The document outlines a 4-day lesson plan using art to teach kindergarteners about animal habitats. Day 1 introduces habitat vocabulary and reads a story. Day 2 explores habitats online and through art. Day 3 has students draw an animal in its habitat and write a sentence description. Day 4 creates a digital story sharing what was learned. Assessment includes participation, drawing/writing skills, and contribution to the digital story.

1. Animal Habitats
Teaching Critical Thinking
Strategies in the Classroom through
Aesthetic Experiences
Meagan Carlsrud

2. Objectives
o Students will discuss the different habitats and the different
animals we would see in each habitat.
o Students will observe and discuss habitats using art
images in a small group.
o Students will create their own drawing of the animal and
habitat that they chose.
o Students will write a sentence or two describing the
specific animal and habitat in their drawing.
o Students will construct a digital story representing what
was learned.

3. Day 1:
Introduce the vocabulary word “habitat” along with the
four main animal habitats (grassland, forest, desert, and
tundra).
We will read the story Animal Habitats by Michelle
Kramer.

4. Day 2:
As a class we will explore the National Geographic
website online. We will look at photography of the
different habitats, animals that live in those habitats and
view videos of animals in their specific habitat.
http://www.nationalgeographic.com
Students will observe and discuss habitats in a small
group using images from my art collection.
http://www.artsconnected.org/resource/122219/teaching-animal-habitats-
through-visual-art-by-meagan-carlsrud

5. Day 3:
Students will independently choose an animal of their
choice and match it up with one of the four images of
major animal habitats observed.
Students will create their own drawing of the animal
and habitat that they chose.
A writing sample will accompany the students’ artwork
containing a sentence or two describing the specific
animal and habitat in their drawing.

6. Day 4:
Read the book Walking Through the Jungle by Debbie
Harter
View the YouTube video Walking Through the…
Using the students’ final project, the class will construct
a digital story representing what was learned by
following the book and video example.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTjdlSdxNjs

7. Assessment Rubric
Topic 2 Novice 1 Partially Proficient 3 Total
Proficient 2
Participated in
class
discussions
Created a
drawing of
their animal
and animal
habitat
Demonstrated
early
kindergarten
writing skills
Took part in
creating a
class digital
story

8. Resources
 Amiegamache. (January 16, 2008). Walking Through the…Retrieved
August 5, 2010, from YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTjdlSdxNjs
 Harter, Debbie. (1997). Walking Through the Jungle. Orchard Books,
NY.
 Kramer, Michelle. (2006). Animal habitats. National Geographic
School Publishing.
 Minnesota Institute of Art. Teaching Animal Habitats Through Visual
Art by Meagan Carlsrud. Retrieved on July 26, 2010.
http://www.artsconnected.org/resource/122219/teaching-animal-
habitats-through-visual-art-by-meagan-carlsrud
 National Geographic. (1996-2009). Retrieved August 5, 2010, from
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/

9. Reflection
 This unit provides kindergarten students with multiple
opportunities that combine vocabulary instruction, reading,
and science with arts. The manner in which this lesson has
been designed not only meets kindergarten standards, but
also provides students with engaging learning activities.