This unit offers students in a multi-grade setting the opportunity to work on a common theme with an inquiry emphasis. The unit topic was chosen because of students' natural interest in and love of animals. The unit offers many opportunities to explore concepts presented in the science curriculum and includes many purposeful opportunities for language use and development. The suggested activities emphasize the use of oral, written, and visual language for the purposes of exploring, clarifying, organizing ideas, and making meaning.
Inquiry necessitates much tentative and exploratory talk. The group discussion strategy that initiates this unit is used extensively in the sample lessons. Such interaction encourages the generation and exchange of questions, ideas, and opinions. Discussion experiences include:
This unit incorporates frequent opportunities for students to listen, read, and view for information and for enjoyment. Students speak, write, and represent to explore ideas, inform and report, and present insights and ideas creatively in poems, dioramas, and dramas. Many of the strategies and activities suggested in the sample lessons encourage students to:
During this unit, students will explore different focuses that are suggested in the science curriculum and provide purposeful and interesting avenues for language development. For grade 1 students, the focus is on animals; for grade 2 students, the focus is on animal habitats; and for grade 3 students, the focus is on the interdependence of living things (including pressures on animal populations and survival).
In this unit, the following focuses could be used:
| Focus | Grade 1 | Grade 2 | Grade 3 |
| Focus 1: Animal Observa-tions (lessons 1-6) | Insects and Animals in the Playground | Birds, Insects, and Animals in our Community | Amazing Animals |
| Focus 2: Caring for Animals (lessons 7-9) | Caring for Animals in the Classroom and at Home (e.g., hamster) | Caring for Animals in our Community (e.g., Humane Society) | Interdepen-dence and Human Responsi-bilities |
| Focus 3: Life Cycles (lessons 10-13) | Life Cycles: Insect (e.g., ant) Bird (e.g., robin), and Mammal (e.g., calf) | Life Cycles: Insect, Bird, Mammal, and Fish (e.g., goldfish) | Life Cycles: Insect, Bird, Mammal, and Fish |
| Focus 4: Research (lessons 14-21) | Interesting Animals (e.g., zoo animals) | Extinct Animals (e.g., dinosaurs) | Endangered Animals (e.g., burrowing owls) |
Poetry
Butterscotch Dreams. S. Dunn
A Cup of Starshine. J. Bennett
Eric Carle's Animals Animals. E. Carle
If You're Happy and You Know It. N. Weiss
Mary Had a Little Lamb. S. Male
The Random House Book of Poetry for Children. J. Prelutsky
Sing a Song of Popcorn. B. DeRegniers
Three Blind Mice. J. Ivimey
Nonfiction
Animal Babies. B. Kalman
Animals Born Alive and Well. R. Heller
Birds At My Feeder. B. Kalman
A Book About Pandas. R. Gross
The Cedar. Guujaw
Chickens Aren't the Only Ones. R. Heller
The Food Chain. M. Penny
Jane Goodall's Animal World: Pandas. J. Goodall
Koko's Kitten. F. Patterson
Let's Look at Bears. M. Penny (see Let's Look at series for Science)
The Life of the Butterfly. D. Drew (see Literacy 2000 Science series in kindergarten bibliography)
Mushroom in the Rain. M. Ginsburg (book & audio cassette)
The New Baby Calf. E. Chase
Old MacDonald Had a Farm. T. Pearson
On the Brink: Endangered Species in Canada. J.A. Burnett
Operation Lifeline. World Wildlife Fund (kit).
Over in the Meadow. O. Wadsworth (illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats)
Owls. B. Kalman
Pandas of the World. M. Masui
Project Wild: Elementary Activity Guide. Canadian Wildlife Federation
Saving Our Animal Friends. S. McGrath
Two Orphan Cubs. B. Brenner & M. Garelick
Picture Files
Many relevant resources are listed in the Elementary Level science bibliography.
Note: Some major integrated language arts resources and science resources may also include appropriate selections or chapters.