Home, Home on the Prairie

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Home, Home on the Prairie

• By Casey Berg
• Stellania White

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Home, Home on the Prairie For the Teacher
Because roadless areas are among the least
altered habitats in otherwise heavily disturbed
landscapes, they typically have the highest
ecological integrity and are the least in need of
restoration. Han, Jones, and Hessburg et al
1997
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Lesson Overview

• Students will be learning about animals,
  habitats, and the adaptations needed for survival
  specifically within a prairie environment.
• The lesson will take place over approximately 2-4
  days. It will give students a knowledge base of
  animal habitats and the impact of humans on those
  habitats.

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Instructional Goals

• TN Standard Number 5.0 Diversity and Adaptation
  Among Living Things
• The students will understand that living things
  have characteristics that enable them to survive
  in their environment.
• Learner Expectations
• 5.1 Understand how organisms are adapted for
  surviving in certain environments.
• Performance Indicators State
• At Level 1, the student is able to
• 6.5.spi.1 identify adaptations that enhance the
  survival of organisms
• in an environment
• At Level 2, the student is able to
• 6.5.spi.2 determine which organisms are likely
  to survive in a
• particular environment

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Formative Assessment

• Students will be required to complete a model of
  a species with adaptations suitable for survival
  in the prairie habitat based on information given
  by teacher.
• Explain the four prompts that set the students
  performance task.
• Design and distribute the rubric for the model to
  assist students in understanding the criteria for
  success.

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Lesson Organization Opening The Lesson

• Step 1 Have the class brainstorm to create a
  list all of the different
• animals that they can encounter
  in and around their local
• environment.
• Step 2 Have students describe how they adapt to
  different
• changes in their environment for
  the weather and
• seasons.
• Step 3 Have students complete matching activity
  by
• placing correct animal, plant, or
  insect with its
• habitat. You will need 4-5
  posters representing
• different habitats placed along
  the walls as well
• as picture cut-outs for
  placement.

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Lesson Organization Developing The Lesson

• Share with students examples of models used to
  demonstrate habitats. (i.e. shadow boxes, clay
  models, posters, computer generated items)
• Divide students into groups of 3-4 and have each
  group select the model type to develop.
• Have students research living and non-living
  components of selected ecosystems from previously
  used matching game.

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Lesson Organization Closing The Lesson

• Review briefly the various ecosystems and which
  organisms are likely to survive in a particular
  environment.
• Have students discuss how adaptations would
  differ from one habitat to another.
• Focus Questions
• What is an adaptation?
• What adaptations are necessary for survival in a
  prairie habitat?
• What would happen to organisms if their habitat
  changed?
• Have student groups create a presentation about
  their model.

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Teacher Resources

• Matching Activity
• Posters, cut-outs of animals, plants, and
  insects.
• White board and marker for class discussion of
  different habitats.
• Encyclopedias, computer w/ internet access, trade
  books, text books, magazines

• Examples of models which can be utilized by
  student groups for development of their own
  models.
• Trade-book, The Prairie Builders Reconstructing
  Americas Lost Grasslands

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Enrichment Activities

• Choice 1 Have students research prehistoric
  animals and their habitats.
• Choice 2 Then, have them develop their own
  prehistoric story explaining how the animals
  evolved to survive their changing environments.
• Choice 3 Students may also choose to create a
  cartoon strip of the story.
• Choice 4 Students can develop a creature to
  live in an unusual environment. They will need
  to describe the habitat, also.

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Accommodations For
Special Learners

• Students may be allowed to bring a picture book
  to discuss an animals habitat or adaptation in
  lieu of creating a model.
• Students may be allowed to draw a picture to
  demonstrate their comprehension.
• Students may also choose to give an oral
  presentation describing an animals adaptation or
  habitat.

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Standardized Test Items
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Home, Home on the Prairie For The Student
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Learning Goals

• TN Standard Number 5.0 Diversity and Adaptation
  Among Living Things
• You will understand that living things have
  characteristics that enable them to survive in
  their environment.
• Learner Expectations
• 5.1 Understand how organisms are adapted for
  surviving in certain environments.
• Performance Indicators State
• At Level 1, you will be able to
• 6.5.spi.1 identify adaptations that enhance the
  survival of organisms
• in an environment
• At Level 2, you will be able to
• 6.5.spi.2 determine which organisms are likely
  to survive in a
• particular environment

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Assessment

• Working in a small group you will be required to
  complete a model of a species with adaptations
  suitable for survival in the prairie habitat
  based on information given by teacher.
• A rubric has been created to assist you in
  completing your models for presentations.

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Learning Activity

• You will be given time to research your animals
  and habitats to help develop your models.
• You may use encyclopedias, computer w/ internet
  access, trade books, text books, magazines

• There are examples of models which can be
  utilized by each group to help you develop your
  own model.

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Enrichment Activities

• Choice 1 You may research prehistoric animals
  and their habitats.
• Choice 2 Then, develop your own prehistoric
  story explaining how the animals evolved to
  survive their changing environments.
• Choice 3 You may also choose to create a
  cartoon strip of the story.
• Choice 4 You can develop a creature to live in
  an unusual environment. You will need to
  describe the habitat, also.

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This was a teacher generated lesson plan with
original ideas. The standardized test shown was
taken from the TN Practice Test for 2005-06.