You are invited...

Dear Parents, 

I want to welcome you to attend our 

"Third Grade Zoo"  

Thursday, June 8, from 8:40-9:20 AM in Room 220 (our classroom)

This will be an open house for 3LN, 3MLK, and 3OP and a time for students to tell you all about their creature creations. I will be providing this sheet for you to use as a great conversation too. Students should *hopefully* be able to answer each question well. 

This is the third year we've done this project and the children always love it. It's a wonderful and natural opportunity for them to practice and further develop their speaking, listening, and presentation skills. 

We hope to see you there! 

Ms. Laura 

🐝 🐰 Animal Project 🐆 🐊

To culminate our science unit and the work we have done on inherited traits, habitats, and adaptations, your child will be creating his/her own animal, a kind of "Creature Creation."

I will discuss the assignment and send the information home on Sunday; however, you may read the instructions here, as well.

One of the first things to do is to consider the habitat you want your animal to live in (see below), as well as the traits it will have. (This is a helpful worksheet to organize your thoughts, and the powerpoint is the same information. We will be doing this in class on Sunday.)

For a little inspiration, follow this link for the "make-your-animal" website. The possibilities are endless!

This is a fun link, which shows some rare animal adaptations. You might get some good ideas by viewing these, as well.  Finally, these are some of the creatures former students made. Some are better than others, but you will quickly get the idea.

Most importantly, this is a great way for your child to demonstrate what he/she knows and understands about adaptations and how they help plants and animals survive and reproduce. Have fun with it!

Habitats/Ecosystems

Desert

The temperature is very hot and dry.  There is very little water available to drink.  Food is sparse, and is found mostly in the form of very small animals & insects, as well as a very limited amount of plant life.  As such, animals have to move around a lot to find shelter, food, and water.  There are few predators.  Nothing moves very fast.

Rainforest

The temperature is very hot.  The air is constantly very humid, and it rains almost every day.  Both plant and animal life is abundant, and many different forms of food are available.  The food chain is very complex, and no matter how big or small an animal is, predators abound.  Trees are very close together, so even though animals can move around, they cannot do so very quickly.  All food sources are also very easy to find, but there is a lot of competition.

Ocean/Lake/River Environment

The water environment can be home to many different types of life (fish, birds, water-dwelling animals such as dolphins or beavers, etc.)  The temperature is constant and temperate.  Food MIGHT be available, if the animal can access it.  Water is abundant (obviously).  There are many predators.  Some animals can move quickly, depending on their traits.

Grassland/Prairies

Temperature ranges from cool to very hot.  There is not very much shelter, so animals need to move around a lot.  Animals also need to move around a lot (migrate) to find their food, although various forms of food are available.  Water is sometimes available, but at some times of the year it can be difficult to find.  There are many predators, and those predators can move very quickly across the land.

 

Forests

The average temperature of the forest is 10 degrees Celsius. The average amount of rainfall in the forest is 30 to 60 inches a year. As the seasons change, so do the colors of the leaves of the deciduous. During the winter months water is generally not available to keep the leaves of some plants alive. Therefore, the leaves of some plants fall off and grow back in the spring. Those plants, like evergreens, keep their leaves during the winter have special adaptations to stay alive.  Precipitation in the temperate deciduous forest is spread throughout the year. However, during the winter months it is usually frozen and unavailable to animals. Animals must adjust to cold winters and hot summers. Leaves generally fall off in the fall, leaving animals with less cover to hide themselves from predators. You'd find bears (black and brown), fox, squirrels, cardinals, raccoons, and snakes in this habitat as well as many others. 

Arctic 

The Arctic is a very cold, windy, and often snowy biome located around the North Pole.Animals that live in the Arctic (either full time or seasonally) are adapted to extreme conditions. Many animals who overwinter in the Arctic (like the Arctic fox and the ermine) have a coat that thickens and changes color to white during the winter as camouflage in the snow (blending into the background is called cryptic coloration). Some animals hibernate during the cold season; they go into a very deep, sleep-like state in which their heartbeat slows down. These animals often hibernate in an underground burrow or pit. Some hibernators include skunks, chipmunks, and some bears (but these bears are not true hibernators, they go into a state that is closer to a normal deep sleep). Many animals (like the Arctic tern) spend the summer months in the Arctic, but leave as the weather turns frigid and food becomes scarce (these animals return again the next summer, repeating this pattern year after year). This behavior is called migrating.

