This lesson plan is based on the story of the wolf and the three pigs that built their houses made with different materials as protection to the evil intentions of the wolf.
PHOTO CREDIT: THINGLINK.COM
Objectives
The objectives of this lesson are:
- To know animal survival and their environment.
- To determine how an animal survives with the use of its natural features and its habitat.
- To create a replica of an animal using the My Robot Time Kit.
- <<< you may insert your own objectives here >>>>
Enduring Understanding
- Living things can be sorted into groups in many ways.
- For any particular environment, some kinds of animals survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.
- Different animals have external features that help them survive in different kinds of places.
- Recreating an animal using synthetic or alternative materials does not warrant a perfect replica and may lose other functions in favor of the more important ones.
Essential Questions
- How are animals alike and different?
- How do different animals meet their needs for survival in terms of their physical and biological design and features?
- If there are limited options, which function(s) are essential for an animal to survive and live? Which function(s) are essential for a replica?
STEM Applications
SCIENCE
Apparently My Robot Time Educational Robotic Kit Level 1 lends itself to Science more than the other section of STEM. Use this kit level to focus the activities on Science specifically on animals and their habitat. Share some fun and hard facts about the animals in the workbook. The following are examples you may start with:
Wolf/Wolves
- Indulge students on facts about wolves. A video on the animal may also be used to show facts. How do wolves hunt? Does the story in the workbook agree to the fact? Do wolves really blow so hard? Do wolves possess some kind of special powers or skills?
a. Do wolves ever hunt alone or in group?
b. What’s interesting about a wolf pup?
c. Are there different kinds of wolves?
d. How do they survive all year-round? - Go back to the story and ask the students the difference between the real wolf and the one in the story. Discuss and lead the students to the facts.
- When designing the model robot, encourage the students to modify what’s in the workbook to closely resemble as much as possible to the real animal.
- Compare the physical feature of the model robot and the real one. What can the real animal do that a model robot cannot? And vice-versa.
Pigs
- Get some fun facts about pigs (http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/animals/pig.html).
- Pigs are domesticated versions of wild boars.
- In the story, pigs built their houses using different materials resulting to different design and strength of the structures. Discuss with the students why it is important to choose the right materials to make a strong structure or model. Correct building procedures are also essential to a strong model.
ENGINEERING and MATHEMATICS
As an essential part of design, engineering is embedded in all robot models. All models should be designed with engineering in mind applying its principles. Engineers design and build models and translating them into reality beneficial to humans alleviating their living conditions. Students should understand this aspect of engineering when building their models. Engineering leverages mathematics to create viable solutions to problems.
Vocabulary
Terms to Know. Have students learn the following terms, find the definitions, using them in a sentence, determining the antonym of the terms, and other ways that the students will get to use the words. Real-world application is preferred.
pack, domesticated, habitat, biological, model, structure
Values Education
Make a list of values that may be taken from the story. Here’s some examples teachers may use:
- Caring for each other’s welfare.
- Excellence in all endeavors.
- There’s is always a solution for every problem.
- Perseverance (in the case of the wolf).
- Independence. Pigs leave their family to live on their own.