DOCUMENT RESUME ED 392 642 . SE 057 972 AUTHOR Camp, Carole Ann, Ed. TITLE Invitations to Life's Diversity. Teacher-Friendly Science Activities with Reproducible Handouts in English and Spanish. Grades 3-5. Living Things Science Series. REPORT NO 1SBN-1-886172-07-2 PUB DATE 95 NOTE 52p.; For other booklets in the series, see SE 057 967-971. AVAILABLE FROM Ash Grove Press, Inc., 19 Elm Street, South Deerfield, MA 01373 ($5.95 single copy sold separately; $29.95 set of six, plus shipping and handling). PUB TYPE Guides Classroom Use Teaching Guides (For Teacher) (052) Guides Classroom Use Instructional Materials (For Learner) (051) EDRS PRICE DESCRIPTORS IDENTIFIERS ABSTRACT MFOI/PC03 Plus Postage. *Biology; *Botany; *Classification; Lienentary Education; *Science Activities; Science Instruction; Worksheets American Association for Advance6lont of Science; *Biological Diversity This booklet, one of six in the Living Things Science series, presents activities about diversity and classification of living things which address basic "Benchmarks" suggested by the American Association for the Advancement of Science for the Living Environment for grades 3-5. Contents include background information, vocabulary (in English and Spanish), materials, procedures, extension activities, and worksheets. The worksheets are presented in both English and Spanish versions. Suggestions for use of the activities include using student grouping, a reated readings center, and journal keeping. Activity names are: "What Goes Where?," "All Earth's Critters," "So What's Backbone Got To Do with It?," "Follow Those Tracks," "Flying High," "You're Driving Me Buggy," "In the Swim," "I Think That I Shall Never See," "The Nose Knows," and "Incredible Edibles." A life classification chart and lists of fiction and non-fiction readings are included. (MKR) Reproductions supplied oy EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.
51
Embed
DOCUMENT RESUME ED 392 642 SE 057 972 AUTHOR Camp, … · DOCUMENT RESUME ED 392 642. SE 057 972 AUTHOR Camp, Carole Ann, Ed. TITLE Invitations to Life's Diversity. Teacher-Friendly
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 392 642 . SE 057 972
AUTHOR Camp, Carole Ann, Ed.TITLE Invitations to Life's Diversity. Teacher-Friendly
Science Activities with Reproducible Handouts inEnglish and Spanish. Grades 3-5. Living ThingsScience Series.
REPORT NO 1SBN-1-886172-07-2PUB DATE 95
NOTE 52p.; For other booklets in the series, see SE 057967-971.
AVAILABLE FROM Ash Grove Press, Inc., 19 Elm Street, SouthDeerfield, MA 01373 ($5.95 single copy soldseparately; $29.95 set of six, plus shipping andhandling).
PUB TYPE Guides Classroom Use Teaching Guides (ForTeacher) (052) Guides Classroom UseInstructional Materials (For Learner) (051)
EDRS PRICEDESCRIPTORS
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
MFOI/PC03 Plus Postage.*Biology; *Botany; *Classification; LienentaryEducation; *Science Activities; Science Instruction;WorksheetsAmerican Association for Advance6lont of Science;*Biological Diversity
This booklet, one of six in the Living Things Scienceseries, presents activities about diversity and classification ofliving things which address basic "Benchmarks" suggested by theAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science for the LivingEnvironment for grades 3-5. Contents include background information,vocabulary (in English and Spanish), materials, procedures, extensionactivities, and worksheets. The worksheets are presented in bothEnglish and Spanish versions. Suggestions for use of the activitiesinclude using student grouping, a reated readings center, and journalkeeping. Activity names are: "What Goes Where?," "All Earth'sCritters," "So What's Backbone Got To Do with It?," "Follow ThoseTracks," "Flying High," "You're Driving Me Buggy," "In the Swim," "IThink That I Shall Never See," "The Nose Knows," and "IncredibleEdibles." A life classification chart and lists of fiction andnon-fiction readings are included. (MKR)
Reproductions supplied oy EDRS are the best that can be madefrom the original document.
"PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THISMATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCESINFORMATION CENTER (ERIC1"
UI DEPARTMENT Of EDUCATIONOffice C EdurahoAst Rematch and Imminement
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATIONCE NT E R ERICt
This document has been fel:op.:lug ed asawed flew, the Pe, son 01 ga Choi,mating
U WM), changes have been made 10 irrpiovereptoduCl.on maw,
Points olvessv of opinions stated . 'SI claCuWant 00 nO1 AIPCOIlleray rOCOfenl officiaiOEM Daimon of 004Kr
B C PY AVAILABLE
INVITATIONS
TO
LIFE ' S DIVERSITYTeacher-Friendly Science Activities
with reproducible handouts in English and Spanish
Grades 3-5
Carole Ann Camp, Editor
Elizabeth Adam
Tammi Frechette
Jean Hansen
Deborah Ilayn
Margaret Her/berg
Happy Hill
Matthem Jacobs
Margaret Job
Diane LaFreniere
Carol Menard
Mary-Ellen Nienstadt
Cindy Partridge
Cheryl Smith
Julie Whitt:
Carmen Wonsong
LIVING THINGS SCIENCE SERIES
**( irove Press. Inc.
3
LIVING THINGS SERIES
DiversityHeredity: Generation to GenerationCells: Life's Building BlocksInterdependence: Caught in the WebThe Matter-Energy CycleEvolving
All books are available from Ash Grove Press. Inc.. 19 Elm Street, South Deerfield, MA01373. For more information or to order call 1-800-834-4200. Each book is sold separately,$5.95, or as a set of six, $29.95, plus shipping and handling.
