October 25th "Monster-ologists"

With the theme of Halloween and Habitats we decided to study monsters! The lesson is below!

First, a couple of things that I learned while preparing and teaching this lesson. 

1. Different mentor teachers are going to tell you different things. My professor for Elementary Practicum always asked for our side-coaching to be in a question format. But, Mrs. Selk mentioned that if I wanted them to stay quiet asking questions might not be the right approach so I changed my questions into demands. It worked really great. Neither piece of advice was right or wrong, but it reminded me that there are lots of different ways to do things. Depending on the class one may be better than the other. 

2. Starting your lesson of with a hook is so important. That is often said, but not always carried out in my lessons. I really loved Mrs. Selk's feedback to me pointing out that my lesson when I first wrote it out was very discussion heavy and that I may want to add an active activity at the beginning. She was totally right! By adding a game at the beginning of the lesson made it so much easier to teach because they were engaged and we moving their bodies right from the beginning.  

Students moving as the Monsters they discovered!

3. The last thing that I learned this time around was that my mood really affects my teaching. Last time I taught I was very discouraged and nervous. I wasn't as prepared as I wanted to be and I was not feeling good about the lesson. That showed through in my teaching and it was really hard to get the students engaged. This time around I was so excited about my lesson and was excited to teach about it. I had my head on straight and I was ready to teach. This time around it was much easier to teach and the students were more engaged and I think a big part of it was that my mind was in the right place.

Students doing the Monster Mash!

Monster-ologists Lesson

A Halloween and Animal Creative Drama Lesson

Objective: Students will show their understanding that animals have specific physical characteristics relationship with habitats by analyzing the physical characteristics of  a monster in a habitat of their choice in a creative drama activity. 

Theatre Arts Standards:

TH:Pr6.1.2

a. Contribute to group guided drama experiences (e.g., process drama, story drama, creative drama) and informally share with peers.

Science Standards:

Standard 4 .

Objective 1

1.     Tell how external features affect an animal's’ ability to survive in its environment.

2.     Compare and contrast the characteristics of living things in different habitats.

3.     Develop, communicate, and justify an explanation as to why a habitat is or is not suitable for a specific organisms.      

Objective 2

1.      Identify basic needs of living things (plants and animals) and their abilities to meet their needs.

2.      Communicate and justify how the physical characteristics of living things help them meet their basic needs.

Expectations:

Explain to students that today we will be going on an adventure. It is very important that they follow directions because we will be working with monsters. To talk to you about the monsters we have a special guest. When I put on these googles, I will become Dr. Gremlin an expert on monsters. Dr. Gremlin will teach you about monsters before you will receive your own.

Dr. Gremlin:

Put on the googles. Dr. Gremlin is a monsterologist with a quirky sense of humor and a British accent.  Explain to students that you have been studying monsters for a very long time. And that in order to make sure they can be good Monster-ologists they have to pass a test. I will say a series of commands and they will need to match the right action with the command.

1. Monster Mash--Stomp their feet up and down
2. Calling All Monsters--Cup their mouth and sway side to side
3.  
4. Hocus Pocus--Lay down on the ground
5. Spooky Time--Spin in a circle

Have students get in their own space. Remind them that means 1. No talking 2. No touching 3. You must see the teacher. Once everyone is in their space practice calling out a couple commands and doing it with them. Then just have them do it. Congratulate them and welcome to the team. The other part of the test is seeing what they know about animals. Have students pair up and share with each other what animals need. Once the partnerships have had the chance to talk, call on some people to share. (Food, air, water, shelter). Write the needs on the board or on chart paper.  Monsters also need to be able to move. Think about why animals would need to move and why do you think monsters would need to move? Have students pair and share. Once students have had a chance to share, call on some people. (To find food, to get away from danger). Write the needs on the board or on chart paper. Tell students that now that they are qualified monster-ologists and now that they have reviewed what they know about animals we are now going to observe the monsters in their habitat.

Monster’s Habitat:

Ask students to define habitat and right that on the board/chart as well. “The natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism” What are some habitats that we know of? Have students pair and share. Then ask students to name some habitats and write those on the chart/board. What are some characteristics of these habitats? Have them pair and share again. And then call on some students and write those down as well. Have them pantomime a pen and a notebook. Explain to students that you want them in a moment to walk around them room observing a habitat--it can be any habitat. When moving around the room they are not talking or moving quickly because we don’t want to scare any monsters.  Explain to students that the monsters are not out yet that they are just observing the habitat. Also explain to students that they can be seeing a different habitat than the other students.

Side coaching:

Look at all the plants. See all the different types of trees.

Notice the temperature. You should feel it be hot, cold, or somewhere in the middle.

Start to notice other animals in the habitat.

Think about the physical characteristics monsters need to live in this habitat.

Have students go back to their desks and draw the habitat they observed. Remind them to draw plants and other animals. When they are done have them share with their table.

Monster Movement:

Ask a couple of students what their habitats where. Ask the class what type of physical characteristics a monster would need to live there. Ex: If the habitat is the ocean the monster might need to have gills, fins, and big teeth so that they can eat, swim, and breathe. Explain to students that they are now going to become the monster that lives in their habitat and they are going to move like the monsters. They should be thinking about the physical characteristics that their monster has in order to survive in their chosen habitat. Explain to students that they will start moving around the class as monsters silently when I clap twice I need them to freeze and stay silent. If they show they are focused we will add monster sounds. Have students move around the room.

Side coaching:

Tell students to show me how they look for food.

Tell students to show me how they move away from danger.

Show me the speed of your monster.

Show me if your monster stays low to the ground or high off the ground.

Monster Drawing:

Explain that now they have discovered their monsters they now need to document it. Explain that Dr. Gremlin has to go fix a monster situation and that Mrs. Robertson will come back and help them with their documentation of the monsters. Have students go back to their desk. Have them draw and name their monsters. When students are done and if time permits--have them cut out their monster and glue it into their habitat drawing. Have students share their drawing with the table or class.