Lesson MINI

LESSON MINI

Animal Homes in Grasslands

Grade:

K-2

Topic:

Animals

Unit:

Animal Habitats

Overview

In this lesson mini, students explore the diverse animals that live in grassland habitats, focusing on understanding their needs to survive. Students discover how these environments provide essential resources for animals and examine unique characteristics and behaviors that help them thrive. The lesson aims to develop students’ vocabulary and observational skills as they compare and contrast different habitats and the animals that live in them.

Ideas for Implementation

Science

Literacy

Library media

Learning centers

Intervention or enrichment

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Key Vocabulary & Definitions

adaptation (noun): a body part or behavior of an animal or a plant that helps it survive in a particular place or situation

cattle (noun): cows, bulls, or steers that are kept on a farm or ranch for meat or milk

Equator (noun): an imaginary circle around the middle of Earth that is the same distance from the North Pole and the South Pole

grassland (noun): land covered with grasses and other soft plants but not with bushes and trees

habitat (noun): the place or type of place where a plant or an animal naturally or normally lives or grows

prairie (noun): a large mostly flat area of land in North America that has few trees and is covered in grasses

safari (noun): a journey to see or hunt animals

savanna (noun): a large flat area of land with grass and very few trees

Authentic Learning Extensions

Authentic learning opportunities for studying grassland habitats involve real-world experiences and practical applications that help students understand animal survival and adaptation concepts meaningfully. Here are some examples:

Art Workshop: Invite students to explore different arts and crafts related to grassland animals. They can paint and/or color grassland habitats and their animals. They can also make animal masks to reflect their new learnings. This activity stimulates students’ creativity.

Farm Field Trip: Take students to a local farm so that they can become acquainted with farm habitats and animals that are commonly found on farms, such as cows, chickens, and horses. This outing encourages students to make connections between school and their local community.

Imaginative Play: Provide students with grassland animal figures, blocks, building bricks, and/or magnetic tiles to construct grassland habitats. This will foster students’ creativity and help them build and expand their vocabulary.

Virtual Field Trip: Take students on a virtual field trip to the African savanna and encourage them to explore the habitats of elephants, zebras, and giraffes. This activity broadens students’ understanding of grassland habitats and allows students to make global connections.

Choose Activity

LESSON MINI

Animal Homes in Grasslands

Activity

1:

Grasslands of the World

By the end of the activity, students will be able to compare and contrast tropical and temperate grasslands.

>40

Minutes

Materials and Resources

Materials

Markers or highlighters (one per student)

Whiteboard and display

Writing utensils

Resources

Implementation

Start the activity with a whole-group discussion about habitats. Explain that a habitat is a place or type of place where a plant or an animal naturally or normally lives or grows.

Tell students that they will learn about grassland habitats. Ask students to guess what grasslands are, inviting students to guess what kinds of animals live in grasslands. Ask the following guiding questions:

What do you think grasslands look like?

Does it rain a lot in this habitat?

Are grasslands flat, or do they have a lot of hills or mountains?

Can you find many trees in grassland habitats?

How do you think grasslands are different from forests or deserts?

Display the Grassland article, and distribute printed copies to students. Point out to students the pictures of grasslands found in the article. Then read the article aloud, and invite students to follow along. While reading, consider pausing between sections to debrief and support connection-making as a class. Consider asking the following guiding questions:

What is a grassland?

What are the features of grasslands?

What are tropical grasslands?

What are temperate grasslands?

What animals live in grasslands?

How are temperate grasslands used?

Distribute markers or highlighters to students if they do not already have their own. Invite students either independently or in pairs to do a word hunt in the article by asking them to circle or highlight the word grassland each time it appears in the article. Ask students to share how many times they found the word throughout the article. Share that the word grassland appears more than 30 times, including in section titles and captions! Point out to students that main ideas in texts are often repeated, which means they are important.

Ask students to continue their word hunt by circling or highlighting the names of different animals that live in grasslands (e.g., bison, prairie dogs, zebras, elephants, gazelles, giraffes, lions, kangaroos, jaguars, giant anteaters, cattle).

Using Britannica Library, ImageQuest Jr., or another royalty-free resource, show students images of animals that live in grasslands, and ask them to describe what they notice. Consider showing students images of bison, prairie dogs, zebras, elephants, gazelles, lions, and cattle.

Share with students that they will compare and contrast tropical and temperate grasslands. Begin by using the Read Aloud feature in the “Kinds of Grasslands” section of the Grassland article. Invite students to read along as they listen to the audio.

