South Carolina ETV

South Carolina ETV
1101 George Rogers Boulevard
Columbia, SC 29201-4761
Phone: 803-737-3545

Animal Alphabet (Grade 2)

Master Teacher

Penny Kerns

Time Allotment

Two weeks/30 minutes each day

Overview
In this lesson, students will learn about animals as they create an alphabet book. They will create a PowerPoint presentation showing what they have learned about the animals. Students also will use Microsoft Word and the Internet integrated into a science lesson to show what they learn about animals whose names begin with different letters of the alphabet.
Subject Matter
Science

Learning Objectives
Students will be able to:

Identify names of animals for assigned letters of the alphabet.

Use the computer to find and learn about animals whose names begin with the assigned letter.

Use the Internet to select animals.

Create an alphabet book and presentation with pictures and facts about animals.

Use Word Processing to create the alphabet book.

Use PowerPoint to create a presentation about the animals.

South Carolina Curriculum Standards
(From the South Carolina Language Arts Curriculum Standards, grade 2, available online at www.myscschools.com)

South Carolina Science Academic Standards
Animals
Standard 2-2: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the needs and characteristics of animals as they interact in their own distinct environments. (Life Science)
Indicators
2-2.1: Recall the basic needs of animals (including air, water, food, and shelter) for energy, growth and protection.
2-2.2: Classify animals (including mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish and insects) according to their physical characteristics.

Media Components

Power Point
Students will work in small groups to create a PowerPoint a presentation showcasing what they have learned about the different animals.

Video
Animal Alphabet introduces students to the alphabet’s 26 letters by engaging their natural curiosity about the animal kingdom. There is a clip on an animal for each letter of the alphabet except X. From “ant” to “zebra,” the video segments feature animals familiar and exotic.

To access this program, log on to your account at ETV’s StreamlineSC Web page (http://etv.streamlinesc.org). Add the video segments to your Playlist. Log onto the Web site and select Keyword: animal alphabet. Click on “Animal Alphabet.” Select the “a” in front of the clip “Introduction” (:36). This adds the clip to “My Playlist.” Select Continue button. Click to close window. Repeat same steps for each letter of the alphabet and the Conclusion. When finished, log off.

(Note to Teacher: If you don’t have an account with ETV’s StreamlineSC, check with your media specialist about signing up for one.)

Web Sites
Enchanted Learning (www.enchantedlearning.com) Animals are listed by alphabet, type, and continent. This site provides printouts to color, descriptions, and information on diet and habitat.
SC Discus (www.scdiscus.org) is South Carolina’s virtual library and provides free access for South Carolina teachers and students. Kids Infobits has kid friendly information about animals with lots of pictures.
Pics4Learning (www.pics4learning.com) Free pictures of all kinds of animals.
Clip Art and Media (http://office.microsoft.com/clipart) Clip art pictures of all types of animals.

Materials
Nonfiction booksfrom the library on animals

Per student:
Animal Alphabet Word Search
writing paper
construction paper
crayons and markers

Equipment
Computer
Projector and screen or TV and TVconverter
Digital camera
PowerPoint and Word software

Prep for Teachers

Gather necessary art supplies.
Check out books on animals and equipment from the library.
Make a K-W-L chart to introduce the unit.
Bookmark Internet sites to be used by the students.
Make a copy for each student of the Animal Alphabet Word Search puzzle found at the end of the lesson.
When using media, provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction, a specific task to complete and/or information to identify during or after viewing of video segments, Web sites, or other multimedia elements.

Introductory Activity
Step 1: Lead the students in using a K-W-L chart to introduce the animal unit. Questions will include: “What animals have you seen in your yard, in the woods, or at the zoo?” “What do these animals eat?” “What would you like to learn about these animals?”
Step 2: Now say: “Today we are going to begin using the Internet to learn about animals. We will then use Microsoft Word to create an animal alphabet book. We will also use Microsoft PowerPoint to create a presentation showcasing what we have learned about the different animals.”
Step 3: Brainstorm with the students about different animals for each letter of the alphabet.
Learning Activities
Step 1: Log on to StreamlineSC to retrieve the video segments from your Playlist. (Note to Teacher: It is probably better if you download the Playlist to your desktop computer’s hard drive or a CD to start with. Many schools actually don’t have the band width to live stream.) Students will view segments from Animal Alphabet. After each segment the class will discuss content questions about the clip. This process may take more than one class period. For example, Steps 2-5 could be done over four days. Select some letters as examples if time does not permit the use of all letters.

