Animal Homes

Home for a Bunny

By Margaret Wise Brown

Teacher Page

Introduction:

This webquest features Home for A Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown. This book tells a delightful story about a bunny trying to find a home of his own, while running into different animals and their homes along the way.

The theme of the webquest describes different habitats and identifies several different types of animals and their homes. The webquest includes various platforms such as vocabulary development, reading comprehension, computer technology and a hands on activity. The webquest is designed for Kindergarten through First grade. Students may need assistance in the reading or writing portions of the assignment.

Objectives:

Students will use listening skills to gain new information about animal habitats
Students will discuss and draw a variety of animals and match those animals to the appropriate habitat.
Students will explore new vocabulary words pertaining to animal habitats.
Students will identify the various kinds of materials for a bird's nest by building their own bird's nest.
Students will complete a diagram comparing and contrasting land and water animals.

TEKS

§110.2. English Language Arts and Reading, Kindergarten.

Students are expected to:

(1) (A) determine the purpose(s) for listening such as to get information, to solve problems, and to enjoy and appreciate (K-3);

(B) respond appropriately and courteously to directions and questions (K-3);

(D) listen critically to interpret and evaluate (K-3);

(E) listen responsively to stories and other texts read aloud, including selections from classic and contemporary works (K-3);

(4) (B) use vocabulary to describe clearly ideas, feelings, and experiences (K-3);

(8) (A) discuss meanings of words and develop vocabulary through meaningful/concrete experiences (K-2);

(B) develop vocabulary by listening to and discussing both familiar and conceptually challenging selections read aloud (K-3)

(10) (A) listen to stories being read aloud (K-1);

(12) (A) identify relevant questions for inquiry such as "Why did knights wear armor?" (K-3);

§112.2. Science, Kindergarten.

Students are expected to:

(2) (D) construct reasonable explanations using information

(5) (A) describe properties of objects and characteristics of organisms;

(7) (D) observe and record stages in the life cycle of organisms in their natural environment.

(9) (C) identify ways that the Earth can provide resources for life.

Task 1:

ENGAGE

Pre-reading activity- What do you know about habitats?

Show the book to the students, and read the title.

Ask the students if they know what a habitat is.

Discuss the meaning of habitat, and ask the children if they know where a bunny, frog, groundhog, and bird might live.

Ask the students if they know what a bog is?

Discuss other animals and habitats with the students, as you write their responses on the board.

Ask the students if they think the bunny in the book has a home already, or will find one.

Have the students draw their favorite animal and the animal’s home. Examples are given on the Engage-student page.

Click here for the Engage Lesson Plan.

Task 2: Explore

Where Do I Live?

The students will research different animals and identify where the animals live. In this activity students will use this form and research the websites given to identify the homes the animals may live in. Then they are challenged to draw the animal’s home and label it. Click here for the Explore Lesson Plan.

1. http://www.kidport.com/REFLIB/Science/AnimalHomes/AnimalHomes.htm

2. http://www.activescience-gsk.com/games/index.cfm?module=2

Task 3: Explain

Vocabulary

Before reading the book, discuss these vocabulary words that might be unfamiliar to children.

Then have the children do the word search found on the Explain- Student Page. After discussing these unfamiliar words proceed with reading the book.

Click here for the Explain Lesson Plan.

Bog A bog is small body of water collected from rain (similar to a pond) that is full of dead vegetation.

Bunny A bunny is a young rabbit.

Burrow Burrows are tunnels that some animals dig. Many animals live underground in burrows.

Groundhog The groundhog is a rodent that is also called the woodchuck.

These solitary mammals hibernate (sleep through winter) in burrows.

Habitat A habitat is the natural place where a plant or an animal lives. For example, a toucan's habitat is the rainforest.

Home Home is where you live.

Robin The robin is a common bird with red-colored feathers on its breast. Robins eat small insects, spiders, and worms.

Rock A rock is a stone. The Earth's crust is made of rock.

Animal Homes Solution

+ + + + + + + G + + + H + + +

R + + + + + + R + + + + O + +

+ O + + + + + O + + + + + M +

+ + B + + + + U + + R O C K E

B + + I + + + N B U R R O W +

+ U + + N + + D + + + + + + +

+ + N + + + + H H A B I T A T

+ + + N + + + O + + + + + + +

+ + + + Y + + G + + + + + + +

+ + A + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + N + + + + + + + + + + + +

+ + I + + + + B + + + + + + +

+ + M + + + + O + + + + + + +

+ + A + + + + G + + + + + + +

+ + L + + + + + + + + + + + +

(Over,Down,Direction)

ANIMAL(3,15,S)

BOG(8,14,S)

BURROW(14,5,E)

BUNNY(1,5,SE)

GROUNDHOG(8,1,S)

HABITAT(15,7,E)

HOME(12,1,SE)

ROBIN(5,6,SE)

ROCK(11,4,E)

Task 4:

Elaborate

In this section you will have the students make a bird nest out of various kinds of natural materials and answer the questions below. Make sure the students understand the questions and form a prediction before they make their nest.

Questions:

1). How much time and effort do you think it takes a bird to build its nest?

2). Do you think a bird’s nest provides a safe place for her and her family?

Write or tell your predictions:

I predict….______________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Materials Needed:

Floral wreath Candy wrappers

Yarn Twigs

Glue Floral Grass

Procedure:

1. First take floral wreath

2. Glue floral grass

3. Glue other material available to personalize your nest

Evaluation:

Now write three sentences, explain what you have found?

1. ____________________________________________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________________________________________________

Conclusions:

Discuss the selection and use of the material used in making the nest with the people sitting with you at your table. Share your conclusion with the class.

Develop questions and answers together about the facts learned from conclusion.

Questions to be used during the Elaborate:

1. Do you think the environment in which the bird lives influences they type of materials and location of the nest?

2. What are different types of materials a bird might use?

3. Do you think all the bird’s nests look the same?

4. How might a bird’s nest be like a human’s home?

Task 5: Evaluate

Have the students fill in the Venn Diagram with animals that live in the water and animals that live on the land. In the middle should be animals that can live in both (ex: turtle, alligator, frog, penguin, etc.) The child may draw a picture if they cannot spell the animal name.

Click here to go to the link of an example Venn Diagram.

Click here to see the Rubric they should complete after the Diagram.

Click here for the Evaluate Lesson Plan.