A percentage of every sale is contributed to groups and organizations which work towardcreating a safe and healthy world.
All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by anymeans--graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, taping, or informationstorage/retreival systems--without written permission of the publisher unless such copying isexpressly permitted by copyright law. The exceptions to the foregoing statements are therr:producible handouts within these units which may be reproduced for non-commercialeducational purposes without written permission.
ISBN: 1-886172-07-2
Printed in the United States of America
Ash Grove Press is not liable for any accidents that occur in the classroom related to theactivities contained in Living Things,
001*I S a trademark of Ash Grove Press, Inc.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The editor acknowledges the help of many people, especially the teachers in Science In TheElementary Classroom, her class at Eastern Connecticut State University who contributedmany of their ideas and whose names are listed on the title page. In addition Ash Grove Presswould like to thank our readers: Joan Langley, Betsy Waters, Betsy Howlett, Katie To Iles,Mary Lu Robillard, and Barbara Conn. Joan Langley helped compile the bibliography. Thanksalso to Stephen Lobo for vital technical and emergency computer assistance.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Intioduction 1
Related Reading for Invitation Center
Vocabulary
Invitation 1 What Goes Where?
Invitation 2 All Earth's Critters 13
Invitation 3 So What's Backbone Got To Do With It? 15
Invitation 4 Follow Those Trackc 16
Invitation 5 Flying High 21
Invitation 6 You're Driving Me Buggy
Invitation 7 In the Swim 25
Invitation 8 I Think That I Shall Never See 28
Invitation 9 The Nose Knows 31
InN itation 10 Incredible Edibles 32
Reproducible Handouts ;.;
Classification chart 43
Key 44
INVITATIONS TO LIFE'S DIVERSITY
INTRODUCTION
Developing observation skills and classificationskills are very important to scientists. In InvitationsTo Life's Diversity, students practice observing a va-riety of living things and practice developing classifi-cation systems for living things that make sense tothem. In some ways it does not matter what types ofobjects students practice observing and classifying.It is important to emphasize that the skills being de-veloped are observing and classifying, not memoriz-ing someone else's naming of categories.
In many of the activities in this invitation, stu-dents are encouraged to develop their own criteria forsorting and classifying. Scientists have developedways that make sense to them and students should beprovided with the same opportunity. The teachershould not tell the students about any currently ac-cepted scientific classification system until the stu-dents have had ample opportunity to find a sortingscheme that makes sense to them. After they havedetermined their own systems based on their own ob-servations of living things, then the introduction of ascientific classification is appropriate. These othersystems should be introduced as .mother alternativeclassification that the students can compare and con-trast to their own system.
Of course, using real living things is always best.However, in most cases it is difficult to bring hippo-potamuses and giraffes into the classroom. In orderto provide the optimum opportunities for the stu-dents, it is hoped that each activity will progressfrom the concrete to the abstract. For example, startwith actual flowers, then use models of flowers, i.e.silk flowers, then photographs of flowers, then draw-ings, ending with words representing flowers. De-veloping good observation skills requires all fivesenses. If we only use words or drawings, we do notdevelop all of our senses.
There are many ways to sort living things intogroups. There are no right or wrong ways. The firststep is to decide which of the many possible charac-teriFtics will he the first one used to place certain liv-ing things together as a group. Allow the studentsample time to compare and contrast their schemeswith those of their classmates.
CONCEPTS
I. Living things can be sorted in a variety of ways.2. Characteristics for sorting are determined by the
purpose for the sorting.
SCIENCE JOURNALS
The students are encouraged to keep journals oftheir observations. They are also encouraged to re-flect on their observations as they struggle with thetask of developing classifications systems. The stu-dents can create their own format for their sciencejournals , the teacher can suggest a format, or the re-producible pages at the end of this book can be used.
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
The activities in these INVITATIONS can bemanaged in a variety of ways. However, studentsshould have many opportunities to work together incooperative learning groups of 3-4 students. One ofthe objectives of these INVITATIONS is to have stu-dents come to understand that there are many ways toclassify living things. By shariag and working to-gether, students will be able to value their fellow stu-dents contributions, as well as begin to realize thatthe process they are experiencing is similar to theprocess scientists use to classify living things.
If it is possible in your classroom, identify onearea, desk or table, as the INVITATIONS CENTER.Include in this location, books from the list below,extension activities, audio tapes of animal sounds,and video tapes on animals or plants that show vari-ety and diversity. If space allows, you may want tohave "live" living things in your center, such as fish,gerbils, frogs and tadpoles, ant farms, butterflies,plants, flowers, etc. Be sure to follow the guidelinesfor your school district and the recommendationsfrom the National Science Teachers Association onliving things in the classroom.
RELATED READING FOR INVITATION CENTERFICTION
Aardama, Verna. Jerry Pinkney, illus. Rabbit Afakes .4Monkey ()Ilion. New York, Dial Books, 1989.
Ada, Alma I.:bor. Kathleen Kuclara, illus. The RoosterWho Went to His Uncles's Wedding. New York. G.P.Putnam's Sons, 1991.
