate on the necessary things a polar bear needs to survive in this habitat.
Format: lesson plan (grade K–1 Visual Arts Education and Science)
Habitat—what's that? (Lesson 1)
This lesson helps students define what the word habitat means and what basic elements make up an animal's habitat.
Format: lesson plan (grade 1 Science)
By Kelly Stewart.
Going batty: Part I
In this lesson students will hear the story Stellaluna by Janell Cannon and then create a Venn Diagram comparing bats to birds.
Format: lesson plan (grade 1 Information Skills and Science)
By DPI Integration Strategies.
The emperor's prize egg
This lesson will introduce students to the life of a penguin. They will explore penguins' habitats, eating habits, and other unique adaptations that they use to survive in Antarctica.
Format: lesson plan (grade 1 Computer/Technology Skills, English Language Arts, and Science)
By Betty Burleson.
At home in the tropical rainforest
Students will choose one rainforest animal to research using print and electronic resources. They will work cooperatively with a partner to create a Hyperstudio card with the following information: photograph of the animal, the layer of the rainforest it inhabits, sound the animal makes, and an interesting fact about the animal.
Format: lesson plan (grade 1–2 English Language Arts and Science)
By Sally Eller.
Arctic animals
This is a whole language lesson for Speech Language Pathologists incorporating listening comprehension, categorizing, following verbal directions, and basic vocabulary and language concepts for First grade students.
Format: lesson plan (grade 1 English Language Arts and Science)
By Susan Ayers.
Animals, animals, animals
In this lesson students will learn to observe special characteristics and senses which influence the life of an animal and become aware of threats to animals and their habitats and how this affects everyone.
Format: lesson plan (grade K Science)
By Joyce Poplin.

Resources on the web

Wildebeest migration
Students will make maps of the wildebeest migration route in eastern Africa. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 1–2 Science and Social Studies)
Provided by: National Geographic
Whooping cranes and their human friends
Students will learn about endangered whooping cranes and trace their migration route in the United States. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 1 Science and Social Studies)
Provided by: National Geographic
Who sees the seas as important?
In this Xpeditions lesson, students learn about some people who think the ocean is so important that they have devoted their lives to studying it and its inhabitants. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade K–1 Science)
Provided by: National Geographic
Who am I?
Students will learn about many different animals that live in deserts. They will learn what the animals look like and about characteristics that enable them to live in the harsh environment of desert habitats. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade K–1 Science)
Provided by: National Geographic
Where Are the Dinosaurs?
This lesson taps into student curiosity about dinosaurs in order to lead them to consider life forms that no longer exist. A variety of activities are suggested, including viewing online video clips, creating dinosaur puppets, and constructing dinosaur eggs.... (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Science)
Provided by: American Association for the Advancement of Science
What Were Dinosaurs Like?
Activities and discussions in this lesson revolve around comparing and contrasting dinosaurs to existing animals. Students consider likenesses and differences through researching various questions and documenting their findings. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Science)
Provided by: American Association for the Advancement of Science