By Meghan McElheny & Rebecca S. Holycross

 

Objectives:
1. Students will construct a mammal.
2.  Students will learn about nocturnal mammals.
3.  Students will learn about the differences and similarities of nocturnal mammals and other mammals.
4.  Students will read the book Stellaluna.
5.  Students will write their own story about a mammal.

Context:
This is one lesson in a unit about mammals. We are learning about nocturnal mammals.  The lesson follows the Indiana Science Proficiencies which state that "students should know that plants and animals have features that help them live in different environments," "stories sometimes give plants and animals attributes they really do not have, " "some animals and plants are alike in the way they look and in the things they do, and others are very different from one another."
 
 
 

 

Procedure:
1.  Introduce the concept of nocturnal mammals.
2.  Go through the characteristics that nocturnal mammals might have.
3.  Have the students build a nocturnal mammal (it must have the characteristics that are mentioned in the lesson)
4.  Discuss the different parts of the mammals with the class.
5.  Read the book Stellaluna with the students.
6.  Have the students write their own story about a nocturnal mammal.

Assessment:
This is a participation that the students will get full credit if they participate in all the activities.

Redesign:
The students will be instructed to make another nocturnal mammal and they will be asked to put as much design into the mammal as possible.  Then we will go around and try to guess what the mammals are.