Anno, Mitsumasa. The K ing's Flower. New York,William Collins. 1976.
Blackmere, Vivien. Susana Martinez-Ostos, illus. WhyCorn Is Golden Stories .4 bout Plants. New York,Little Brown, 1984.
Buscaglia, Leo. The I 'all of Freddie The Leaf N.J,Charles B. Slack Inc. 1982.
Carle, Eric. The l'ery Hungry Caterpillar. New York,Philomel Books, 1981
Cherry, 1.ynne. The Great Kapok Tree, A Tale of the.4ma:on Rain Forest. New York, HarcourtBrace, 1990.
Cooney, Barbara. Miss Rumphius. New York, VikingPress, 1982
Cooper, Susan. W'erwick Huttin, illus. The Silver Cow,Welsh Tale. New York, Atheneum, 1983.
Demi. The Chinese Zoo, Fables and Proverbs. NewYork, Ilarcourt Brace, 1987.
dePaola, Tomie. The Legend (ffThe IndianPaintbrush. New York, Putnam, 1988
de Paola, Tomie. The Le,(end of the Bluebonnet NewYork, G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1983.
Selsam, Millicent and Joyce Hunt. Normand Charticr,
illus. Keep Looking. New York, Macmillan, 1989.
Stokes, Donald W. and Lillian Q. Stokes. Leslie HoltMorrill, illus. Animal Tracking and Behavior.Boston,Little, Brown & Co., 1986.
Taylor, Barbara. Shoreline. Dorling Kindersley, NY,1993. Ilustrator: Frank Greenaway
Welch, Martha McKeen. Sunflower New York, AlfredA. Knopf, 1988.
Wood, A.J. April Wilson, illus. Look Again. NewYork, Dial, 1992.
Wyler, Rose. Steven James Petruccio, illus. SeashoreSurprises. NJ, Julian Messner, 1990.
tim, Herbert S. and Lester Ingle. Dorothea and SyBarlowe illus. Seashores. Golden Press, NY, 1955.
tim, Herbert S. and Donald F. Hoffmeister. JamesGordon Irving, illusifammuls. New York, GoldenPress, 1955.
t im, Herbert S. and Ira N. Gabrielson. James GordonIrving, illus. Birds. Golden Press, NY, 1956.
t im,Ilerbert S. and Alexander C. Martin. Rudolf.Freund, ilk's Flowt,rs Golden Press, NY, 190
tim, I lerbert S and I lobart M. Smith. James GordonIrving illus. Reptile. and Amphibians.
Simon S. huqer, NY, 1956.
VOCABULARY
The teacher is encouraged to help students develop their own unique set of vocabulary wordsdepending on the student's interest, experience, and ability. The following words are onlysuggestions and a very small set of all the possibilities.
annual: a plant that lives for one season only anual: una planta que dura un afio.
aquatic: a plant or animal that lives in or upon acuitico: planta o animal que vive en elthe water agua
bulb: a round tleshy underground stemcomposed of layers of leaves.
bulbo: yema gruesa, por lo cormlnsubterránea, cuyas hojas están cargadascon sustancias de reserva
carnivore: a meat eating organism carnivoro: un organismo que se alimentade carne
conifer: a tree or shrub that bears cones conifero: dicese de árboles de hojaspersistentes que fruto en cono
cotyledon: a seed or first leaf growing out of cotiledón: forma con que aparecean embryo that serves as a food reservoir primera hoja en el embriOn de las plantas
deciduous: woody plants that shed theirleaves seasonally
caducifolio: dicese de los drboles y plantasde hoja caduca, que se les cae al empezarla estación desfavorable
dicotyledon: a seed plant with two seed leaves dicotiledóneo: dicese del vegetal cuyoor cotyledon embriOr tiene dos cotiledones
endoskeleton: internal framework of neuroesqueleto: esqueleto interno de losvertebrates composed of hone and:or animales vertebrados, tiirmado por piezascartilage Oseas o cartilaginosas
4
exoskeleton: the hard outer covering orskeleton of certain animals, especiallyanthropods
herbivores: plant eating animals
invertebrate: an animal without a backbone
monocotyledon: a flowering plant thatdevelops a single seed leaf, or cotyledon
organism: a complete and entire living thing
perennial: plant that lives through more thantwo growing seasons
petal: any of the colored leaves that make upthe flower of a plant
seed: a complete embryo plant which, underthe right conditions will izrow into a newplant
dermaesqueleto: piel o parte de el laengrosada y muy endurecida,frecuentemente en forma de conchas ocaparazones, como en los celentéreos,moluscos y artrópodos
herbivoro: aplicase a todo animal que sealimenta de vegetales. y rndsespecialmente de hierbas
invertebrado: dicese de los animales queno tienen columna vertebral
monocotiledon: dicese del vegetal o plantacuyo embrión posee un solo cotiledón
organismo: ser viviente
perenne: una planta que vive rmis de dosanos
pkalo: hoja transformada por lo comün dehellos colores, que forma parte de lacorola de la for
semilla: parte del fruto que contiene elernbrión de una futura planta
vertebrate: an animal with a backbone vertebrado: un amimal que tiene colunmavertebral
5
INVITATION I
WHAT GOES WHERE?