Third Grade Zoo {Recap}

Our first Third Grade Zoo was a great success! 

Thank you so much for those of you who were able to make it on Thursday! Your presence made it the success it was, so please know that we all appreciate you taking the time from your busy schedules to come.

The children were very animated as they shared about their "expert" knowledge about their created animal. It was just so cute to see their eyes light up as they described their animal's adaptations, environment, challenges, food sources, etc. I think some may have even made up some facts right there on the spot, which just goes to show how very creative they are! ha, ha. 

Please enjoy these pictures, some of which Mikyung took, as well as mine. (We both were without our "good" cameras, so we  had to resort to our phones.) I also included the pictures from our fun reward party, as well. The children loved it!! (Thank you so much for sending all the good fruit into school. You're so terrific!) 

Using Seesaw to Present Creature Creations

On Sunday, the children will be using Seesaw to give a short presentation about the animal they created. To do this, they will have the choice to either take a picture of their project, then record an audio file to describe it, or they can make a short video, which will include their presentation about the animal and the animal itself. Please use this, so you will know what information to include in your presentation.

I will guide them through the steps of how to actually record the audio or video, but I thought it would be helpful if the students (and you) have the rubric, so you will know how I will be grading them. This grade will be for the speaking and listening standard on the report card, not the science.

As part of the students' science grade for this unit, I will be looking at three things. The first is the actual model of their animal. The second is their brochure, and the third is an "open response" type of assessment, which I'll give next week. Please feel free to view this rubric, as it may help to guide your child as he/she finishes the brochure.

Please just let me know if you have any questions. The children are very excited to showcase their learning!!

Animal Project

To culminate our Science unit and the work we have done on inherited traits, habitats, and adaptations, your child will be creating his/her own animal, a kind of "Creature Creation."

I sent the information home today, however you may read the instructions here as well. One of the first things to do is to consider the habitat you want your animal to live in (see below), as well as the traits it will have. (This is a helpful worksheet to organize your thoughts, and the powerpoint is the same information.)

For a little inspiration, follow this link for the "make-your-animal" website that we viewed in class. The possibilities are endless!

This is a fun link, which shows some rare animal adaptations. You might get some good ideas by viewing these, as well.  Finally, these are some of the creatures former students made. Some are better than others, but you will quickly get the idea.

Most importantly, this is a great way for your child to demonstrate what he/she knows and understands about adaptations and how they help plants and animals survive and reproduce. Have fun with it!

**SAVE the DATE**

Thursday, February 25

"Third Grade Zoo" 

This will be an open house in our grade level and a time for students 

to tell you all about our creature creations! 

(Stay tuned for the time.)

Habitats/Ecosystems

Desert

The temperature is very hot and dry.  There is very little water available to drink.  Food is sparse, and is found mostly in the form of very small animals & insects, as well as a very limited amount of plant life.  As such, animals have to move around a lot to find shelter, food, and water.  There are few predators.  Nothing moves very fast.

Rainforest

The temperature is very hot.  The air is constantly very humid, and it rains almost every day.  Both plant and animal life is abundant, and many different forms of food are available.  The food chain is very complex, and no matter how big or small an animal is, predators abound.  Trees are very close together, so even though animals can move around, they cannot do so very quickly.  All food sources are also very easy to find, but there is a lot of competition.

Ocean/Lake/River Environment

The water environment can be home to many different types of life (fish, birds, water-dwelling animals such as dolphins or beavers, etc.)  The temperature is constant and temperate.  Food MIGHT be available, if the animal can access it.  Water is abundant (obviously).  There are many predators.  Some animals can move quickly, depending on their traits.

Grassland/Prairies

Temperature ranges from cool to very hot.  There is not very much shelter, so animals need to move around a lot.  Animals also need to move around a lot (migrate) to find their food, although various forms of food are available.  Water is sometimes available, but at some times of the year it can be difficult to find.  There are many predators, and those predators can move very quickly across the land.

