Mini-Unit Topic: Vertebrates

Lainie Glaser

EMail: hsglaser@uiuc.edu

Year Long Project

University of Illinios, Urbana-Champaign
Curriculum & Instruction 237
Fall 1994

Table of Contents

• Rationale
• Goals
• Structure
• Lesson One: Introduction To The Various Types Of Vertebrates
• Lesson Two: Vertebrate Game
• Lesson Three: Personification-An Extension Into Language Arts
• Lesson Four: Animal Surveys-An Extension Into Mathematics
• Mini-Unit Evaluation

Fifth Grade

Rationale:

I chose vertebrates as my mini-unit topic based on discussions with my cooperating teacher. During the time I would be teaching my lessons, she will cover vertebrates, so the opportunity to teach about animals with backbones was ideal. I also felt that this particular topic would fit my science planning requirements well.

On a larger scale, I feel that having some experience in planning units on such a topic would suit me well in preparation for my teaching years. I will inevitably have to teach a unit on animals; knowing how to do an introductory unit will aid me in organizing my curriculum.

For this lesson, I did not make out four sequential lesson plans for one subject. Rather, I planned out lessons from a variety of disciplines.

It may follow, therefore, that my lesson plans do not go in a particular order. While the lessons may not be ordered as far as concept development is concerned, I feel that I am doing a good job of using this theme as a way to "sample" the subject matter (vertebrates) from a variety of disciplines.

Furthermore, I found that I could not have great continuity across lessons, as the children in the fifth grade have math, social studies and science classes away from their homerooms. Because the lessons that I teach are not all for the same class, I had the freedom to choose various subject areas and incorporate the theme.

Goals:

• Students will have a better understanding of what types of traits and characteristics are realistic for animals, as well as the specific classes of animals. Students will know the distinguishing characteristics of the five types of vertebrates (mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles) and will be able to tell the difference between animals that are presented realistically, and those that are not (for example, those personified in text).
• Students will also understand the key factors which make each class of vertebrate unique according to features and habitat. Furthermore, students will be able to gain enough background knowledge about certain classes of animals to write a children's book on the subject. In other words, children will be able to understand what types of facts are necessary in providing information about certain animals.

The actual writing of the children's book is part of my cooperating teacher's larger unit, not my mini-unit. I do, however, assist in providing students with background knowledge.

Structure:

The mini-unit will be composed of the following lessons:

1. An introductory, pre-assessment lesson on the types of animals and their distinguishing factors.
2. A game involving the knowledge students have gained as a result of participating in the pre-assessment activities.
3. An extension activity in Language Arts which focuses on personification of animals as a literary device (and why it is not scientifically sound).
4. A math lesson on sorting and organizational skills through separating out animals by class, features, or habitat.