Display a 2-Circle Venn Diagram graphic organizer. As a class, discuss the similarities and differences of tropical and temperate grasslands. Scribe responses on the graphic organizer.

Tropical Grasslands: Found near the Equator. / Have warm climates. / Also called savannas. / Have a wet season and a dry season. / Grass grows very tall and green during the wet season. / Grass turns brown without rain. / Have few trees. / Gazelles, giraffes, lions, kangaroos, bison, and many other animals live here.

Temperate Grasslands: They have short grass. / Get less rain than savannas. / Farther from the Equator. / In North America, they are called prairies; in Argentina, they are called pampas. / Many are used by ranchers. / Cattle and other livestock live here. / Farmers can grow many crops because of the good soil.

Both: They have grass and few trees. / They are home to many animals and plants. / They have characteristic seasons. / They are used for farming.

Distribute the Odd One Out handout to students, and invite them to work independently or in pairs to complete the handout. Explain that their task is to read each numbered list and then circle the word that does not belong in the list. (Answer key: table, sand, desert, ocean, chicken)

Wrap up the activity by asking students to reflect on the key characteristics of grassland habitats. Example responses may include the following:

Lots of grass

Not many trees

Flat land

Home to many animals

Can be hot or warm

Sometimes dry

Differentiation and Variations

Chunking the Article Reading: Consider having students read the Grassland article in chunks throughout the activity, debriefing and connecting after each section. First read the “Introduction” and “Features of Grasslands” sections. After the word hunt, read “Life in the Grasslands” and debrief that section. Finally, read “Kinds of Grasslands.” Chunking is a strategy to make tasks more manageable for younger learners. In addition, text chunking increases reading comprehension.

Extended Word Hunt: Invite students to independently identify words that represent tropical and temperate grasslands, and then ask them to complete a T-Chart graphic organizer with simple sentences about each type of grassland. This promotes independent reading and writing skills and helps students think critically about the texts presented.

Guided Reading Groups: Offer students the option to read the Grassland article in small guided reading groups to increase student engagement and reading comprehension. This approach supports students by creating a collaborative learning environment in which they can benefit from peer discussion, receive immediate teacher feedback, and gain confidence through shared reading experiences.

Independent Reading: Offer students the opportunity to read the article independently, and then ask students oral questions to check for comprehension. This approach supports students by developing their self-directed learning skills, allowing them to progress at their own pace, and building their ability to extract and process information autonomously.

Collaborative Teaching

One Teaching, One Assisting: For collaborative teaching and learning environments, this learning activity is well suited to a One Teaching, One Assisting strategy. In this model, one teacher leads the activity while the other circulates, providing assistance to individual students as needed. This ensures that when students encounter difficulties, they receive immediate help in the form of personalized support and answers to their questions. By addressing students’ unique needs and keeping them on track, this approach enhances individual learning experiences and fosters a supportive classroom environment. Studies indicate that immediate feedback and individualized attention can significantly enhance student understanding and retention of material.

Activity Introduction: The lead teacher guides the whole-class discussion about habitats and displays the Grassland article while the other assists students as needed to ensure they understand the instructions. The assisting teacher circulates the room, supporting students with the word hunt.

Compare and Contrast Activity: One teacher leads the compare and contrast discussion while the other scribes students’ ideas on the Venn diagram.

Activity Wrap-Up: Both teachers circulate the room, supporting students in completing the Odd One Out handout to review key learnings about grasslands. The assisting teacher ensures that students who need extra support have a differentiated version of the handout. The lead teacher concludes the activity by asking students to reflect on their learnings while the assisting teacher provides support as needed.

Animal Homes in Grasslands

Activity

2:

Safari to the Tropical Savanna

By the end of the activity, students will be able to describe how giraffes, elephants, and zebras adapt to their grassland habitat.

≥40

Minutes

Materials and Resources

Materials

Coloring supplies

Devices such as Chromebooks or tablets (one at each of three stations)

Whiteboard and display

Writing utensils

Resources

Implementation

Prepare for the Activity: Set up at least one station for each of the three activities described in step 5. (Note: Having multiples of some stations reduces crowding at the stations.) At each station, students will watch a video about an animal (elephants, giraffes, or zebras), review a fact sheet about the animal, and then complete a handout. Each station will require a device with the video cued up, at least one copy of the appropriate Tropical Savanna Animal Facts sheet, and enough copies of the station handout for each student in the class.

Begin the activity by sharing that today students will become safari tourists and travel to the African savanna, which is a tropical grassland.