BACKGROUND
To introduce classification of living things,students can begin sorting based on generalizedcategories. A trait that is easily distinguished fa-cilitates the sorting process. A collection of liv-ing things, pictures of various living things, audioand video tapes of living things can be displayedin the INVITATIONS center or around theclassroom.
MATERIALSA wide assortment of living things: i.e. plants,insects, small animalsA wide assortment of photographs or maga-zine pictures of living thingsObservation sheet, pp. 37-38Picture cards, pp. 7-10Word cards, pp. 11-12
HINT: Make copies of pages 7-12 for eachstudent or each group of students. If possible,mount and laminate each page before cuttingapart.
PROCEDURE
The best way to begin this activity is with"real" things. After the students have had experi-ence with real things, progress to photographs ormagazine pictures, then to picture cards and thento words.
(live each student or group of students at leastten living things. Each group does not need t'.)have the same items in their collection. Foreach object, have students observe and recoas many characteristics as possible using all oftheir senses. You may want to eliminate thesense of taste in the instructions or mark cer-tain items that are all right to taste.
6
2. Invite students to develop a way to sort theirthings into two distinct groups based on onlyone characteristic.
3. Invite students to share their method of sortingwith their classmates in other groups or withthe whole class. Ask students from one groupto try to sort their objects by the criteria sug-gested by another group.
4. Have students reflect in their journals whichcriteria worked best. Why do they think so?
5. Play "What about a ?" Have students try tosuggest other living things that m;ght not fitinto either group or might fit into Loth groups.Students may want to refine their cracria.
6. Ittpeat 1-5 using photographs or pictures, pic-ture cards and words.
EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
things. Using criteria established for classify-
tem for soing all living things.ing, invite the whole class to establish a sys-
rtInvite
students to sort the things into 3 distinctcategories; then into 4, 5. 6 categories.
Have students bring in pictures of living
Please reproduce Oils page
i
daa tr:I.
_.
io
,
8,6
6
4or
I,
I ,
lir.
,.,, .,. .
Okla,-Olt
(
1 0 1 1
11
..iv)
1 ,_
Please reproduce (his pap,e
06tee
ir
11 14
,
--1 d
110tits))Evarr
15
\'; ,.,,,.,
17
0 001evo4,,,, _1,,w 4 .. ,, 6 , ,.ft, , ,
, , .,.,,o. ,- .
, .
18
19
120
I21
/ \
-2
lk
23
ft;)1
".-...21),-'..,te .(
,:0 ,-';-;
24
.1,Pcti
Please reproduce this page.
11
....,.,
_ .,..,._____ ..
14 15
110111/00.,2N.1%
IV40
,41111%0
16
a°f
\(,
17
r1
.
18
I 9 201
f 1
21
\
22 23
11
t r
24
Please reproduce this page.
WHALE
LA BALLENA
FISH
EL PESCADO
DOLPHIN
EL DELFiN
FERN
EL HELECHO
IVY
LA HIEDRA
1
ORANGE
LA NARANJA
CLAM
LA ALMEJA
WHEAT
EL TRIGO
OWL
LA LECHUZA
ELEPHANT
EL ELEFANTE
BOY
EL NISO
PEAR
LA PERA
Please reproduce this page.
BUTTERFLY
LA MARIPOSA
APPLE
LA MANZANA
TREE
EL ARBOL
CARROT
LA ZANAHORIA
BLUEJAY
EL ARRENDAJO
FLOWERS
LAS FLORES
LETTUCE
LA LECHUGA
BAT
ELMURCIELAGO
TURNIP
EL NABO
CAT
EL GATO
HORSE
EL CABALLO
...,_...,
SPIDER
LA ARAISI- A
;6
INVITATIM 2
ALL EARTH'S CRITTERS
BACKGROUND
Throughout history people have tried to de-velop a system to classify all living things. Aris-totle developed the first system by dividing plantsinto three groups: herbs, with soft stems; shrubs,with several woody stems; and trees, with a singlewoody trunk. He also had three groups for ani-mals: land dwellers, water dwellers, and airdwellers.
N1ATERIALS
One stuffed animal per student or one plastictoy animal per student.Dichotomous key, pp. 41-42
PROCEDURE
This activity works best for large groups.Students can work individually or in learninggroups when developing the classification system.
I Invite each student to bring a stuffed animal orplastic toy animal to class. HINT: Theteacher might have a supply of "out of the or-dinary" animals available, such as a crocodileor an aardvark.
2. Invite the students to arrange themselves ingroups based upon different physical charac-teristics of their animals. One student can of-fer a suggested criterion. i.e. animals withfour legs, two legs, no legs, or more than sixlegs. Repeat this activity several times, allow-ing different students to suggest the categories.
he teacher can also participate by holdingone of the "out of the ordinary" stuffedanimals.
; Individual ly or in cooperative groups, im itestudents to design a way to classik all the ani-inals in the class, so that each animal is alone
in its unique group. Have students developtheir classification system using the dichoto-mous key. To create a dichotomous key, usequestions that can only be answered with yesor no. For example, "Is it red?" All the redanimals would be in one group and all the non-red animals in another group. Continue askingyes/no questions until all the animals are ingroups of one.
4. Share classification systems with the wholeclass. In journals have students reflect onwhat happens if one animal belongs to morethan one group or it' an animal does not fit inany group.
