Special Feature Lesson:

Draw a Line to My Design

Overview:

Students learn how animals are "designed" (adapted) for different environments by matching animal pictures to statements about how they look or act.

 

Curriculum Focus:

  • Science
  • Art

 

Materials:

 

Activity:

Print out the Draw a Line to my Design sheet. Make enough photocopies for each student to use. 
Review the Special Feature story. Ask students to share examples from the article of how a mallard duck is designed for life in the air, on water and on land. Ask students to share other examples of water, land and air animals they know. Help them identify behaviors (such as swimming, running, flight) or physical features (such as gills, wings or thick fur) that help animals survive in the environments in which they live. 
 

 Hand out the Draw a Line to my Design sheets. Review directions with students.
Answers are as follows: 1. eagle  2. alligator  3. beaver  4. vulture  5. rabbitt  6. squirrel

Discuss how each animal's "design" helps it survive in its environment. Have students create a land, air and water mural. Students can draw or assemble magazine pictures to create a background of land, air and water.  They can then color the animals on their sheet, cut them out, and paste them into the scene. Students can also add other animals in the correct environments.

 

Extension idea:

Student groups can create handmade books about land, air or water animals to share.