 

Forests

The average temperature of the forest is 10 degrees Celsius. The average amount of rainfall in the forest is 30 to 60 inches a year. As the seasons change, so do the colors of the leaves of the deciduous. During the winter months water is generally not available to keep the leaves of some plants alive. Therefore, the leaves of some plants fall off and grow back in the spring. Those plants, like evergreens, keep their leaves during the winter have special adaptations to stay alive.  Precipitation in the temperate deciduous forest is spread throughout the year. However, during the winter months it is usually frozen and unavailable to animals. Animals must adjust to cold winters and hot summers. Leaves generally fall off in the fall, leaving animals with less cover to hide themselves from predators. You'd find bears (black and brown), fox, squirrels, cardinals, raccoons, and snakes in this habitat as well as many others. 

Arctic 

The Arctic is a very cold, windy, and often snowy biome located around the North Pole.Animals that live in the Arctic (either full time or seasonally) are adapted to extreme conditions. Many animals who overwinter in the Arctic (like the Arctic fox and the ermine) have a coat that thickens and changes color to white during the winter as camouflage in the snow (blending into the background is called cryptic coloration). Some animals hibernate during the cold season; they go into a very deep, sleep-like state in which their heartbeat slows down. These animals often hibernate in an underground burrow or pit. Some hibernators include skunks, chipmunks, and some bears (but these bears are not true hibernators, they go into a state that is closer to a normal deep sleep). Many animals (like the Arctic tern) spend the summer months in the Arctic, but leave as the weather turns frigid and food becomes scarce (these animals return again the next summer, repeating this pattern year after year). This behavior is called migrating.

Animal Project

To culminate our Science unit and the work we have done on inherited traits, habitats, and adaptations, your child will be creating his/her own animal.

I sent the information home on Monday (Dec. 1), however you may read the instructions here as well. One of the first things to do is to consider the habitat you want your animal to live in (see below), as well as the traits it will have. (This is a helpful worksheet to organize your thoughts, and the powerpoint is the same information.)

For a little inspiration, follow this link for the "make-your-animal" website that we viewed in class. The possibilities are endless!

This is a fun link, which shows some rare animal adaptations. You might get some good ideas by viewing these, as well.

Desert

The temperature is very hot and dry.  There is very little water available to drink.  Food is sparse, and is found mostly in the form of very small animals & insects, as well as a very limited amount of plant life.  As such, animals have to move around a lot to find shelter, food, and water.  There are few predators.  Nothing moves very fast.

Rainforest

The temperature is very hot.  The air is constantly very humid, and it rains almost every day.  Both plant and animal life is abundant, and many different forms of food are available.  The food chain is very complex, and no matter how big or small an animal is, predators abound.  Trees are very close together, so even though animals can move around, they cannot do so very quickly.  All food sources are also very easy to find, but there is a lot of competition.

Ocean/Lake/River Environment

The water environment can be home to many different types of life (fish, birds, water-dwelling animals such as dolphins or beavers, etc.)  The temperature is constant and temperate.  Food MIGHT be available, if the animal can access it.  Water is abundant (obviously).  There are many predators.  Some animals can move quickly, depending on their traits.

Grassland/Prairies

Temperature ranges from cool to very hot.  There is not very much shelter, so animals need to move around a lot.  Animals also need to move around a lot (migrate) to find their food, although various forms of food are available.  Water is sometimes available, but at some times of the year it can be difficult to find.  There are many predators, and those predators can move very quickly across the land.

 

Forests

The average temperature of the forest is 10 degrees Celsius. The average amount of rainfall in the forest is 30 to 60 inches a year. As the seasons change, so do the colors of the leaves of the deciduous. During the winter months water is generally not available to keep the leaves of some plants alive. Therefore, the leaves of some plants fall off and grow back in the spring. Those plants, like evergreens, keep their leaves during the winter have special adaptations to stay alive.  Precipitation in the temperate deciduous forest is spread throughout the year. However, during the winter months it is usually frozen and unavailable to animals. Animals must adjust to cold winters and hot summers. Leaves generally fall off in the fall, leaving animals with less cover to hide themselves from predators. You'd find bears (black and brown), fox, squirrels, cardinals, raccoons, and snakes in this habitat as well as many others.