Animal Behaviors & Adaptations: Beavers
video
10.31 min. This is an introduction to beavers, their families, and how they survive in their aquatic habitat.
Overview
Grade: 3rd
Topic: Life Science
Standard: L3.LS.1 Offspring resemble their parents and each other.
In this lesson students will be introduced to beavers; learn about their life cycle, and find out how they are adapted to their environment.
Format
Short video introduction to beavers (10.31)
2 activities for students (both have instructional videos)
Materials
Activity 1: Adaptations for an ecosystem
Pencils, crayons, or markers to draw your own awesome animal
Activity 2: Imagination Animals
Adaptation cards- choose one of each color. Or, use the Flippity randomizer. The randomizer works best is all students have access to the link as they will all have different adaptations to include. Great for the students at home that can't print cards.
Pencils, crayons, or markers to draw your own awesome animal
Lesson
Video Introduction
Watch 10 minute video on beavers
Activity 1: Adaptations for an ecosystem
Students will come up with a list of traits, then draw an animal that contains all of them.
Instructional video (3.19)
Student Worksheet Has the information below, including a table they will complete.
You are going to create an imaginary animal that will have specific traits to be able to survive in it's ecosystem.
Which Habitat? You are going to create your own make believe animal that has special adaptations to fit a habitat. Which habitat will your animal live in (Ohio Forest Aquatic: River Aquatic: Ocean Prairie/Grassland Arctic Desert)?
____________________________________________________________________
Complete the table on the student worksheet: Use your imagination to complete the following table for your animal (remember its make believe, so you don’t have to think about real animals, you could end up with a furry blue whale with hundreds of eyes):
Create your animal. Using the habitat you selected and the answers you listed in the table, draw a picture of your imaginary animal.
Activity 2: Adaptation Artistry
Students are given a list of traits and must create an annotated diagram to explain their animal.
You are going to create an imaginary animal that must possess certain body parts to survive in its environment.
Pick a number for each of the following
Habitat: Pick a number between 1 and 4 ________
Movement: Pick an number between 1 and 6 ________
Shape/Color: Pick a number between 1 and 4 ________
Senses or other body parts: Pick a number between 1 and 4 ________
Eating or Breathing: Pick a number between 1 and 4 ________
Now look at the cards for each (the color will match the colors above). For example, I picked 2 for habitat so I need to create an animal that lives in the forest. It had movement 6 which means it has to swim, and it was shape 1 so it is round.
Write the adaptations your animal has below;
Habitat: __________________________________________________________
Movement: __________________________________________________
Shape/Color: __________________________________________________
Senses or other body parts: ___________________________________
Eating or Breathing: ___________________________________________
5. Draw a diagram of your animal making sure it has all of the adaptations that were selected.
6. Label your diagram to show how it uses these adaptations to survive in its environment.
Assessment
Quiz - google forms 10 questions. 8 multiple choice, 2 short answer.
Extensions
Reading These readings are free with registration on ReadWorks, a nonprofit that provides Common-Core-aligned readings. All readings include comprehension questions.
How animals get ready for winter 294 words, also has 2 questions sets based on the story.
The Namib beetle and fog sets - Scientists are looking at a special adaptation this beetle has allowing it to survive in the desert. They are trying to see if they can copy it for human use. 271 words and a question set
Questions
Questions? Please contact your county SWCD educator