The third grade standard that best relates to Ohio habitats is: plants and animals have life cycles that are part of their adaptations for survival in their natural environments. The habitat that an animal lives in is very important especially when it comes to that animals life cycle and survival. In Ohio, the different habitats include: forests, parries, wetlands and freshwater lakes and rivers. Depending on specific animals and their needs, they have a certain habitat they must live in, in order to survive. Helping students understand these different habitats and their importance to animals is the main goal within this standard.
Standard: Plants and animals have life cycles that are part of their adaptations for survival in their natural environments.
Useful Links:
http://www.theoec.org/campaign/habitat-wildlife-protection - This website provides teachers with information on the specific habitats in Ohio. This article also discusses how Ohio used to be made up of many forests and today, that number continues to go down.
Children's Literature:
Words to know:
NSTA resource: This article provides teachers a few different activities to do with students on the topic of habitats. The article recommends using a book on habitats and having the students fill out a comparison chart of the different habitats read in the book. The article also provides ideas for having students make their own replica of a habitat. Finally, the article talks about how animals only survive in environments where their needs can be met. This is very important for students to understand especially when learning about their habitats that they live in.
Standard: Plants and animals have life cycles that are part of their adaptations for survival in their natural environments.
Useful Links:
http://www.theoec.org/campaign/habitat-wildlife-protection - This website provides teachers with information on the specific habitats in Ohio. This article also discusses how Ohio used to be made up of many forests and today, that number continues to go down.
Children's Literature:
- Non Fiction
- I see a Kookaburra by Steven Jenkins and Robin Page - This book talks about six different habitats from around the world. This would be a great way to start the unit and have the students decide from those six habitats, which are found in Ohio.
- Fiction
- Magic School Bus Hops Home: A book about animal habitats by Joanna Cole - This book is about finding a frog and the children pretend to be frogs and explore different habitats in order to find the lost frog. This would be a great book to use as a read aloud and get the children interested in the idea of habitats and see what they know and would like to know more of.
- Wild Ohio: The Best of our Natural Heritage by Jim McCormac and Gary Mezaros - This book is a great resource for teachers. It provides detailed information on the different habitats and landscapes of Ohio. This would be a great book for teachers to read previous to teaching a lesson on Ohio habitats.
Words to know:
- Adaptations - a change or the process of change by which an organism or species becomes better suited to its environment.
- Habitat- the natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism.
NSTA resource: This article provides teachers a few different activities to do with students on the topic of habitats. The article recommends using a book on habitats and having the students fill out a comparison chart of the different habitats read in the book. The article also provides ideas for having students make their own replica of a habitat. Finally, the article talks about how animals only survive in environments where their needs can be met. This is very important for students to understand especially when learning about their habitats that they live in.