Guided Animal Research Project

During this lesson, students will learn basic research strategies to research a particular animal and specific information about their animal. This lesson consists of cooperative learning activities and research activities using print and electronic sources. Through these activities, the students will gain an awareness of their particular animal and its habitat. The student research is guided by essential questions to direct student learning and to aid students in the discovery of important aspects of their animal, including their body, diet, habitat, and other interesting information.

There are a number of instructional goals for this particular lesson. First, students will learn basic research strategies to research either a predator or prey. Second, students will locate information using a variety of reference sources, including multiple printed texts (encyclopedias, reference books) and electronic sources (web sites, online databases). Third, students will evaluate the usefulness of information from multiple sources. Fourth, the students will cite their sources following a specified citation format. Fifth, students will develop a research product by applying writing processes and publishing using technology. After the students complete their animal research booklet, they will develop their research product, which is a predator or prey animal badge created at Big Huge Labs (www.bighugelabs.com). Sixth, related to Science, students will compare similarities and differences between animals and identify and describe their animal’s bodies, diet, habitat, and other interesting facts in their animal research booklets.