5. Individually or in cooperative groups developcriteria for classifying real animals.
6. Discuss the variety of classificationsthat the students developed.
systems
7. Invite students to find pictures of animals.Using these pictures, test the categorizingschemes suggested by the class. In journals,record which classification systems workedbest.
8. Invite students to select an animal to research.
9. Introduce Aristotle's system for classifyinganimals. I bye students group annuals they.hax,.e researched into his system. Reflect injournals about which animals were easy toclassify and which animals were not. Discusssimilarities and differences between students'sN stems and Aristotle's .
ft hi ite students to research current sortingsystems developed hv scientists For example.
mammals, birds, Fish, insects. Discuss simi-larities and differences between these sortingsystems and students systems.
EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
Write an imaginary dialogue between a realanimal and a stuffed animal. In what ways arethey alike? In what ways are they different?
Have students draw an animal on a square ofmaterial using fabric markers or paints. Sewthe squares together and make a quilt and giveit to a homeless shelter.
Is it an animal.'
Developing all the senses is important. If youhave access to tapes or records of animalsounds or bird sounds, the students can developa classification system for animals based only
on the sounds the animals make.
SAMPLE DICHOTOMOUS KEY
Yes
No
)oei, it have legs''
Does it have flowers'
14
110
yes
Does it have less than 6 legs"'
Does it live in water''
ni)
yes
Does it have 3 or 6 petals"'
Does Ii 11,1se
no
INVITATION 3
SO WHAT'S BACKBONE GOT TO DO WITH IT?
BACKGROUND
One way to class:fy animals is by vertebratesand invertebrates. Vertebrates are animals thathave a backbone. Mammals, birds, fish, and rep-tiles are vertebrates. Animals such as worms, in-sects, clams, crabs lack a backbone and are calledinvertebrates.
MATERIALS
Pictures of vertebrates and invertebratesTwo hula hoops or other large circles that canbe placed on the floorCardboard tubes, wrapping paper, egg cartonsPaper punches or leather punchesA variety of tapes, masking tape, duct tapeA variety of kinds of wire and wire cuttersA variety of yarns, strings and ribbonsAny other good junk
PROCEDURE
I. Discuss with the students that one way to clas-sify animals is by determining whether the ani-mal has a backbone or not. If appropriateintroduce the words vertebrates and inverte-brates. It is not necessary to use these terms,as long as the students understand that someanimals have backbones and some do not.
2. Give each student or group of studcnts a pic-ture of an animal. Invite the students to puttheir picture in the appropriate circles (hulahoops) marked WITII BACKBONE or WITH-OUT BACKBONE.
3. Invite students to create an imaginar> verte-brate with art supplies provided. Have stu-dents name their animal and list its uniquecharacteristics. In what ways is this imaginary
animal similar to and/or different from realvertebrates.
EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
Write a story about the created animal. Wheredoes it live? What does it eat? How long doesit live? In what kinds of environments wouldthis animal survive? In what kinds of environ-mer,,_ would this animal become extinct?
Create an animal dance with or without music.For vertebrates, move like a fish, giraffe, etcFor invertebrates, move like a worm, a spider.
Charades: Students pick a name of an animalout of a hat, act out the animal, other studentsguess whether the animal being acted out is avertebrate or an invertebrate.
INVITATION 4
FOLLOW THOSE TRACKS
BACKGROUND
Many animals can be identified by theirtracks. Classifying animals by their tracks is an-other way to classify animals into groups.
MATERIALS
Card sets of tracks, pp. 18-19
IINT: Make enough copies for each studentor each group of students to have a set of thetracks. If possible, mount and laminate eachpage before cutting apart.
PROCEDURE
. Give students a complete set of cards of ani-mal tracks. Invite them to record observationsof tracks, remembering to record similaritiesand differences.
2. Invite students to develop a way to categorizethe tracks. Share these systems with otherstudents.
Suggest that the following is one way to clas-sify tracks: side to side tracks, tracks in astraight line, tracks in pairs, tracks with taildrags. Invite students to classify the trackcards using this system. Record any similari-ties and differences between this system withtheir own system.
4. Depending on your location and the time ofyear, it may be possible for you to take the stu-dents on a field trip where there may be tracks.Allow them the opportunity to observe thetracks and record their observations.
EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
Invite students to invent a game using thetrack cards.
Create a track picture from which others candevelop a possible story.
1()
SAMPLE
What happened here? Create a story to explain the tracks.
C.%.
.
scc'
cP ccisc-)
(90
1 7
C3N
1111111111111111111111111
Please reproduce this page
-1
.
. 66b04
A OOr,0 u
5 6
4 1
00
7
, OA 6
04,,\")111111
8
0 00 0
C-3
9
.....
1 A
P 0 D (Yr\On)
1 0
56
1 1
ci
12
18
Please reproduce this page.
- --.
13 14
C60
15
0 00 s(ii0
16
117 18
k
U A
19 20
%141
21
r
22 231
00 Oo A
40 Oi
24
19
Tracker
TRACK STORIES
Create a track story. Exchange your track story with a friend. Create a story toexplain the track story your friend created.
211
Rastreador
CUENTOS DE HUELLAS
Escribe un cuento sobre huellas. Intercambie su cuento con un amigo(a). Crea uncuento que explique el cuento de su amigo(a).
21
INVITATION 5
FLYING HIGH
BACKGROUND
A bird's bones and feathers are light, have hol-low parts, and enable a bird to fly.
