Thank you for checking out my Webquest to help teach your adaptations lesson. This Webquest and assignment was created with the use of the Johnsburg Elementary School curriculum, combined with the MyView Unit 2 Adaptations lessons.
Introduction
Today, we are going to learn about the different animal adaptations that occur. The question of focus during this lesson will be "How do adaptations help animals to survive"? We will discuss this question as a class at the beginning of the lesson. After brainstorming, and turning and talking the question will be discussed aloud. I will then introduce the vocabulary of mimicry, environment, and species. Using this vocabulary, the class will have one more discussion to add to their original ideas. Students will use all of the knowledge discussed to better comprehend the Animal Mimics story we will read from our MyView book (pg. 266 and 267).
To find the MyView Book resource, click here.
Task
You will converse with another student near you during a turn and talk. You will discuss the question of "How do adaptations help animals to survive"? Then, you will learn of the new vocabulary for the Animal Mimics story. You will further discuss your ideas. As you read the story, you will annotate and find different facts that can assist you in answering the question introduced at the start of the lesson. When the story is finished, we will have a final discussion of animal adaptations. The class will point out the different animals, and how they adapted to the world around them.
Process
- The teacher will make sure the each student has a turn and talk partner.
- The class will discuss the different adaptations.
- The teacher will introduce the weekly question of "How do adaptations help animals to survive"?
- Students will turn and talk to share ideas.
- The class will discuss the turn and talk ideas.
- The teacher will introduce the new vocabulary of mimicry, environment, and species.
- The students will turn and talk again to have a deeper discussion.
- The new ideas will be shared.
- Students will use these ideas to read deeply into the story Animal Mimics and annotate.
- Students will share the adaptations they discovered, and further add to the ideas discussed with their turn and talk partner.
- The teacher will call on students to facilitate this discussion.
Use this website to assist you with effectively using turn and talk in your classroom.
Evaluation
| Score | 0 Points | 1 Point | 2 Points |
| Discussion/Turn and Talk | Student(s) did not effectively participate in turn and talk. The student(s) did not come up with ideas or brainstorm based on the weekly question. | Student(s) partially participated in turn and talk. The student(s) came up with few ideas and brainstormed based on the weekly question. | Student(s) fully participated in turn and talk. The student(s) came up with clear ideas and brainstormed based on the weekly question. |
| Annotating and Adjusting Discussion | Student(s) did not annotate, and did not add to their previous discussion. | Student(s) rarely annotated, and added little to their previous discussion. | Student(s) thoroughly annotated, and added valuable content to their discussion. |
| TOTAL: | /4 |
This grading scale will be used for individual grades.
For assistance with creating rubrics, click here.
Conclusion
Overall, this lesson is meant to help students dig deeper into the thought of animal adaptations. By discussing with partners, students can give ideas without the pressure of getting the answer correct. When they share their ideas with the class it is as a pair, which assists in filling in the missing pieces of ideas. The goal for this lesson is to create predictions, and add onto learning. This lesson can not only assist students in learning of adaptations and their meaning, but also to practice working together while improving their initial work.
To create more discussion about adaptations use this resource.
Credits
Thank you to the resources that allowed me to put together this Webquest. This will assist me, as well as other educators in creating effective lessons that will engage their students.
Resources:
Animal Adaptations Resources Round-Up - Teachers are Terrific | Animal adaptations, Animal books, Reading comprehension resources. (n.d.). Pinterest. Retrieved November 19, 2023, from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/532339618456851491/
Generation Genius, Inc. (2018). Generation Genius. Generation Genius. https://www.generationgenius.com/
How do I effectively teach students to Turn & Talk? (n.d.). Www.youtube.com. Retrieved November 19, 2023, from https://youtu.be/Or1w9C6x8ic?feature=shared
Rubric Best Practices, Examples, and Templates – Teaching Resources. (n.d.). https://teaching-resources.delta.ncsu.edu/rubric_best-practices-example…
Virtual Sampling. (n.d.). Www.savvas.com. Retrieved November 19, 2023, from https://www.savvas.com/solutions/literacy/core-programs/myview-literacy…
