1. Animals and Habitats
by Dawn Bodtke

2. Final Showcase Project Design
Teaching Critical Thinking Strategies in the Classroom through Aesthetic Experiences
Animals and Their Habitats
First Grade Science
by:
Dawn Bodtke

3. Using art and science to learn about animals and their
habitats.
Student Objectives
Students will explain how plants and animals live together in their habitats.
Students will describe rainforest, desert, forest, grassland, ocean and arctic habitats.
Students will describe why animals in different habitats.
Students will explain how different animals adapt to different environments.
Students will create a habitat by making a model.
Resources Used
Habitats: Homes for Living Things. [Clip]. Discover United Streaming.
Green, J. (2001). Saving Our World Polar Regions. Brookfield, CT: Copper Beech Books.
Lynette, R. (2011). Who Lives in a Hot, Dry Desert? New York, NY: Rosen Publishing Group.
Lynette, R. (2011). Who Lives in a Wild, Wet Rain Forest? New York, NY: Rosen Publishing Group.
Norman, M. (2010). Poles Apart: Life at the Ends of the Earth. Fitzroy Vic, Australia: Wild Dog Books.
Ryan-Herndon, L. (2010). Who Lives in the Forest? New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.
Murrie M., & Murrie S. (2009). Planet Earth: Guide to the Planet. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.
Dowswell, P. (1999). The Usborne First Encyclopedia of Animals. New York, NY: Usborne Publishing, Ltd.
Patchett, F. (2009). Under the Sea. New York, NY: Usborne Publishing, Ltd.

4. Bodtke, D. (2011, November 22). Animals and Habitats. Retrieved from artsconnected: http://www.artsconnected.org/collection/143169/animals-and-habitats#
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Day 1
Watch the movie “Habitats: Homes for Living Things,” discuss the animals
featured and what habitats they lived in.
Assign students an animal from the grasslands habitat.
Students will design a grasslands habitat using construction paper and
crayons.
Students will design their animal to place in their habitat model.
Student Example of Grasslands

5. Day 2
Show
students
the
collection
of art
from Arts

6. Connect Ed.
Assign students an animal from the arctic habitat.
Students will use the following books: Plant Earth: Guide to the Planet, The Usborne First Encyclopedia of
Animals, and Poles Apart: Life at the Ends of the Earth, to learn about the arctic habitat.
Students will make a model of the arctic habitat and 2 animals that live in the habitat.
Student Examples of the Arctic Habitat

7. Day 3
Assign students
an animal from the
rainforest habitat.
Students will using the
read various books on the rainforest, such as: Who Lives in a Wild, Wet Rain Forest? to learn about the
rainforest habitat.

8. Students will make a model of the rainforest habitat and 2 animals that live in the habitat.
Student Example of Rainforest Habitat

9. Day 4
Assign students
an animal from the
forest habitat.
Students will read
various books
about forests
and the animals
that live there,
such as: Who Lives
in the Forest?
Students will make a model of the forest habitat and 2 animals that live in the habitat.

10. Student Example of Forest Habitat

11. Day 5
Assign students an animal from the
desert habitat.
Teacher will read Who Lives in a
Hot, Dry Desert? to learn about the
animals and plants that live in the
desert habitat.
Students will make a model of the desert habitat and 2 animals that live in the habitat.

12. Student Example of the Desert Habitat

13. Day 6
Assign students an animal from the
ocean habitat.
Teacher will read Under the Sea to
learn about the animals and plants
that live in the ocean.
Students will make a model of the
ocean habitat and at least 2 animals
that live in the habitat.

14. Assessment Rubric

15. Category 3 3 1
How animals Explanations are Explanations are Explanations show
and plants live clear and mostly clear and little understanding
together in a accurate. mostly accurate. of how animals and
habitat plants live together
in a habitat.
Different Can accurately Can somewhat Show little accuracy
Habitats describe the describe the when describing the
different habitats. different habitats. habitats.
Adaptations Can accurately Can somewhat Show little accuracy
describe the describe the when describing the
adaptations adaptations adaptations animals
animals have in animals have in have in their habitat
their habitats. their habitats.
Models Accurately Mostly Showed little
demonstrated the demonstrated the accuracy when
plants and plants and animals demonstrating the
animals in each in each habitat. plants and animals
habitat. in each habitat.