This activity contrasts the features of birdbones to cattle bones, which are not suitable forflight. Bird feathers can be purchased through abiological supply house, pet store, or zoo.
The chicken and beef bones should be boiledprior to the activity to insure that they are cleanand free of debris. Refrigerate bones until use.Large beef bones should be split to show their in-ternal structure. A butcher can split the beefbones for you.
MATERIALS
Bird feathersHand lenses or magnifying glassesChicken bonesBeef bonesPliersObservation sheet pp. 37-38
PROCEDURE
I. Invite students to carefully cut the feather inhalf or provide students with cut feathers.Record observations and drawings of thefeathers in journals. Magnifying glasses maybe helpful.
2 Invite students to break a chicken bone intotwo pieces. Pliers will he helpful. Record ob-servations and drawings in journals.
Invite students to record observations of thesplit beef hones in their Journals.
.1 Compare and contrast the differences andsimilarities between the chicken bones and thebeef bones. Based on then observations.
invite students to discuss why cows might notbe able to fly.
4. Have students develop another classificationsystem based on their findings from this
activity.
EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
Have students research the following: Arethcre any birds that cannot fly? Are thereanimals that are not birds that can fly? Injournals, reflect on what makes a bird a birdand when is an animal not a bird?
Discuss how to make a kite. Based on observa-tions with the birds, which material would youuse'? Why? Make kites using a variety of ma-terials and test them for flying ability.
('
INVITATION 6
YOU'RE DRIVING ME BUGGY
BACKGROUND
There are hundreds of thousands of differentkinds of insects. There are more kinds of insectsthan all other species of animals put together.
Most insects are small in comparison toother animals and insects have no internal skele-ton. Most adult insects have 3 distinct parts of thebody: the head, the thorax, and abdomen. Mostadult insects have 6 legs attached to the thorax.
1. Show students pictures of bugs and insectsand butterflies. Discuss the differences andsimilarities.
2. Have students make a model of an insect or abug. Encourage the students to be as accurateas possible, given the materials available. It
helps if the insect models are identifiable.Younger children might draw pictures.
3. When all the bugs and insects have been cre-ated, sort the created insects into twocategories.
4 Invite students to sort insects and bugs into 3,4, or 5 unique categories.
5 Invite students to sort insects into 2 catego-ries, those that are helpful to humankind andthose that are not. Have them reflect in their
journals on whether some insects should bedestroyed, mosquitoes, for example. Have apanel debate for or against insects.
6. If possible acquire an ant farm or butterflyfarm for the classroom. Many science equip-ment supply houses have these available.Make observations regularly recording bothpicture and verbal observations.
23
EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
Invite a bee keeper to talk to the class.
Write a biography of an entomologist.
Have a school wide "hug-a-bug" day. Invitenaturalists from your area to participate.
IIL1 tcproduce 011,, p.tcc
-,, _
.--- . - _.
.7".;.,:.
OW'', _-?'
,.
\
, . .,. .
:
'' .......
Maier%
i%TfreI
... I.e '. .."1'160
II
-
,,,..-,\4,-.z6,---A_ 4.t.&1,::-..-
WA& \ \\
6
I tI i :.4". lb:. : 41ii, ..,--' .
....,...
116
V1104111111 Vi v
S
cC)0PG0 0C:p
Thic)noCPA
()
, Nr
IN
10
.....4,,...
11 1
N
,,
'
2
VIA/....1i
Please reproduce this page.
INVITATION 7
IN THE SWIM
BACKGROUND
Many different kinds of animals can swim.Even dogs swim. What makes fish different fromall other animals that swim? How do we classifywhales and dolphins?
MATERIALS
Magazines that can be cut up with pictures ofanimals that swim: crocodiles, clams,lobsters, water bugs, frogs, tadpolesWord cards, pp. 27-28
PROCEDURE
I. Invite each student to find pictures of at leastfive animals that live in the water. If possiblelaminate the pictures or mount on stiffcardboard.
2. In groups of 4-5 students, have students de-velop a way to classify all the pictures in theirgroup. Students may choose color, size, orsome other quality that appeals to them, evenqualities like beautiful or ugly. For this partof the activity allow whatever characteristicsthe students suggest. Have students create adichotomous key. See sample p. 14
3, Share the dichotomous keys created. Usingone of the keys suggested, invite each groupto try to sort their set of animal pictures ac-cording to the selected designated key.
4 Reflect in journals about which keys workedfor a given set of pictures and which did not.
5 Develop a classification system that clearlysorts all thc animal pictures into 3 distinctgroups Using the classification system fromone of the groups, have all the groups sorttheir pictures using that criteria.
6. Reflect in journals about the animals that did-n't fit easily into a group. Invite students to
revise their classification systems based onthese reflections.
7. Try 4 distinct groupings, then 5. Remember,it is important for students to develop theirown classification systems.
8. Develop a system that will classify all the ani-mals on the planet that can swim.
9. Have students vote on the best system. Usingthe class's choice of the best classificationsystem, create a bulletin board using this sys-tem. Challenge students to find pictures orstories of animals that swim which do not fitinto the classification system. Encourage ar-guments and debate.
10. Have students compare the best classificationsystem developed in 149 to the best currentlyaccepted system used by scientists.
