Janet Kubitscheck

Andrea Schuette

Title of Lesson: Colorful Kingdoms

Topics: Math process: reasoning

Math product: number sense

Science process skill: classifying

Science product: animal characteristics

Student Level: K - 1

Objective: The students will categorize and count cards by color and animal characteristics while correctly completing the worksheet by the end of the lesson.

Materials:

• Set of color/animal cards (one set per group)
  Color samples
  Crayons/markers/pencils
  Stuffed animals (for introduction)
  Student worksheets

Prerequisite Skills:

Colors

Numbers 1 - 10

Characteristics of birds, mammals, and fish

Time required: one class period

Introduction: Bring in bag of stuffed animals and call students to front of room by saying, "Everybody come to the front of the room to see what we have in the bag."

Review:

• First, review colors by going through color samples.
• Review how to write numbers on the chalkboard
• Pull out stuffed animals in bag and have class identify animal and color of the animal.
• Discuss differences/characteristics of animals.

Strategies:

• Divide students into groups of three (each group with one set of cards and a worksheet for every student).
• Instruct students to separate cards by colors.
• Have students count aloud.
• Discuss findings and complete color portion of worksheet.
• Instruct students to separate cards by animal characteristics. first by finding all the fish
• Ask questions about findings, for example "How many fish did your group find?" and "What colors are the fish?"
• Have students individually draw a fish on the worksheet and write number of fish in the space provided.
• Instruct students to separate cards by finding all the birds and mammals.
• Repeat steps as above.

Conclusion: Discuss worksheet and findings. Ask class for ideas on other groupings they could make with the cards (flying animals, animals that live in trees, animals with four legs, for example).

Evaluation: Assess students by checking worksheets by monitoring progress during lesson with a checklist.

Extension:

Enrichment: Go over animal classifications not in lesson-reptiles and amphibians.

Reteach: If student has trouble with colors, go over M&M book. If trouble with classifying, use fruit.

Resources:

McGrath, B. (1994). The M&M Counting Book Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge Publishing.

Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (October 1996). Project Wild Teachers Guide Beginning Primary . 3rd Printing. Pratt, KS: Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.