Anne C. Fox

Cooperative Lesson

EDP 621, Summer 2001

 

Title: Do You Know The Five Classes Of Vertebrates?

 

Objective: Students will select, organize and examine a group of animals. As a cooperative group, they will develop their own classification method using their knowledge of the five classes of vertebrates (Fish, Amphibian, Reptile, Bird, Mammal).

 

Goal: To use the Scripted Dyad method of reading and responding to material needed for internalization and mastery of the concept of what is a Vertebrate.  

 

Age Level: Second and Third Grade Multi-age groups. All will help each other and support each other to accomplish the tasks and objective.

 

Time: 90 minutes. This activity is intended to be done after all the vertebrates and their main characteristics are studied within the Zoology curriculum – usually around February or March of the school year.

 

Group Size: 3 or 4 students of varying age levels and abilities.

 

Materials:         Group cards (explained in #1 below)

                           Envelope containing Wildlife Fact Cards and

                           Question cards (pre-made)

                           markers, colored pencils, crayons

                           paper

                           Trade books (if needed for extra information)

Procedures:

1.   Break up the class into small groups. A suggested way to do this is to make cards using the five classes. For example:

Fish                        Amphibian                          Reptile     

Salmon         toad                                     crocodile

Damsel                  salamander                         turtle

Goldfish                 newt                                     snake

 

Bird                        Ocean Mammal                  Farm Mammal

Condor                   Humpback Whale              sheep

Parrot                     Bottle-nosed Dolphin         horse

Cardinal                 Orca                                     cow 

 

Grassland Mammal                         Big Cats (Mammal)

giraffe                                                lion

elephant                                            cheetah

rhinoceros                                        jaguar

Students will walk around the room and find the other two children who belong with their group of vertebrates.

Adaptations for students in need:

·      Each card could have the name of the animal on the front and the group name on the back. The group name could be used if really needed by a child and would encourage independence.

·     Also, if think time is needed, a list of all group names may be written on the board or chart paper to help the students begin to classify the animals as they receive their cards. This will also help them see the “whole picture”.                          

·     Names of individual students may be written on the cards as well as the animal names if extra attention

needs to be given to help facilitate positive group dynamics.

 

2.   Each group will be given an envelope that contains the following items:

Question Cards: These are made up ahead of time and are the same for all the groups. These should be written on note cards or something large enough that students are able to write the answers to the questions directly on the cards. Questions cards included are:

·      What is the name of your group of vertebrates?

·      Where do your vertebrates live?

·      What is their body-covering like? (Feathers? Scales? Fur?)

·      How do your vertebrates move?

·      What do your vertebrates eat?

·      How does your vertebrate reproduce? Where?

·      What do your vertebrates eat?

·      What are some interesting facts about your vertebrates?

8 Wildlife Animal Cards: These cards are of various animals, but 4 will be in one vertebrate group (Birds for example)

1 large piece of paper for a poster

Students will bring markers, crayons and colored pencils from their own supply boxes and the classroom supply shelf.

3.   As a group, students should look at the animal cards and begin to classify them into groups. Once they have found 4 cards of one vertebrate group the other cards are placed back into the envelope and placed aside.

4.   The students will lay out the question cards and read them together. This will help them focus on the questions when they are reading the cards.

5.  Using the Scripted Dyad method students will read the animal cards together. One child will be a recorder, writing down the answers to the questions. One child will be the reader, responsible for reading the information. The last child will be the detective – listening carefully to find the facts and information and then letting the others know when they have heard something important. These roles may switch or remain the same throughout the group activity depending on student ability and/or achievement.

6.   All answers to the questions are recorded directly on the question sheets.

7.    Students then work together to create a poster which incorporates all the question answers and a picture of the each of their four vertebrates (maybe even more!). Maps and charts and trade books may be use also. Each student should contribute to the poster and should sign their name somewhere on the poster.

8.   Once finished students will share orally with their classmates all the information they found and included on their poster. Each student should present at least one aspect of the project to the class.

9.   Posters will be displayed prominently in the classroom or hallway.

Evaluation:

·      Teacher Observation during the cooperative group work time.

·      Use of the Oral Presentation Evaluation Form (CPS Standard 6) for evaluation of oral group presentation.

·      Students will evaluate each other three parts of the work: neatness, cooperation with group members, and listening to others. This will be done using the “smiley face” method         .