This document outlines a lesson plan for teaching students about different habitats. It involves 6 stages: 1) an introductory chalk talk activity where students write what they know about different habitats, 2) exploring two habitats in more depth by creating posters and Venn diagrams, 3) creating habitat models with materials, 4) explaining their posters and models to the class, 5) researching threats to habitats and ways to conserve them by creating a video, and 6) evaluating students' knowledge through observation, rubrics, and a sorting activity matching habitat characteristics and pictures. The goal is for students to build their knowledge about habitats through independent research, group work, hands-on modeling, and presentation of what they've learned.
1. TOPIC HABITATS
Content, language, cognitive skills, tools, resources, space and time
organisation, input/output…
1 ESTABLISH
CHALK TALK ACTIVITY: In groups of 4-5, students are given a piece of paper with a
habitat written in the centre of it. They are assigned a colour for the marker they
have to use. When the teacher says and during 5 minutes, they have to think and
write (individually) as much as they know about that habitat, as well as some
questions or wonderings they have. After 5 minutes, the groups rotate to a new
habitat and they have to read, add some new information and answer the questions
they know. They repeat this process until each group has written in each habitat.
When they finish, the whole class talk about the activity: what they already knew,
what they learnt…
Content: Previous knowledge about habitats and their characteristics (seas and
oceans, rain forests, deserts, savannah, polar)
Language: Vocabulary about types of habitats, animals, climate; present simple…
Cognitive skills: This activity promotes independent thinking. Students reflect on
what they already know and make new connections with the information their
classmates write.
Tools and resources: colour markers and 5 pieces of paper.
Space and Time: Classroom, desks divided in 5 groups. 1 session.
Input/output: Information the students write.
2 EXPLORE
Students are divided in 5 groups. Each group is in charge of exploring and going
deeper into 2 habitats, bearing in mind the questions and wonderings that were not
answered from the previous activity. They are allowed to watch videos, songs, look
for information and pictures in books, on the internet… They have to complete a
poster for each habitat with: the name of the habitat, characteristics, animals and
plants which live there, other curiosities… Then, they will complete a Venn Diagram
with similarities and differences of those 2 habitats.
Content: Habitats, their characteristics and animals and plants which live there.
Language: Vocabulary about habitats, animals, plants, climate; present simple…
Cognitive skills: Recognizing, Interpreting, summarizing, comparing and contrasting.
Tools and resources: computers, source books, internet connection, cardboard,
paper, markers...
Space and Time: Computers’ room, classroom, desks divided in 5 groups. 2 sessions.
Input: Internet and books information, videos, songs…
Output: Posters, Venn diagram.
3 EXPERIENCE
Create a habitat model with plasticine and real materials (sand, rocks, leaves…). In
the same groups, students will create a model of one of the habitats the worked on
previously.
Content: Habitats, their characteristics and animals and plants which live there.
Cognitive skills: Remembering.
Tools and resources: 5 pieces of cardboard, plasticine of different colours.
Space and Time: Classroom, desks divided in 5 groups. 1 session.
2. TOPIC HABITATS
4 EXPLAIN
SHOW AND TELL: Each group show the model they have created and the poster
about the same habitat and share with the rest of the class everything they know.
They try to give answer to the questions and wonderings from session 1.
Content: Habitats, their characteristics and animals and plants which live there.
Language: Vocabulary about habitats, animals, plants, climate; present simple…
Cognitive skills: Understanding what they learn in order to be able to explain it.
Tools and resources: models and posters.
Space and Time: Classroom. 1 session.
Input: Students’ language and posters.
Output: Students’ language.
5 EXTEND
Habitat Conservation
Each group is going to think of the possible risks and dangers for one type of habitat
and the species that live there (they can search on the internet), and they have to
propose some ideas for its conservation.
After having exposed the different ideas, they are going to focus just on what they
can do in their everyday life to preserve the environment. With all of these ideas,
they are going to record a video where they dramatize different situations in which
they can help preserving the environment.
Content: Risks and dangers for habitats, to preserve the environment.
Language: Vocabulary related to dangers, present simple (Animals die because of…),
conditionals (If we do/don’t do sth. …), imperatives (Don’t throw rubbish…).
Cognitive skills: Understanding, applying, analysing, planning, producing.
Tools and resources: computers, video camera.
Space and Time: Computers’ room, classroom. 2 sessions.
Input: Information from the internet, students’ oral language.
Output: Students’ oral language.
6 EVALUATE
The evaluation is a continuous process that is carried out along the unit through
observation in class and completing some rubrics.
Besides, as in this unit each group has specialized only in two habitats, we want to
know also what they have learnt about the other ones (content). So we can give
them a chart like this:
Seas and
oceans
Rain Forest Desert Savannah Polar
Characteristics: Characteristics: Characteristics: Characteristics: Characteristics:
Animals & Plants: Animals & Plants: Animals & Plants: Animals & Plants: Animals & Plants:
Picture: Picture: Picture: Picture: Picture:
And another paper with the main characteristics of each habitat and pictures of
animals and plants all mixed up. Students have to cut out and paste them in the right
place.