11. Using the set of animals on pp. 27-28, classifyusing their group's classification system. Re-flect in journals about which were easy toclassify and which were difficult. Why? Ifstudents do not know what a particular animalis, encourage research on this animal. Afterstudents have had ample opportunity to de-velop their own systems ask them to reflect intheir journals on the following question:What makes fish different from other animalsthat swim?
EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
Create a fictitious creature that swims. Writea story for a class hook entitled, "CreaturesThat Swim." Give the hook to the schoollibrary.Take a field trip to an aquarium.Invite someone who works in a pet store thatspecializes in fish to speak to the class.
26
OCTOPUS
EL PULPO
LEECH
LASANGUIJEULA
WATERSTRIDER
ELANDARRiOS
SHARK
EL TIBURON
LUNGFISH
EL PEZ DIPNEO
FROG
.LA RANA
PUFFIN
ELFRAILECILLO
PORPOISE
LA MARSOPA
OTTER
LA NUTRIA
CRAB
EL CANGREJO
BLUE FISH
EL PEZAZULADO YPLATEADO
MANATEE
LA MANATI
27
SAND DOLLAR
EL ERIZO DEMAR APLANADO
SPONGE
LA ESPONJA
JELLY FISH
LA MEDUSA
CORAL
EL CORAL
STARFISH
LAESTRELLAMAR
LOON
EL SOMORGUJO
HUMAN
EL HUMANO
DOG
EL PERRO
SEAL
LA FOCA
WHALE
I A BAI LENA
CLAM
I A ALMEJA
LOBSTER
I A LANGOSTA
2 8
:14
INVITATION 8
I THINK THAT I SHALL NEVER SEE
BACKGROUND
As with all living things there are many differentways to sort and classify. Most people will sorttrees into evergreens and not evergreens, or treeswith needles and trees without leaves. In the plantkingdom there are many phylum including bryo-phyta and tracheophyta. Within the phylum tracheo-phyta there are 3 classes two of which aregymnosperms and angiosperms. Most trees belongto these two classes.
Gymnosperm means "naked seed." Angiospermseeds develop within a protective wall. One of thesubclasses of gymnosperms is conifers. Conifer re-fers to the woody cone seen on many evergreens:pines, spruces, firs and sequoia. A few shrubs arealso conifers: i.e. yews and junipers.
Angiosperms are basically flowering plants.There are 2 subclasses: monocots and dicots. Amonocot has a single cotyledon (seed leaves that de-velop in the embryo plant) and a dicot has two.Therefore a palm tree is a monocot angiosperm andmaple, beech, chestnut and oak trees arc dicotangiosperms.
It is not necessary for the students to memorizethese distinctions, or to even be aware of these dis-tinctions. Allow students the opportunity to men-tally struggle with a way to classify trees. Ques-tions like "What about a palm?" will help studentsexpand and revise their own mental constructs.
MATERIALS
Pictures of trees. The Arbor Day Federation willbe happy to provide pictures of trees.Set of pictures of leaves on pp. 30-31. Make aset for each student or group of students.
PROCEDURE
I This activity should he started one month beforetrees begin to change in the spring. Allow atleast I I/ ".. months observation time before theclassification process in class actually begins.Invite students to select a tree that they will
observe 3 times a week for the next month. Stu-dents should record their observations both inwords and in pictures. Have students tie a rib-bon around the end of an easily observablebranch. The portion selected should be at theend of a branch and about 3 inches long. Havestudents draw this section of the branch at eachobservation and reflect on any changes that areoccurring.
2. Have students research the kind of tree they areobserving. Possibilities include talking to fam-ily members or neighbors. If the tiee is onschool property, talking to the sexton or teachersthat have been at the school for some time. It isalso possible to tell types of trees by overallshape, bark, and buds. Leaves of course, are theeasiest method. When the leaves emerge, stu-dents can verify their predictions.
3. Towards the end of the month of observation,invite students to develop a classification systemfor all the trees represented by students in theclass. Possibilities include; single truck, multi-ple trunks; needle like leaves, broad leaves,seeds in cones, seeds not in cones, flowering,non-flowering.
4. Using either real leaves or the set of leaf cardson pp. 30-31, classify trees using only leaves asthe criteria.
5. Invite students to develop a variety of differentclassification systems. For example, a classifi-cation system based on uses of trees or a classi-fication systcm based on homes, human andanimals.
EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
Invite students to write a poem about their treeand illustrate the poem. Collate the poems and ilkis-trations together as a book on trees. Donate a copyof the book to the school's library.
29
Please reproduce this page.
1
162
WO3
4
allw111
5 6
'147 8 94
10 11
4ATOP diGill>) ieded
12
INVITATION 9
THE NOSE KNO ws
BACKGROUND
Scientists use all five senses when making ob-servations. The primary focus of this activity isto develop a classification system for flowers.The flowers will be classified using the sense ofsmell as well as the sense of sight. Plants thatlive for only one season are called annuals. Bien-nial plants have a life cycle that lasts 2 growingseasons, and perennials live for many years. Thenumber of petals in a monocot is usually a multi-ple of 3. The number of petals in dicots are usu-ally multiples of 4 or 5. NOTE: If students haveallergies you may want them to skip this activity.
