The lesson plan outlines an activity where students will simulate different bird beaks by using utensils (spoons, forks, etc.) to collect different types of "food" (toothpicks, rubber bands, etc.) in order to demonstrate how beak adaptations allow birds to access different food sources. Students will record their predictions and results. The goal is for students to understand that adaptations allow animals to survive in their environments by accessing available food.
The lesson plan outlines an activity where students will simulate different bird beaks by using utensils (spoons, forks, etc.) to collect different types of "food" (toothpicks, rubber bands, etc.) in order to demonstrate how beak adaptations allow birds to access different food sources. Students will record their predictions and results. The goal is for students to understand that adaptations allow animals to survive in their environments by accessing available food.
The lesson plan outlines an activity where students will simulate different bird beaks by using utensils (spoons, forks, etc.) to collect different types of "food" (toothpicks, rubber bands, etc.) in order to demonstrate how beak adaptations allow birds to access different food sources. Students will record their predictions and results. The goal is for students to understand that adaptations allow animals to survive in their environments by accessing available food.
The lesson plan outlines an activity where students will simulate different bird beaks by using utensils (spoons, forks, etc.) to collect different types of "food" (toothpicks, rubber bands, etc.) in order to demonstrate how beak adaptations allow birds to access different food sources. Students will record their predictions and results. The goal is for students to understand that adaptations allow animals to survive in their environments by accessing available food.
2. Lesson Essential Questions: How do different animal adapt to their environment in order to get food? 3. Standards:
4-LS1-1 Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.
4. A: Learning objectives and assessments:
Model how animals adapt to their environment in order to collect food and survive B: Assessments:
Objectives
Assessments
SWBAT model how
different variations of animals collect food to survive
Students will demonstrate how different types of birds gather
food. Each student will be given a beak with its own variation and have to collect objects in the classroom that represent food
5. Materials: Beaks: o Spoons o Forks Food: o Toothpicks o Rubber bands o Paper clips o Macaroni o Gummy bears Plates Cups Bird Beak Activity worksheet Bird Beak Activity rubric 6. Pre-Lesson Assignments and/or Prior Knowledge: Students know that animals require food to survive Students have seen different animals and know that they dont all look the same and that different animals eat different things.
7. Lesson Beginning: Distribute science folders Compare how we eat to different animals. Narrow the comparison to different birds. Show a picture of different birds to the class. Ask them to make observations. Direct their attention to the birds beaks. Why might some have bigger/smaller beaks than others? What might they eat? Explain how animals need to adapt to their environment in order to survive. They eat what is accessible to them, based on location and structure. (ex. Can a small beaked bird eat a squirrel? Why not?) o Adaptation- Adjusting to your surroundings Ask the class what would happen if an animal cant adapt to their environment. Walk around the room and distribute a beak and small cup to each student. Explain that the utensil they receive is going to be their beak and the cup is going to represent their stomach. Notice that each student has a different beak. On their worksheet, have students predict how many pieces of food they think they will be able to collect during the first round. 8. Instructional Plan: Place plates around the room and scatter food on each plate. Explain to the class that they are only allowed to pick up food using their beak. They must hold their cup in one hand and their beak in their other. Any food in their cup will represent food that has been eaten. On the teachers Go students will have 1 minute to search the room and collect as much food as they can into their cups. When the teacher says Stop students must return to their desks and count the number of items that are in their cups. Have students record how many of each item they were able to collect. Repeat the activity one more time. Once again have students record how many of each item they were able to collect. Look back at the predictions made before beginning the activity. Have students discuss in small groups how many pieces of food they predicted to get and how many pieces of food they actually got. Go through each type of food. Ask students who got a lot of each type. Look at the type of beak they had. Why do you think you were able to pick up so many _____? Why might you have struggled with ______? Direct the students attention to their worksheets again. Answer the questions on the back of their worksheets. Differentiation: The teachers will be distributing the beaks to the students. Give students who you feel may struggle with this activity something simple, such as a fork or spoon with no variations. Give the students who seem to be understanding this science unit a more challenging beak to work with, such as a fork with only one prong.
Class Management: The teachers will distribute the materials (beaks and cups) to the students. Directions will be given that students are not allowed to change their beak once
they receive it. Students will remain in their seats until instructed by the teacher to search the room for food. Should students be too loud during Trial 1 they will be asked to sit and remain in their seats until the teachers feel the students can handle Trial 2. The teachers will monitor and walk around the classroom as students fill out the worksheet.
Transitions: Begin with making a broad comparison and narrowing it down to tie into the topic of the lesson. Move to the activity by handing out material to the students. Use the teachers cues (go, stop) to begin and end the activity. Direct students attention to the worksheet once completing the activity.
9. Closure: Practice The Atoms Family song one final time before we sing it for the parents.
Name: ____________________
Date: _____________
Beautiful Bird Beaks
Draw a picture of your beak
Toothpicks
Trial 1 Trial 2 Average
How many pieces of food you think will
be in your cup: ____ How many pieces of food were actually in your cup: _____
4. If you could trade your beak with someone else would you? Why or why not? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
Activity: Beautiful Bird Beaks
4
Participation
Used time well
and focused attention on the activity.
Used time well. Stayed focused on the activity most of the time.
Did not use
time well. Completed the activity, but did not show much interest.
Participation was minimal during the activity.
Table
Table is filled in complete and shows and illustrates an understanding of the activity.
Table is mostly filled in. A few boxes are empty. It illustrates an understanding of the activity.
Table is missing much information. Most boxes are empty.
Table is not filled in.
Questions
All questions have been answered and in complete sentences.
Most questions have been answered and in complete sentences.
Some questions have been answered. Responses are not in complete sentences.
No questions have been answered or only one word answers have been given.