Step 2: The Focus for Media Interaction question for 1. “Introduction” (:36) is “Where are animals found?” (All around us—ground, air, underground, in water.) Instructions: Locate the video clip on your hard drive or CD. Double click video clip icon. Click on silver circle in the bottom right of the video screen to show full screen. Click the x in the upper right corner when the clip is complete. Repeat steps for clips on A-E. The Focus for Media Interaction question for A-Ant (:37) is “What could you do if you were as strong as an ant?” (Lift a grownup.) The Focus for Media Interaction question for B-Bison (:49) is “What is another name for bison?” (buffalo) The Focus for Media Interaction question for C-Crocodile (1:01) is “What does the crocodile do most of the day?” (Keeps warm in the sun or cool in the water.) The Focus for Media Interaction question for D-Dolphin (:50) is “How do dolphins talk to each other?” (with clicks, whistles, squeaks) The Focus for Media Interaction question for E-Elephant (1:03) is “What do elephants use their trunks for?” (to scoop up food and water, to breathe, to smell)

Step 3: The Focus for Media Interaction question for F-Fox (:52) is “What are baby foxes called?” (pups) Instructions: Locate the video clip on your hard drive or CD. Double click video clip icon. Click on silver circle in the bottom right of the video screen to show full screen. Click the x in the upper right corner when the clip is complete. Repeat steps for clips on G-K. The Focus for Media Interaction question for G-Gorilla (:54) is “What are groups of gorillas that live together called?” (families) The Focus for Media Interaction question for H-Honeybee (:50) is “What is the sugary drink which bees sip from flowers?” (nectar) The Focus for Media Interaction question for I-Iguana (:57) is “How is a marine iguana different from other lizards?” (swims and eats under water) The Focus for Media Interaction question for J-Jackal (:42) is “How does a jackal get its food?” (It is a scavenger. It eats dead animals left behind by other animals.) The Focus for Media Interaction question for K-Kangaroo (:48) is “Where does a kangaroo raise its young?” (in its pouch)

Step 4: The Focus for Media Interaction question for L-Lion (1:00) is “When does the lion hunt for food?” (at night) Instructions: Locate the video clip on your hard drive or CD. Double click video clip icon. Click on silver circle in the bottom right of the video screen to show full screen. Click the x in the upper right corner when the clip is complete. Repeat steps for clips M-S. The Focus for Media Interaction question for M-Meerkat (:58) is “How does the dark fur around the eyes act like sun glasses?” (It cuts down on sun’s glare.) The Focus for Media Interaction question for N-Night crawler (:53) is “How do night crawlers digging tunnels under ground help the soil?” (Keep it rich and healthy.) The Focus for Media Interaction question for O-Orangutan (:58) is “What does the orangutan spend much of its time doing?” (Searching for food) The Focus for Media Interaction question for P-Polar Bear (:51) is “What does the pelt do for the polar bear?” (Provides warmth and helps it float.) The Focus for Media Interaction question for Q-Quail (:48) is “When is the only time a quail flies?” (when in danger). The Focus for Media Interaction question for R-Rhinoceros (:49) is “What is the horn on the nose of a rhino made of?” (the same hard material as our fingernails) The Focus for Media Interaction question for S-Seal (:48) is “What helps the seal glide through the water?” (its slippery body)

Step 5: The Focus for Media Interaction question for T-Turtle (:55) is “How long may a turtle live?” (100 years) Instructions: Locate the video clip on your hard drive or CD. Double click video clip icon. Click on silver circle in the bottom right of the video screen to show full screen. Click the x in the upper right corner when the clip is complete. Repeat steps for clips U-Z and Conclusion. The Focus for Media Interaction question for U-Uakari (:51) is “What does the uakari hardly ever do?” (Come down from the tree tops.) The Focus for Media Interaction question for V-Vulture (:50) is “What may happen if a vulture is so hungry, it eats too much?” (It is too heavy to fly.) The Focus for Media Interaction question for W-Wolf (:55) is “What is different about a wolf’s howl?” (Each wolf makes a special sound to identify itself.) The Focus for Media Interaction question for Y-Yak (:40) is “What is different about a yak?” (Its coat is hairier than any other animal’s fur.) The Focus for Media Interaction question for Z-Zebra (:59) is “Why is each zebra different?” (Each has its own special pattern of stripes.) The Focus for Media Interaction question for Conclusion (:32) “What does this section suggest you do?” (Create your own animal alphabet.)

Step 6: Now have students complete the “Animal Alphabet” Word Search puzzle which is based on the same animal names as seen in the video clips. Pass out copies of the puzzle.
Step 7: Have students read stories about different animals that begin with the letter of the alphabet they have chosen and have them choose an animal to research. The students should be able to answer the following questions about their animals in a class discussion.

What type of animal is your animal? (mammal, insect, reptile, amphibian)
What does your animal look like?
Where does your animal live?
Where does your animal eat?
What kind of shelter does your animal need?

Before the students begin their research, discuss the computer skills necessary to complete the lesson and model how to use the computer to search for information about animals. Have students work at the computer individually to locate information on his or her given animal. They will also use the computer to type the information learned about their animal and use clipart to illustrate their work. In addition, they will create 1or 2 PowerPoint slides with graphics about what they learned about animals whose names begin with different letters of the alphabet.
Culminating Activity
Students will use the information found about animals on the Internet to create an Animal Alphabet Book and presentation containing information and pictures of each animal. Students will group all of their information into one book and one presentation.

Cross-Curricular Extensions
Language Arts: Students will read books and search the Internet to learn about various animals. They will engage in informative writing to use the information that they have learned about the animals. Complete sentences with correct capitalization, punctuation, grammar, and spelling will be used.

Art: Students will draw and color a picture of their animal to illustrate their information writing.

Community Connections

Invite parents and community to view the “Animal Alphabet” PowerPoint presentation

Student Materials

Animal Alphabet Word Search (PDF)
Animal Alphabet Word Search Answers (PDF)