TEACHER PAGE

INTRODUCTION

Let's Build a Zoo! was developed to provide extension opportunities for students who had just completed a week at a Zoo School working with zoo keepers and looking after the animals. It would also be suitable for students who have been studying animals but have not had the zoo experience.

In this unit, students will extend their learning about different animal groups, research one specific animal, draw an animal in its habitat using Paint or Kid Pix, write to an animal expert, create an online word search, make a post card about their animal, and create a class PowerPoint presentation about the animals they chose to include in their zoo. The culminating activity has the students creating their own zoo.

While students will find many resources listed in their tasks, breadth and depth would be added to this project by using other resources as well. These could include guest speakers, books from the library, encyclopedias, videos, and of course, a visit to the zoo.

CONTENT AREA AND GRADE LEVEL

This web quest is designed for students in grades two, three and four although it can easily be adapted for use in all grades. It integrates applied learning, science, language arts and technology.

CURRICULUM OUTCOMES

Let's Build a Zoo! was designed to support the Alberta curriculum. Click here to view curriculum outcomes supported by this Let's Build a Zoo!

IMPLEMENTATION / OVERVIEW

Let's Build a Zoo! was designed to be used in a classroom setting. The unit has been organized into eight tasks (excluding the actual building of the zoo), with each task ranging from one class to two classes to complete. This project is intended to be integrated throughout the curriculum during a classroom thematic unit on animals that would last approximately one month. 

This WebQuest was designed for students to complete the tasks with a partner but the tasks could be also completed individually or in small groups. If the teacher chose to work through some of the activities as a whole class, the availability of a projection system or television connected to the classroom computer would be necessary. During any whole group activities, the student involvement should be encouraged through participation in shared reading. Students can be chosen to control the mouse and navigate through the Web sites.

ENTRY LEVEL SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

Teachers and students should have experience:

• Students should know computer basics (clicking and scrolling) and how to use the Internet (using links, clicking back, etc.)
• drawing pictures in Paint or Kid Pix.

In addition the teacher should have experience:

• utilizing a television or projection devise to display the computer screen for whole class instruction if whole class instruction is chosen.
• navigating the Internet (links and going back and forth).
• building a PowerPoint presentation
• using Paint or Kid Pix
• inserting images into a PowerPoint presentation

STUDENT TASKS (Details below student outline)

	1. Choose an Animal! You will need to research a specific animal within your assigned animal group. Before signing up for the animal you would like to research for your class zoo, explore these animal web sites to see lots of different kinds of animals.  Click here to get to the animals!
	2. Research! After choosing a new animal for the zoo, you will work with a partner to find out more information about it. Go back to the web sites to collect important information to record on your Animal Fact Sheets. Remember to only take "jot notes" as you find information for each category.
	3. Draw your Animal in its Habitat! Go to the Paint program and draw a picture of your zoo animal. Make sure you include lots of details of the habitat in the background!
	4. Write What You Know! Create an information brochure about your animal. Make sure to include important facts and interesting information. Remember, this in the information that the zoo guides will share with zoo visitors!
	5. Ask an Expert! Can you think of a really good question about your animal to ask an expert? Is there something that you want to know that you didn't find on the Internet? Click on the monkey to get your letter paper.
	6. Zoo Pals Slide Show! Add the picture that you drew in Paint to a class PowerPoint presentation. Go to the computer where your teacher is working when it is your turn. After your picture has been added, write something about your animal that you would want to put on your page of the Zoo Pals Slide Show. This slide show will be shared with the zookeepers and visitors to the zoo!
	7. Create a Word Search! You will create a word search for children who visit the zoo using as many special animal words and names that you can think of. Click on the  giraffe to get to the word search activity.
	8. Create a Post Card! Create a post card announcing the new arrival of your animal to the zoo! Use the paper and other supplies provided by your teacher.
	9. Let's Build a Zoo! Your class is now ready to build the zoo! You should have lots of different animals for your zoo. Check with your teacher to find out what materials there are to use.  Use your imagination, creativity and have fun!!!
	How Did We Do? Click on the dolphin to find out...

*Many of the icons used for this web quest were from Awesome Clipart for Kids http://www.awesomeclipartforkids.com  

Task One: Choose an Animal!

Students are encouraged to explore a number of selected web sites to look for an animal they would like to add to the zoo. This is an excellent opportunity for students to refine Internet skills as they will have to continue to return to their list of web sites. Teachers might want to set a time limit for this activity.

 

Task Two: Research!

Students will have chosen an animal to bring to the zoo and will use their three Animal Fact Sheets to draw pictures and record important facts about their animal. Special attention should be directed toward the animals needs and how these are provided in the animal's natural habitat. Students may either print this from the web page or the teacher may provide this page beforehand.

