SCIENCE
ANIMAL HABITATS
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In my science lessons, I consistently use technology as a platform for exploring class content. During our life systems unit, students were given the opportunity to research habitats to review the topic prior to learning new vocabulary. On Google Classroom, students were assigned the four-square above to explore a habitat of their choice. The students used National Geographic Kids to find facts about their chosen habitat to reinforce how different biomes have different animals and vegetation. Following this project, the students used this review activity to apply their prior knowledge to new science terms like organisms, populations, and ecosystems. By engaging the students in this review of habitats ahead of time, they were able to have an anchor for the new knowledge they gained in following lessons.
Create Your Own Animal Project
As our life systems unit concluded, my students completed a final project that assessed their understanding of the learning objectives for the unit. Working with a partner, students created an animal that lived within a specific habitat. As part of this summative assessment, students needed to analyze their animal's habitat and provide their animal with two adaptations to help them survive in their habitat and perform their niche. This example of project-based learning is one example of how I try to include a variety of assessments to provide my students with different ways to express their knowledge. This project required my students to apply their knowledge of life systems to create something so that they moved beyond rote memorization and engaged in analysis and inquiry.