Aniamls Recyle

This article has a very creative way to approach pollution effects on animals. Students are given a clean piece of trash and an animal to research. Then they write a story about how the tr... See More

This article has a very creative way to approach pollution effects on animals. Students are given a clean piece of trash and an animal to research. Then they write a story about how the trash could benefit or harm the animal. There are several examples of what students wrote and they are were inventive !

Helpful Resource

I am using this resource to plan a 10-day science unit as a pre-service teacher about animal habitats. As one of the activities, I will have students explore their school environment and mak... See More

I am using this resource to plan a 10-day science unit as a pre-service teacher about animal habitats. As one of the activities, I will have students explore their school environment and make observations about what they see; this lesson would be an excellent way to pre-teach pollution concepts and to make students aware of what they should be looking for when they go outside. Additionally, this lesson ties in animal impact, not just environmental impact. Overall, I think this is a great resource to use for planning.

Connecting subjects

This was a great example of how to connect different subject areas into one lesson. It took the ever present topic of pollution and combined it with animals we are surrounded by. The artic... See More

This was a great example of how to connect different subject areas into one lesson. It took the ever present topic of pollution and combined it with animals we are surrounded by. The article says it is for third through fifth grade, but I found some relevant information I will use on my kindergartners. At the very least, the topic of not littering can be introduced at an early age. I would recommend beginning this lesson with the extension activity offered at the end of the article. Beginning the lesson with a short trip around the school grounds to pick up litter as well as find critters and animals in the area would be a great attention grabber. To wash and use that litter might make the problem more real rather than bringing in garbage from somewhere else.

Creative Reading, Writing and Thinking

I always feel caught between the imagination of younger students and the reality of the natural world. This article provides the opportunity to stretch scientific understanding into a creat... See More

I always feel caught between the imagination of younger students and the reality of the natural world. This article provides the opportunity to stretch scientific understanding into a creative, if not practical space. Listed for 3rd - 5th graders, I have used Ms. Kowalczyk's lesson with 2nd graders with the best results. This lesson provides opportunity for differentiation as well as scaffolding to Bloom's higher levels.