Introduction
Students will be intentionally paired up for a partner chat. They will discuss the question: "What are some body parts on animals that are different to body parts on humans". As a class, we will create a bubble map and come up with a list of body parts that animals have that humans do not.
Students will be told that they will be doing a partner internet research project. The teacher will explain to the class that each partner has a different job: the reader and the writer. The teacher will first model how to use the website.
Task
With a partner, students will pick one animal to research on the homepage of the San Diego Wildlife Explorers website here: https://sdzwildlifeexplorers.org/animals
Students will:
1.) Write 1-3 body parts that their animal has that humans do not.
2.) Write what the animal uses this body part for.
Process
There will be two jobs:
1.) Reader: This student will find and read to their partner the information about the animal body parts.
2.) Writer: This student will write down the 3 body parts that their animal has that humans do not and what the animal uses this body part for.
The teacher will first model how to use the website. Then, the teacher will model how to do the "reader job" by finding the relevant information needed, and reading the content out loud. The teacher will model the job of the reader for three different animals. Afterwards, the teacher will model the role of the "writer", showing students how to write the answers to the two questions posed for this internet research. The example of the written answers will stay on the board for students to reference throughout the project. The teacher will additionally tell students how much time they have to complete this part of the project.
Evaluation
Here is the rubric for the internet research project: Rubric
Conclusion
At the end of the lesson or project, the class will come together for a class discussion about the project. Students will be asked "What was a new body part that you learned about?", "What body part seems most useful to have?", and "What body part do you want to do more research on in the future?"