EQ: Can we group animals?
Organizing Idea / Activity: The World Around Me / Classifying Animals
Learning Target: We can classify animals.
Materials / Resources Two nonfiction books: Life Cycle of a Duck, Crocodiles
Read aloud: GijiGiji by Chih-Yuan Chen
Prior Knowledge
The various classifications of animals.
Procedure
- Show students the covers of the two nonfiction books. Based on the covers, ask them if the books are fiction or nonfiction.
- Photographs showing the animals in their natural habitats
- Look at the spine label and remind students that nonfiction books have numbers and letters on the label.
- Contents, Glossary, Index, and Facts
- Ask students to identify the animal families to which crocodiles and ducks belong (Reptile and Bird)
- Show them the pictures of the babies hatching. Compare and contrast the appearance of the babies>
- Feathers – Scaly skin
- Beaks – Mouth/teeth
- Two legs – Four legs
- Short tail feathers – Long scaly tail
- Yellow – Greenish brown
- Webbed feet – Three sharp claws
- Show students the cover of GujiGuji and establish that the book is fiction.
- Cartoon like illustration on the cover drawn by an artist
- Letters only on the spine
- No contents, glossary, or index
- Tell students that Mother Duck is in for a big surprise when her eggs hatch. Ask them to listen to find out what surprises her and how she feels about that surprise.
- On pg 10, student will confirm what they already know – Mother Duck loves all her ducklings the same.
Reflection
After reading the story, discuss the following points.
How did the 3 crocodiles describe GujiGuji?
Blue-gray body – hide under water
Big, sharp claws – hold prey tightly
Pointed teeth – chew prey
How did GujiGuji feel after meeting the crocodiles? Why?
Terrible (Accept any ideas explaining why.)
What did GujiGuji realize?
He’s not a bad crocodile, but he’s not a duck either.
What did the crocodiles want GujiGuji to do?
Bring the ducks to the bridge to practice diving so they could catch and eat them.
How did GujiGuji trick the crocodiles?
By tossing three huge rocks into the water instead of three tasty ducks.
Why was GujiGuji a hero?
He saved the ducks.
Do you thing crocoduck was a good name for GujiGuji?
What other animals hatch from eggs that could have been mixed up in Mother
Duck’s nest?
What if a ____ hatched out of one of Mother Duck’s eggs? (Make up names)
Platypus (platyduck or platyquack)
Turtle (duckle)