 

Task Three: Draw Your Animal in its Habitat!

The students should now draw their chosen animal  and draw it in its new zoo habitat using Microsoft Paint or Kid Pix. Students will write some of the information that they have learned about their animal on their picture. This will later be inserted into a class PowerPoint presentation. Wild Places is an excellent Internet resource for information on habitats.

 

Task Four: Write What You Know!

Students will create an information brochure about their animal that will include important and interesting information for the zookeeper to share with visitors. The teacher can decide whether this should be done in point form or complete sentences and the paper that this should be completed on. It could also be created using Word.  

 

Task Five: Ask an Expert

Students are encouraged to think of a really interesting question to ask an expert. By clicking on the monkey icon, they will get to a page that they can print and write their letter on. Students could draw their animal at the bottom of the letter.

 

Teachers can choose to have students print the letter page for themselves or have it ready for them. A possible expert to send the students questions to would be someone at the local zoo. Contacting the zoo beforehand would allow students to have the name that they could write to. The other possibility would be to compile all of the questions together and email them to an expert on the Internet. Click here to see the letter template.

 

Task Six: Zoo Pals Slide Show!

Students will add the picture that they drew using Paint or Kids Pix to a class PowerPoint presentation. It is suggested that the teaching assistant or a volunteer be at a computer where students can come one at a time to insert their drawings into the slide show. Students can include their names at the bottom of the slide. Students will talk about their slide with the class during Zoo Pals Slide Show.

 

Task Seven: Create a Word Search!

Students will create a word search using as many animal words that they can remember. They are asked for a minimum of ten words but should be encouraged to add more. Students will create their word search by going to the Animal Word Search Puzzle Maker at  http://www.awesomeclipartforkids.com/worksheets/animalwordsearch.html. The word search should be printed off when they are finished. Make sure they add their name, as there is no place for this when they create the puzzle!

 

 

Task Eight: Create a Post Card!

Students will create a post card modeled on a real post card that could be mailed out to announce the arrival of their new animal. This project could be done in the traditional form using paper and pencil crayons or felts or by using the computer. For an excellent outline of how to Make Your Own Postcards, go to http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/ict/postcards.htm 

Task Nine: Let's Build a Zoo!

Teachers can choose how they would like to occur! One suggestion would be for students to create a diorama of their animal in its habitat. Photos of these could be taken to create a virtual zoo of their own!

EVALUATION

Students will be evaluated through teacher observation during the completion of the tasks. Each task culminates with a individual or class project. Teachers may choose to use the Let's Build a Zoo! rubric to evaluate their students' work on each task and their work habits throughout the unit.

CONCLUSION

Through the completion of the tasks within this unit, students maximize the learning opportunities of a field trip to the zoo. The students develop background information prior to taking the field trip. After the field trip, they use and extend their expertise about zoo animals.

RESOURCES NEEDED

• Access to a computer lab.
• A projection device or television connected to the computer for whole group instruction (if needed).
• An Internet connection (e.g. Explorer).
• Microsoft Paint or Kid Pix software to draw a picture of their chosen zoo animal.
• PowerPoint
• E-mail or snail mail address for an animal expert willing to respond to your classroom questions.
• Download black line masters for Tasks (three Animal Fact Sheets, Letter Template, Student Self Evaluation / Checklist,  Certificate of Accomplishment, Let's Build a Zoo Rubric for Assessment).
• An zoo in your city to visit on a field trip (optional).

HUMAN RESOURCES

• Computer buddies, parent volunteers or classroom assistants to assist the students with the computer tasks.
• Guest speakers that could include staff from the zoo, a local museum that features animals, a wildlife park.
• An animal expert to whom e-mail questions are sent.

OTHER INTERNET RESOURCES

Enchanted Learning Animal Printouts

Includes many pictures for labeling.

 

Endangered Species Calendar

Mammal Calendar

Watery World Calendar

These are wonderful calendars from Enchanted Learning for 2001/2002 ready to print out and use!

Animal Issues in the Classroom
http://envirolink.org/arrs/peta/kids/clasindex.htm

Born Free Zoo Check
http://www.izoo.org/bornfree/adopzoo.htm

ZooNet
http://www.mindspring.com/~zoonet/

BOOKS ABOUT ANIMALS

The ABC's of Animal Rights by Janet Tubbs

And Then There Was One: The Mysteries of Extinction by Margery Facklam

Big Blue Whale by Nicola Davies

Jaguarundi by Virginia Hamilton

My Visit to the Zoo by Aliki

No More Dodos:How Zoos Help Endangered Species by Nicholas Nirgiotis and Theodore Nirgiotis

Zoo-Looking by Mem Fox

The Zoo Book: A Guide to America's Best by Allen W. Nyhuis

"Animals are such agreeable friends - they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms."
 - George Eliot