In this unit, students will read informational texts about animal adaptions. Students will make connections, identify main topics, retell details and write responses to the text.
As part of the upgrade to Fishtank Plus, this unit was revised in October 2020. Some texts, materials, and questions may have changed as part of the revision. If you are looking for the 2018-2019 version of this unit, visit our archives.
In this science-based unit, students begin their exploration of animals and animal adaptations. Using next-generation science standards as a guide, students explore three main topics: how different animals use their body parts and senses in different ways in order to survive, the ways in which the behavior of different animal parents and offspring help the offspring survive, and the similarities and differences among individual animals of the same kind. This unit is part of a larger progression on understanding animals and the animal kingdom. In kindergarten, students learn about how animals meet their basic needs for survival and how that varies depending on the season. In 2nd grade, students learn about different habitats and how animals in the habitat rely on the environment for survival. Then in 3rd grade, students study animal adaptations and the different ways animals adapt in order to survive, especially when threatened by environmental changes. It is our hope that this unit, in combination with others in the sequence, will help students develop a deeper understanding of the animal kingdom and life science.
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Book: What Do You Do with a Tail Like This? by Steve Jenkins (HMH Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition, 2008) — 510L
Book: Living Color by Steve Jenkins (HMH Books for Young Readers, 2012) — NC950L
Book: What Color Is Camouflage? by Carolyn B. Otto (HarperCollins, 1996) — 610L
Book: What Do You Do When Something Wants to Eat You? by Steve Jenkins (HMH Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition, 2001) — AD760L
Book: Who Eats What?: Food Chains and Food Webs by Patricia Lauber (HarperCollins; Revised edition, 2016) — 620L
Book: Red-Eyed Tree Frog by Joy Cowley (Scholastic Paperbacks; 1 edition, 2006) — AD490L
Book: Sisters and Brothers: Sibling Relationships in the Animal World by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page (HMH Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition, 2012) — 980L
Book: Lizards by Laura Marsh (National Geographic Children's Books, 2012) — 460L
Book: Frogs by Elizabeth Carney (National Geographic Children's Books, 2009) — 470L
Template: Creature Feature
See Text Selection Rationale
This assessment accompanies this unit and should be given on the suggested assessment day or after completing the unit.
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In this unit, students continue to work on crafting strong sentences. Building on work done in Unit 1, students should continue to notice the difference between complete sentences and fragments. Students learn how to use the four different sentence types to describe key ideas in a text. Students also learn how to write specific questions by using a variety of interrogatives.
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cooperate detect disguise excess imitate maneuver poisonous prey predator
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What Do... pp. 1 – 14 — stop before eyes
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RI.1.6
RI.1.7
SL.1.1
Explain how animals use different body parts to survive.
What Do... — p. 15 - end
RI.1.3
RI.1.6
RI.1.7
SL.1.1
Explain how animals use different body parts to survive.
L.1.1.j
L.1.2.b
Identify and use simple sentences with correct ending punctuation.
What Color Is Camouflage?
RI.1.6
RI.1.7
SL.1.1
L.1.1.j
Explain what it means to camouflage and give two examples of how animals use camouflage to survive.
Living Color pp. 1 – 10 — (red and blue)
RI.1.3
RI.1.6
RI.1.7
L.1.1.j
L.1.2.b
Explain how animals use colors to survive.
Living Color — (yellow and green)
RI.1.3
RI.1.6
RI.1.7
L.1.1.j
L.1.2.b
Describe how animals use color to survive.
Living Color — (Orange, Purple, Pink)
RI.1.3
RI.1.6
RI.1.7
L.1.1.j
L.1.2.b
Describe how animals use color to survive.
Red-Eyed Tree Frog
L.1.1.j
L.1.2.b
Write questions using the words who, what, where, when, why, and how.
Red-Eyed Tree Frog
RI.1.3
RI.1.6
RI.1.7
L.1.1.j
L.1.2.b
Write four sentences that describe how a red-eyed tree frog gets its food.
What Do...
RI.1.3
RI.1.6
RI.1.7
L.1.1.j
Explain what different animals do if something wants to eat them.
Discussion & Writing
What Color Is Camouflage?
Living Color
Red-Eyed Tree Frog
What Do...
RI.1.3
RI.1.6
RI.1.7
SL.1.1
SL.1.2
SL.1.3
SL.1.5
SL.1.6
Debate if camouflage is the most effective way for animals to protect themselves.
Sisters and Brothers pp. 1 – 10
RI.1.3
RI.1.6
RI.1.7
SL.1.1
L.1.1.j
Explain how different animals rely on their brothers and sisters for survival.
Sisters and Brothers pp. 10 – 18
RI.1.3
RI.1.6
RI.1.7
SL.1.1
L.1.1.j
Describe how different brothers and sisters rely on each other for survival.
Sisters and Brothers p. 19 — to end
RI.1.3
RI.1.6
RI.1.7
SL.1.1
L.1.1.j
Describe how different animals rely on their brothers and sisters for survival.
Discussion & Writing
RI.1.3
RI.1.6
RI.1.7
SL.1.1
SL.1.2
SL.1.3
SL.1.4
SL.1.5
SL.1.6
Discuss the behaviors parents, siblings, and babies engage in to help each other survive.
Lizards pp. 1 – 15
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RI.1.6
RI.1.7
Explain how lizards are the same and how they are different.
Lizards p. 16 — to end
RI.1.3
RI.1.6
RI.1.7
Explain how lizards are the same and how they are different.
Frogs pp. 1 – 15
RI.1.3
RI.1.6
RI.1.7
Explain how frogs are the same and how they are different.
Frogs p. 16 — to end
RI.1.3
RI.1.6
RI.1.7
Explain how frogs are the same and how they are different.
Discussion & Writing
RI.1.3
RI.1.6
RI.1.7
SL.1.1
SL.1.2
SL.1.3
SL.1.4
SL.1.5
SL.1.6
L.1.1.b
L.1.1.j
Discuss the ways individual animals of the same kind are similar and different.
Assessment
4 days
Writing
Creature Feature
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W.1.5
W.1.8
L.1.1.f
L.1.1.j
L.1.2.b
Write an informational report about a specific animal.
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