Grade Level: 2-5
Subject: Science
Time Frame: 110-120 minutes
Concept: Life Science: Aquatic versus Terrestrial Life
Topic: Slugs
Rationale: In order to appreciate and understand the natural world, students need direct experiences and contact with it.
Goals: To give students a more in-depth look at life science that can be found right in their own back yards.
SOL: Science:
2.5 – The student will investigate and understand that living things are part of a system: living organisms are interdependent with their living and nonliving surroundings.
3.4 – The student will investigate and understand that behavioral and physical adaptations allow animals to respond to life needs.
3.5 – The student will investigate and understand relationship among organisms in aquatic and terrestrial food chains.
3.6 – The student will investigate and understand that environments support a diversity of plants and animals that hare limited resources. Water-related environments and dry-land environments.
4.5 – The student will investigate and understand how plants and animals in an ecosystem interact with one another and the nonliving environment.
5.5 – The student will investigate and understand that organisms are made of cells that have distinguishing characteristics: vertebrates and invertebrates.
Objectives:
Cognitive:
The student will be able to identify the difference between a slug and a snail, evidenced by participation in slug hunt and catalog of slugs.
The student will be able to identify the difference between marine and terrestrial slugs, using distinguishing features such as coloration and other observable characteristics, evidenced by completed catalog of slugs and participation in slug hunt.
Affective:
The student will be able to be aware of the influence slugs have on the environment, evidenced by participation in slug hunt, mural, and oral discussion.
Psychomotor:
The student will be able to participate in a slug hunt, in which they will be able to identify places where they will most likely be able to locate slugs, using prior knowledge about the habits of slugs, evidenced by participation in slug hunt, mural, and oral discussion.
Materials:
- slide presentation
- slug pictures
- booklets to catalog slugs (1 per student)
- scoops
- Dixie cups/plastic wrap for slug hunt
- mural paper
- paint/paintbrushes
- Slug Snack: pudding, cookies, gummy worms
- Slug A story book by “bang on the door” Price Stern Sloan publishing
- Slug craft: pipe cleaners, eyes, puff balls
- Advanced Organizer: (20 minutes)
Whole group:
Sponge Bob Square Pants clip
Presentation: Dr. Gonsalves-Jackson and Coraine Scott on Aquatic and Terrestrial Slugs
Procedures & Activities: (70 minutes)
I. After presentation, students will be broken into small groups and given the opportunity to examine slug specimens. (10 minutes)
II. 2nd/3rd grade: Slug Hunt: Given Scavenger Hunt like clues, students will engage on a slug hunt, to find slugs, based on what they learned about slugs and their habitats and characteristics in the presentation. (20 minutes)
OR
4th/5th grade: Students will be involved in cataloging slugs and creating a book to help them on their scavenger hunt. (20 minutes)
III. Slug Snack: students will be engaged in making “Slug Pudding”. (20 minutes)
IV. 2nd/3rd grade: Slug Craft and story (20 Minutes)
1. Read the story Slug.
2. Have students use craft materials to make their own slugs.
OR
4th/5th grade: Given Scavenger Hunt like clues, students will engage on a slug hunt, to find slugs, based on what they learned about slugs and their habitats and characteristics in the presentation. (20 minutes)
Closure: (20 minutes)
2nd/3rd grade students will be making a cooperative group mural of the landscape in which they hunted slugs, and labeling with a slug picture the locations in which slugs were found on their slug hunt.
4th/5th grade students will be involved in a discussion session with 2 biologists about their findings on their slug hunts, and any questions they may have.
Assessment/Evaluation:
Slug hunt participation
Completed catalog of slugs
Completed mural of slugs
SLUG DAY SCHEDULE:
10:00 – 10:20: Anticipatory set: Sponge bob square pants clip and Slug Presentation
10:20 – 10:30: Examine slugs
10:30 – 10:50: Hunt slugs (2nd/3rd) ; Catalog for Slugs (4th/5th)
10:50 – 11:10: Snack
11:10 – 11:30: Story and Craft (2nd/3rd); Slug Hunt (4th/5th)
11:30 – 11:50: Slug Mural (2nd/3rd); Closure discussion (4th/5th)