Ask students to share everything they know about safaris, scribing a list on the board as students share. Show students the Safari Images display, and ask students to describe what they see. Explain that a safari is a journey to see animals in Africa.

Role-play preparation for a safari trip, and discuss with the whole class what students will need to take for their trip. Consider asking students to act out the following commands:

Put on comfortable shoes.

Rub on sunscreen.

Drink some water.

Put on your hat.

Take a picture.

Don’t forget your jacket! Are you ready?

Continue the role-play by “transporting” students to a safari truck and telling them that the classroom is now an African savanna. Consider playing music and decorating the classroom to look like a tropical grassland.

Divide students into groups of four or five students, and invite the groups to “drive around the African savanna” as they rotate through three different stations that each focus on an animal that lives in the savanna. Explain that these animals have special traits that help them adapt to and survive in their grassland habitat. At each station, students will watch a video about an animal, review the Tropical Savanna Animal Facts sheet about the animal, and then complete an activity.

Station 1, Elephant Explorers: Students watch the Elephants video on a Chromebook or tablet. Then they complete the Elephant Sentences handout using information from the video and the Tropical Savanna Animal Facts sheet at the station. (Handout answer key: 1. largest, 2. memory, 3. hair, 4. tusks, 5. trunk, 6. food, 7. herds)

Station 2, Giraffe Explorers: Students watch the Giraffes video on a Chromebook or tablet. Then they complete the Giraffe Trivia handout using information from the video and the Tropical Savanna Animal Facts sheet at the station. (Handout answer key: 1. c, 2. b, 3. a, 4. c, 5. a)

Station 3, Zebra Explorers: Students watch the Zebras video on a Chromebook or tablet. Then they complete the Zebra Match-Up handout using information from the video and the Tropical Savanna Animal Facts sheet at the station. (Handout answer key: 1. b, 2. d, 3. a, 4. e, 5. f, 6. c)

After students rotate through the three stations, ask the whole class to sit in a circle. Encourage students to reflect on and share what they learned about elephants, giraffes, and zebras and how these animals use their traits to survive in the savanna habitat. Consider tossing a ball or beanbag to different students as they participate in the share-out.

Habitat survival examples: Giraffes use their long necks to get food from trees, elephants use their trunks to eat fruit and grass, and zebras have stripes to blend in with their environment and protect themselves from predators.

Tell students that it’s time to finish their safari trip and travel back home. Role-play the end of the trip and transport students back to the classroom.

Differentiation and Variations

Visual Aids: Provide images or simple illustrations to enhance comprehension of presented texts. This visual support helps students better understand and remember the vocabulary by connecting the word to a concrete image, which can significantly aid comprehension and retention. Additionally, visuals can help bridge language barriers by providing context clues directly related to the word, making it easier for students to participate actively and confidently in the activity.

Written Response: Have students write summary sentences about tropical savannas. This allows students to integrate new vocabulary and benefits their learning by challenging them to synthesize new information and build independent writing skills.

Collaborative Teaching

Station Teaching: For collaborative teaching and learning environments, this learning activity is well suited to a Station Teaching strategy. In this model, students rotate among different stations, each managed by a teacher who teaches a specific part of the content. This keeps students engaged through varied activities and teaching methods. It also allows teachers to focus on their strengths and teach content more in-depth and specialized. This approach ensures that students receive a comprehensive and dynamic education by catering to different learning styles. Research supports that multifaceted teaching strategies cater to diverse learning styles, enhancing students’ comprehension and retention.

Introduction: One teacher introduces the safari activity by showing the display and role-playing the safari trip with students while the other teacher prepares the stations.

Station Teaching: Both teachers circulate to different stations to help students navigate technology, support them in understanding the video content, and answer questions about the handout instructions.

Activity Wrap-Up: Both teachers lead the class in a reflective discussion. Teachers can facilitate this discussion by asking guiding questions, reviewing the extension activities’ answers, and inviting students to share what they learned about tropical grassland habitats.

Animal Homes in Grasslands

Activity

3:

A Farm Visit in a Temperate Grassland

By the end of the activity, students will be able to describe temperate grasslands and talk about how different animals adapt to living in this habitat.

>40

Minutes

Materials and Resources

Materials

Coloring supplies

Devices such as Chromebooks or tablets (one at each of three stations)

Whiteboard and display

Writing utensils

Resources

Implementation

Prepare for the Activity: Set up at least one station for each of the three activities described in step 5. (Note: Having multiples of some stations reduces crowding at the stations.) At each station, students will use a digital device to listen to and read along with an article about an animal (horses, cows, or chickens) and then complete a handout. Each station will require a device with the article cued up and enough copies of the station handout for each student in the class.

