Teaching Sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

30 minutes – Part A: Animal Adaptations
45 minutes – Part B: Creating Geometric Art
30 minutes – Part C: Angular Animals
15 minutes – Reflection

Part A: Animal Adaptations

Before beginning this lesson, ensure all students have a notepad/note paper and a pencil.

Step 1.

The first activity in this lesson focuses on activating prior knowledge.

Write the follow question on the board and allow three minutes for students to silently consider the question, then draw or write their responses:

‘How do the characteristics of plants and animals allow them to survive in different conditions?’

Step 2.

Invite students to share their ideas. As they share, support students to build on their explanations by encouraging them to add detail, or inviting other students to contribute additional information.

Once students have had sufficient opportunity to share, conclude the discussion by emphasising that in order for plants and animals to survive in a changing environment, they must adapt to it.

Step 3.

Ensure that the Learning Intentions and Success Criteria are displayed on the board and read them aloud to students.

Step 4.

Explain to students that they will now be watching two clips that show examples of different animal adaptations. Provide students with the Student Worksheet and explain that they will be working on activity 1. This activity asks students to collect animal adaptation information from these two clips.

Explain that while watching the first clip students will need to identify the adaptations of a range of animals and fill in the table:

	The environment they live in	Features that help them to survive
Camels
Giraffes
Penguins

Now, show the first clip:

Animal Adaptations (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRX2JtKFUzk)

Step 5.

The second clip explores migration and hibernation. While watching this clip students will be asked to complete the following:

What challenges do animals face when they live in areas that have extremely cold winters?
What is migration?
What are some animals that migrate?
How does migration help them survive the winter?
What is hibernation?
What are some animals that hibernate?
How does hibernation help them survive the winter?
Note features of three animals that stay active during winter.

Now, play the second clip:

Winter Adaptations (https://youtu.be/NK058-HUK24?t=48s)
Note: Begin clip at 0:49. Play until 8:17.

Step 6.

Explain to students that they will now have time to develop a profile of an animal of their choice that they will later create a geometric picture of. Show students the Example of completed task, and explain that this is a work created by a student their age. Now emphasise that just like in this example, their work will include both a geometric picture and a profile of the animal they have created an image of. Explain that students can select an animal seen in one of the clips, or find a new one and use digital devices to research information on it.

Direct students to the ‘Geometric Animal Profile’ on the Student Worksheet and allow time for them to research and complete the template. Emphasise that this will be part of their published work and should be completed neatly and without any spelling errors. Students should be provided with the opportunity to draft on scrap paper first, if suitable.

In addition, while students are conducting research and completing their animal profiles, have them print an A4 image of their animal. Encourage them to select an image that shows the animal's profile, or one in which body parts do not overlap.

Part B: Creating Geometric Art

Step 1.

Before beginning the task, provide time for students to organise the resources they will need for the next stage.

They will need:

A4 picture of their animal.
Plain white paper.
Masking tape.
Mechanical pencil with HB lead.
Canvas.
Embroidery floss.
Embroidery needle.

Step 2.

Explain to students that they will be watching a video to show the process of creating their geometric animal picture.

Show the following clip:

DIY Geometric Bear (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9l61hKhjfqc)

Respond to any questions students have about the task to ensure they are confident enough to complete the task independently.

Step 3.

Provide time for students to complete their geometric animal picture.

During this stage of the lesson, encourage students to support and assist each other as needed. Students who may find the fine motor aspects of the lesson challenging can be supported by other more confident students. This provides support for those having difficulty, while also extending others as they have to consider how to explain and model techniques to their peers.

Step 4.

Prompt students to pack up and return their equipment. Notify students whose work is incomplete of a suitable time they can return to finish it off.

Invite the students to a class discussion to determine where and how their work will be displayed and how the display will be publicised to the community (e.g. a school announcement or a presentation at assembly).

Part C: Angular Animals

Step 1.

Explain to students that they are now going to think about the mathematics of their designs. Emphasise that as their pictures are filled with geometric shapes (such as triangles) they are going to select individual shapes and angles to measure.

Show the following clip:

Using a Protractor to Measure Angles (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gzd_lsNwTOI)

Step 2.

Explain to students that they will now have the chance to:

Select one triangle, trace it onto a piece of paper, measure and label each angle and calculate the total of all angles in the triangle.
Select one point, trace all of the lines intersecting at that point, measure each individual angle and calculate the total of all angles.

Direct students to the 'Geometric Animal Angles' section of the Student Worksheet and allow time for them to complete it.

Step 3.

Using the 'Inside-Outside Circle' approach, invite students to share their findings with others. Ensure they have time to share with at least three others.

Step 4.

Invite students to a class discussion to share observations they made as they shared with peers. Ensure the following two observations are noted:

The sum of all angles at a point will be 360 degrees.
The sum of all angles in a triangle will be 180 degrees.

Reflection

Provide students with time to complete the Reflection on the Student Worksheet. Invite them to form pairs and discuss their thoughts about each of the reflection questions.

Differentiated Learning

Research phase

Provision for learning support: If students are likely to have difficulty with the research component of this task, they can be encouraged to focus on one of the animals already seen in one of the videos and re-watch these clips to find the information they need.

If students need support creating their shapes, the Tangram feature on Osmo is a great way to build the skills needed to complete this task.

Extension: Students with a strong knowledge of biology can be encouraged to find an animal with unique or unusual adaptations, keeping in mind the time constraints for completing their research.

During the Geometric Picture Phase and Angular Animalsstages of the lesson, encourage students to support and assist each other as needed. Students who find concepts and/or skills challenging can be supported by other more confident students. This provides support for those having difficulty, while also extending others as they have to consider how to explain and model techniques to their peers.

To further challenge students, take their work off the page with simple 3D animal construction:

Stawbees - the kit has enough straws and connectors to support the average sized class in a paired geometric animal sculpture challenge.
Zometool - offers students the chance to easily prototype designs and learn from mistakes while creating their 3D animals models.

Teacher Reflection

Take this opportunity to reflect on your own teaching:

What did you learn about your teaching today?
What worked well?
What didn't work so well?
What would you share?
Where to next?
How are you going to get there?

STEAM - Geometric Animals

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