top of page
Animal Needs, Characteristics, and Adaptations
Brought to you by
Kimmy Slater
 Day 1I start off with this book because I believe the unit should evolve from discussing the needs of animals to the characteristics and adaptations of animals. This book emphasizes one of the main needs of animals: shelter. To extend this concept I will: using grapes as crabs, I will place some under containers (shells) and others in the open. A basketball will be released, acting as fish eating the exposed crabs. After observing, students will free-write about the importance of shelter. |  Day 2I chose this book to follow-up because it draws on another need animals have: food. The teacher can also ask students to make the connection of the need for air since there is a fire. Ask, what other needs do you see in this book? Why are the animals running away? After reading the book, I will show students the animal needs song and have them sing along. |  Day 3This book comes third because it extends the idea of animal needs: sleep. While this is not one of the pre-determined needs of animals that is essential for students to know, I believe it is an important need for students to understand. An extension activity based off this book is having students write a simile about an animal they sleep like and drawing a picture to go with it. |
|---|---|---|
 Day 4I placed this book on day four because it acts as a transition from animal needs to animal characteristics. The need of food and shelter, as well as protection of offspring are covered in this book. Animal characteristics are also introduced, making this book a good transition. Ask students what they notice about the baby animals. How are they different? Why? How does the way they look affect their survival? |  Day 5This book really delves into the idea of how animals use their different characteristics to survive. Fun art extension: have students create a body part of an animal out of construction paper. Attach this to a piece of paper and have them write "What do you do with a _______ like this?" Then have them answer their question. |  Day 6I placed this book on day 6 because it reinforces the idea that animals use their different characteristics in different ways. The mouse using his teeth to chew through the rope and set the lion free demonstrates how mice's teeth can come in handy. After guiding students through this picture book, ask them what characteristics each animal had. How did these benefit the animals? Have students act out the story, taking on the traits of each animal. |
 Day 7This book reinforces concepts of needs, characteristics, and adaptations. Ask students why penguins have the feathers, wings, etc. they do. How do these help them survive? What examples of needs can students find? |  Day 8I placed this book here because I like switching between fiction and non-fiction books to keep students engaged and show them that what we are learning about is apparent in a variety of texts and genres. After reading have students free-write about what they would do if they were a jungle animal. Which one would they be? Why? |  Day 9This book is a bit more advanced than the previous ones, which is why it is listed toward the end of the week to give students ample time to build the base they need. Ask students what adaptations and characteristics they see in the book. Then have students "Create My Wild Self" online. Discuss with students what animal they are and how the different characteristics/adaptations will benefit them. |
 Day 10I chose this book for the end of the unit because it requires more application than any of the others since it lacks clear examples of the concepts we have been learning. Students will need to apply what they have learned throughout the week to analyze animal needs, characteristics, and adaptations. After reading this poetry, have students create their own piece of poetry on an animal of their choice. |
Chronological Overview
bottom of page