Begin the activity by sharing that there are many temperate grasslands in North America. Review with students key ideas about temperate grasslands. Display the Grassland article and read aloud the “Temperate Grasslands” subsection. Discuss key ideas found in the article. For example: Compared to tropical grasslands, the grass is shorter in temperate grasslands, and temperate grasslands get less rain. In North America, temperate grasslands are called prairies. Many grasslands are used by ranchers. Cattle and other livestock live here. Farmers can grow many crops here because of the good soil.

Tell students that today they will role-play traveling to a farm in a temperate grassland. Ask students if they have ever been to a farm before, and invite them to share their experiences.

Ask students to share everything they know about farms and, using Britannica Library, ImageQuest Jr., or another royalty-free resource, share pictures of farms. Ask students to describe what they see.

Begin the role-play by “transporting” students to a farm tractor and telling them that the classroom is now a farm in a temperate grassland. Consider playing music, such as “Old MacDonald Had a Farm,” and decorating the classroom to look like a farm.

Divide students into groups of four or five students, and invite them to “truck around the farm” as they rotate through three different stations. At each station, students will listen to and read along with an article about an animal and then complete an activity.

Station 1, Horse Farmers: Students listen to and read along with the Horse article on a Chromebook or tablet. Then they complete the Horse Match-Up handout. (Handout answer key: 1. f, 2. d, 3. a, 4. e, 5. c, 6. b)

Station 2, Cow Farmers: Students listen to and read along with the Cow article on a device. Then they complete the Cow Trivia handout. (Handout answer key: 1. a, 2. b, 3. b, 4. c, 5. a)

Station 3, Chicken Farmers: Students listen to and read along with the Chicken article on a Chromebook or tablet. Then they complete the Chicken Sentences handout. (Handout answer key: 1. fly, 2. roosters, 3. hens, 4. eggs, 5. chicks, 6. soft, 7. birds)

After students complete their rotations, ask the whole class to sit in a circle. Encourage students to reflect on what they learned about grassland animals. Invite students to think about how these animals adapt to and survive in their habitat. Share with students a few examples of animal adaptations. For example:

Cows: Cows live in groups, which keeps them safe from predators. / Cows eat and chew lots of grass. / Cows have hooves for walking on grasslands.

Horses: Horses eat grass to survive. / Horses can walk, trot, and gallop far in search of food and water. / Horses can adapt to the cold and hot weather found in temperate grasslands.

Chickens: Chickens have feathers to keep them warm. / Chickens have beaks to help them find and eat bugs, seeds, and grass. / Hens are less colorful, to blend in with their environment.

Use the following guiding questions to lead a class discussion:

What do horses and cows eat?

Why do you think chickens have feathers?

How do farm animals adapt to different temperatures?

Ask students what they learned about farms. Invite them to think about the different foods that grow on farms. Share that temperate grasslands have good soil and are a great place to grow crops and keep livestock.

To wrap up, role-play the end of the farm trip and transport students back to their classroom.

Differentiation and Variations

Visual Cues: Add visuals to support early readers so that they are able to complete the station activities independently. Adding visuals helps students increase their understanding of main text ideas even if they are not yet reading independently.

Choice Activity: Provide students with the option of either reading the articles or listening to them, depending on their interests and reading levels. In early childhood, there is a wide range of reading abilities, and offering students different options to learn new information allows them to engage and absorb it effectively.

Collaborative Teaching

Station Teaching: For collaborative teaching and learning environments, this learning activity is well suited to a Station Teaching strategy. In this model, students rotate among different stations, each managed by a teacher who teaches a specific part of the content. This keeps students engaged through varied activities and teaching methods. It also allows teachers to focus on their strengths and teach content in a more in-depth and specialized manner. This approach ensures that students receive a comprehensive and dynamic education by catering to different learning styles. Research supports that multifaceted teaching strategies cater to diverse learning styles, enhancing students’ comprehension and retention.

Activity Introduction: One teacher introduces the farm trip activity by showing the Grassland article and role-playing the farm outing with students while the other one prepares the stations.

Station Teaching: Both teachers circulate to different stations to help students navigate technology, support them in understanding article content, and answer questions about the handout instructions.

Animal Homes in Grasslands

Activity

4:

Minutes

Materials and Resources

Materials

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Resources

Implementation

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Differentiation and Variations

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Collaborative Teaching

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Animal Homes in Grasslands

Activity

5:

Minutes

Materials and Resources

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Resources

Implementation

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Differentiation and Variations

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Collaborative Teaching

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