Introduction to Snail Unit: Hands on Snails
Brief Description:
This Lesson is the first of a unit of study on Snails. Students will be introduced to a live snail after reading the book The Biggest House in the World by Leo Lionni. The students will each be given a snail to hold along with a brief mini-lesson on the parts of the snail of how to handle a snail. This lesson will eventually lead students to generate questions/wonderings they have about snails to investigate further. Collaboration with classroom teachers on the lesson will also reflect the current curriculum being taught during students reading and writing workshop on non-fiction. These lessons will be designed to help prepare students with their own writing process on their chosen non-fiction topic.
Instructional Goals:
Students will learn about snails through interaction and the generation of questions to research. Research will include the use of non-fiction and internet research. Presentations of the topics may be presented in various formats for example all about books, posters, skits, oral presentation, and snail pet manual.
Learning Objectives:
Students will be able to handle a snail carefully.
Students will be able to identify the parts of a snail
Students will be able to generate questions and wonderings about snails.
Students will be able to make observations about the snail. How it feels? What it looks like?
Motivational Goals:
The biggest motivation is having enough snails for each student to touch and observe. The snails become apart of the library environment each week the students get to see how they have changed and make more observations.
I love to begin this unit with one of my favorite books called, The Biggest House in the World by Leo Lionni. The story is about a little snail who's father tells him it is best to keep his house light. His father tells him the story about a little snail who wanted the biggest house in the world. The snail learns how to make his shell grow and is so happy with his house. However, he is unable to move because he is so huge and in the end the snail dies. The little snail after hearing this story vows to keep his house small and is able to go where ever he pleases. If anyone asks how come his house his so small he will tell them the story of The Biggest House in the World. This story provides students with an emotional story of why their houses are kept small and how they survive. The story allows the students to see the snail as a living thing that also is delicate and fragile.
Audience / Relevant Characteristics:
Students who have library will get to have this lesson and unit of study. I also invite other classes to visit our library pets and give them this lesson and their teachers often continue the study on their own. Most of my students never come in contact with animals from nature and this is their first time ever holding a small living thing. It is a priceless moment to get to see their face when they hold a snail for the first time in their life. There are times when students are afraid to hold them but after one of two sessions they overcome their fear and are giving their snail a name. Those who refuse to hold one are paired with a partner to observe and ask questions.
The Biggest House in the World by Leo Lionni
25 live snails-you can usually get them from a backyard after a rain. Otherwise, you may need to go to a market where you would buy escargot.
Assessment Handout: Click here: Label the Land Snail External Anatomy Printout - EnchantedLearning.com
Internet Resources: information literacy exploration suggested sites to help with their research topic on snails.
Content + Technique:
Mini Lesson:
The lesson begins with the read aloud of The Biggest House in the World by Leo Lionni on the carpet. I begin by asking students what they think the story will be about based on the title and cover. I then begin reading using strong character voices for the father snail and the young snail. Within this lesson I do a few turn and talk to your partner about what might happen next. For example when the snail discovers how to make his shell grow it becomes very large and they have eaten all of the food around the snails need to move on in search of food. I ask the students to talk to their partner about what might happen to the snail with the big shell? When the story is over I sit the students in a circle and introduce our library pets. The Snails are introduced. I then take one out to demonstrate how to pick then up and hold them. I introduce students to the parts of a snail, pointing them out to the students. The two strongest points I make to them is the importance of remaining on your bottom while holding the snail on the carpet. We discuss why this is important and I tell them about my past experiences and how at least one student every class drops a snail by accident. Remaining on your bottom will prevent the snail from cracking his shell of getting hurt. The second point is showing them where the snails’ eyes are, at the tip of their tentacles. Students tend to like to poke them because the snail will bring them in to their body and then out again. I explain how they don’t like to be poked in the eye neither do the snails. I remind students that snails DO NOT BITE! They may feel wet and soft. I hand out the snails to all the students in the palm of their hand. I sometimes spray a little water on them to they are not shocked by the slimy feel.
Guided Practice:
Students get to hold their snails following the instructions on the handling on the snail. As they hold the snails I ask some questions, how do they feel? How do they move? What do you notice about them? Why do you think they move that way or do that?
Think about what you want to know about snails to research. What do you wonder about them. Remember snails don’t normally live in a tank in the library. Next week we will be thinking and generation questions for you to research on snails with a partner.
Independent Practice:
This is a worksheet for students to fill in the parts of the snail. Students can also draw their own snail and label the parts.
Learning Assessment Method:
The assessment of the students is largely based on their demonstration in handling the snails, completed worksheet of the snail anatomy. K-1 students will draw their own snail and try to label the parts.
Share/Reflect:
Students will return to the carpet to discuss their experience with the snail and ask questions that we will chart to explore next week.
This lesson will be collaborated on with classroom teachers during their non-fiction reading and writing unit. Teachers are informed that they can use snails as a reference for thier student to connect to.
Title photo taken from public domain site: http://pdphoto.org
label the parts of a snail -
www.enchantedlearning.com
Internet Research sheet -
http://www.kiddyhouse.com/Snails/snailclips/wwwsnail1.pdf
image if cepaea.hortensis.jpg - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
internet resources:
Snail - Photos and Pictures - Public Domain - Royalty Free
Click here: Image:Cepaea.hortensis.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
All About Snails http://www.geocities.com/sseagraves/allaboutsnails.htm
Snails for kids and teachers -
kiddyhouse.com
teacher resource/activities
http://lamer.lsu.edu/classroom/seascope/folios/snail_folio.pdf
Label the Land Snail External Anatomy Printout - EnchantedLearning.com
Beginner's Snail Anatomy Worksheet
http://www.manandmollusc.net/lesson_plan_anatomy_files/beginner_snail_unlabelled.html
BBC - Science & Nature - Wildfacts
Slugs (and Snails) as Pets
http://velvetdragon.com/cyberslugs/pets.html#food