MATERIALS
A variety of flowers. Ask your local florist tosave flowers that are to be discarded.Seed catalogsPictures of plants from around worldObservation sheet, pp. 37-38
PROCEDURE
1. Have students smell at least 10 different kindsof real flowers. They do not need to be cutflowers. Mums, African violets, or otherflowering potted plants will also work. Youmay want to put each kind of flower in a dif-ferent location around the room, so the smellsdo not contaminate each other. Have groupsof students move from flower to flower.
2. On the observation sheet, describe the flowersusing only the sense of smell.
3 Challenge the students to develop a classifica-tion system for all the flowers in the roombased solely on aroma. Ask students to re-flect in their journals on the positives and
negatives of trying to develop a classificationsystem using only the olfactory sense.
4. Have students develop a classification systemusing visual observations.
5. Invite students to find pictures of other flow-ering plants, especially those that are not in-digenous to your part of the world. Using theclassification systems developed by thegroup, have them sort the pictures.
6. In journals, have students reflect on the proc-ess used to develop the classification
7. If students did not suggest annual, biennials,or perennials, invite them to try this system asa way to classify the real flowers or the pic-tures of flowers.
8. Develop a classification system based solelyon the number of petals the flowers have.
EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
32
Reflect on the purpose of flov er smells andflower petals.
3
INVITATION 10
INCREDIBLE EDIBLES
BACKGROUND
There are many ways to classify plants. Onepossibility is to classify plants as edible and non-edible. Based on which part of the plant is eaten,edible plants can be further classified into catego-ries such as fruits, seeds, roots, stems, leaves andflowers. This is one of many methods of plantclassificpti( n. Remind students that theyshouldn't eat any plants until they have checkedwith an adult. Some discussion of unfamiliarplants may be necessary in helping students deter-mine the edible from the non-ec ble parts.
MATERIALS
A wide variety of edible plants. Include plantsthat represent different cultures and parts ofthe world
A wide variety of pictures of edible plants
PROCEDURES
I. Have students list the types of vegetables thatthey or their families eat. Develop a way toclassify the plants on the list into 2 or moreunique groups.
2. In journals, record observations of a variety ofedible plants. Develop a way to classify theedible plants.
3. Discuss the similarities and differences in theclassification systems developed in # I and #2.
4 If students have not suggested that the edibleplants be grouped by tpes of edible parts,suggest the following as one way to clas::iifyedible plants: fruits, seeds, roots, stems,leaves and flowers. !lave students group edi-ble plants using this classification system
EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
3 3
Invite students to explore edible plants in dif-ferent cultures or different areas of th UnitedStates or from different parts of the world.Students could interview their families or theirfriend's families about the types of plants thatthey eat.
Go a on a field trip to a grocery store with alarge produce section. Ask the produce m a n -
ager to show the crates that the different FD-duce came in. Have the student identify on amap the locations of the origins of the differ-ent plants.
Draw a picture of an imaginary plant where allthe parts of that plant are edible. You can re-fer to the examples used for this activity forsome ideas. Label the parts of your plant us-ing the 6 categories used above for classifyingplants as edible.
Have an edible plants potluck supper, lunch, orsnacks.
Make an edible plants cookbook.
ROOTS
LAS RAICES
STEMS
LOS TRONCHOS
FRUIT
LA FRUTA
LE WES
LAS HOJAS
SEEDS
LAS SEMI1,LAS
FLOWERS
LAS FLORES
MY
SCIENCE
JOURNAL
Scientist's Name
Nombre del Cientifico
MI
CUADERNO
DE
CIENCIA
36 412
OBSERVATIONS
For each object list at least six observations, try to use all of your senses.Draw a picture of the object in the box below.
Object
3 7
4.81.
OBSERVACIONES
Para cada objeto menciona, por lo menos, seis observaciónes. Trata deutilizar todos sus sentidos. Haz un dibujo del objeto en el rectángulo.
Objeto
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
38
i
Journal Thoughts and IdeasInvitation
Books I've read on this topic
Today I learned...
39
Cuaderno de IdeasSugerencias
Libros que he leido sobre este tema.
Aprendi hoy...
40 4 6
yes
yesno
Yes
No
yesno
no
yes
yes
no
no
yes
no
On the horizontal lines, write a question that can only he answered by yes or noand will divide the group into two unique categories.
41A 1
si
si
no
Si
No
sino
no
Si
si
no
no
si
no
En las lineas horizontales, escribe una pregunta que se puede contestar con un sio no y que divida el grupo en dos categorias.
42
FOR THE TFACHER:
For many years, scientists divided all living things into two major groups, animals and plants.As more and more organisms were found, scientists added a third group, then a fourth, then afifth. Some taxonomists add a sixth. There is no general agreement among the scientificcommunity as to how many kingdoms there are. There is no completely satisfactory way ofclassifying. Each system has its advantages and disadvantages. The following chart is for theteacher's interest only. Students will develop their own classification systems in the invitationsin this book. Their system is no less correct than the scientists. Presented here is a fivekingdom system. In a four-kingdom system, the fungi are usually classified as plants. In thethree-kingdom system, some protists are classified as plants and some as animals.
CHARACTERISTICS MONERA PROTISTA FUNGI PLANTAE ANIMALIA
Nuclear membrane no yes yes,yes yes
Mitochondria no yes yes yes yes
Ability to performphotosynthesis
some some
,
no yes,
no
Ability to move some some no no yes
pBody form one cell one or morecelss
one ormore cells
many cells many cells
Reproductive structures one cell one cell many cells..