This is a collaborative 4th grade science project on the Food Chain based on animal playing cards. Students will select an animal of New York State from a list of 32 and research it using Amazing Animals of the World 24 volume encyclopedia keyed to the 4th and 5th grade level.

Students will research the animal, learn to insert pictures in Microsoft Word, and create a playing card of their animal using a specific template on Microsoft Word. Once created the students will each receive printed out copies of the cards and play "Food Chain War" with one another using the cards.

The information skills that are particularly emphasized are analyzing a text for relevant information and learning to present that information in an aesthetically pleasing manner. This lesson will take approximately 90 minutes and can be split up into two sessions.

Learning Goals:

• Students will be able to successfully research their selected animal in the Amazing Animals of the World encyclopedia.
• Students will be able to successfully use Microsoft Word to design a playing card about their animal.
• Students will play “Food Chain War” to better understand the idea of the food chain.

 

Learning Objectives:

• Students will use the information they have found in Amazing Animals of the World to accurately fill out the Animal Playing Card Work Sheet.
• Students will use Microsoft Word to create a Playing Card that contains a picture of their animal, the class of animal their animal belongs to, and the types of food their animal consumes.
• Students will successfully play “Food Chain War” with a partner.
  
• Students will orally report their new insights and opinion about the food chain to the teacher at the end of class.

 

Motivational Goals:

• Generate interest in the research process.
• Promote the value of learning how to use Microsoft Word.
• Reinforce students’ confidence in their ability to learn and use information skills.
• Motivate continuing information exploration.

• Amazing Animals of the World encyclopedia
• Computers
• Microsoft PhotoDraw
• Color Printer
• Heavy card stock paper
• Projector

Introduction:

• As students enter and are seated at their computer consoles the SLMS comes forward and asks interest generating questions about animals eating other animals, such as “Who would win in a fight between a bear and a mosquito? What about a fish and a mosquito?"
• As dialogue goes on the 4th grade teacher projects a picture of a finished playing card on the board.
• SLMS points out the playing card and explains to the students how they will be using Microsoft Word to make their own playing cards using information found in the Amazing Animals of the World encyclopedia.

 

Body

• 4th grade teacher loads up images of all 32 pre-selected animals from New York State.  SLMS randomly chooses students to select an animal to research.
• Both teachers hand out an encyclopedia or photocopy of a page that contains a description the student’s chosen animal.
• Both teachers hand out Food Chain War worksheet.
• SLMS instructs students to read the page about their animal and fill in the worksheet.
• After about 15 minutes, the SLMS instructs students to load up the Playing Card template and fill in the information fields. The 4th grade teacher models this on the projection screen.
• The SLMS also instructs the students to access a designated folder and insert an image of their animal onto their playing card and symbols of what the animal eats. 4th grade teacher models on projection screen.

 

Conclusion

• As each student is done the SLMS makes sure that everything is correct and prints off the cards on thick paper while the 4th grade teacher cuts them out.
• SLMS passes out decks of cards to the students.
• SLMS passes out “Food Chain War Instructions.”
• 4th grade teacher and SLMS model a quick game and then let the students partner up and play.
• With about 5-8 minutes left in class the SLMS gets the student’s attention and asks the same questions posed in the beginning, “Who would win in a fight between a bear?  What about a fish and a mosquito?”  The SLMS encourages the students to give their reasons behind their answers and to talk about what they have learned from Food Chain War.

- Students will be assessed on how accurately they fill out their "Food Chain War Worksheet."
- Students will be assessed on how well they follow modeled instructions on how to create a playing card.
- Students will be assessed on whether they were able to correctly follow the directions of "Food Chain War" while playing it with a classmate.
- Students will be assessed on whether they reported insights, thoughts, or ideas during the class discussion at the end of class.

Jody Hildreth SLMS Sauquoit Valley Elementary School