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1st Grade  Project 6 weeks

Wild Eats and Animal Streets

Amanda E
Updated
LS2.A
ESS3.A
1-LS1-1
1.H.5
1-LS1-2
+ 12 more
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Purpose

Students investigate how animals, plants, and food chains work together in habitats by creating lapbooks and simple models for rainforest, arctic, grassland/savanna, desert, ocean, and wetland ecosystems. They read texts, use media, ask questions, gather evidence from community partners, and revise their ideas with peers to explain how living things depend on one another for food, safety, and survival. Across the project, students build grade-level reading, writing, math, speaking, and problem-solving skills as they prepare an exhibit and performance for families, teachers, and classmates. The experience helps students connect science learning to the natural world, human needs, and ways people can care for habitats in their community and beyond.

Learning goals

Students will ask and answer questions about rainforest, arctic, grassland/savanna, desert, ocean, and wetland habitats by researching animals, plants, and simple food chains through read-alouds, media, and observation. They will explain how living things depend on one another for food, shelter, and safety, and identify how people use natural resources and can protect habitats in their community and beyond. Students will read grade-level texts, write and label facts in habitat lapbooks, compare quantities and data about animals and habitats, and design a simple survival solution inspired by animal or plant parts. They will work with partners to research, revise their ideas after feedback, reflect after community partner visits, and prepare a final exhibit to clearly share their learning with families and peers.

Standards
  • [Indiana] LS2.A - Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
  • [Indiana] ESS3.A - Natural Resources
  • [Indiana] 1-LS1-1 - Use materials to design a solution to a human problem by mimicking how plants and/or animals use their external parts to help them survive, grow, and meet their needs.
  • [Indiana] 1.H.5 - Develop a simple timeline of important events in the student’s life. (E)
  • [Indiana] 1-LS1-2 - Read texts and use media to determine patterns in behavior of parents and offspring that help offspring survive.
  • [Indiana] 1.H.4 - Identify people and events observed in national celebrations and holidays. (E)
  • [Indiana] 1.G.4 - Identify and describe physical features and human features of the local community, including home, school, and neighborhood.
  • [Indiana] 1.H.6 - Use the terms past and present; yesterday, today, and tomorrow; and next week and last week to sequentially order events that have occurred in the school. (E)
  • [Indiana] 1.H.3 - Identify local people from the past who have demonstrated good citizenship.
  • [Indiana] SEP.1 - Asking Questions and Defining Problems
Competencies
  • Goal Management - - Staying positive when things don't go the way I want Trying things even if I might fail - Finishing tasks even if they are hard for me - Reaching goals that I set for myself - Taking action to reach my goals - Setting goals for myself - Thinking through the steps it will take to reach my goal
  • Self-Management - - Controlling my temper Handling stress - Calming myself down when I'm excited or upset - Stopping myself from doing something I know I shouldn't do - Finding a new solution when my solution to a problem is not working
  • Self-Esteem - - On the whole, I am satisfied with myself I feel that I have a number of good qualities - I take a positive attitude toward myself - I feel like I have much to be proud of
  • Content Expertise - Students develop key competencies, skills, and dispositions with ample opportunities to apply knowledge and engage in work that matters to them.
  • Critical Thinking & Problem Solving - Students consider a variety of innovative approaches to address and understand complex questions that are authentic and important to their communities.
  • Effective Communication - Students practice listening to understand, communicating with empathy, and share their learning through exhibiting, presenting and reflecting on their work.
  • Collaboration - Students co-design projects with peers, exercise shared-decision making, strengthen relational agency, resolve conflict, and assume leadership roles.

Products

Students will create habitat lapbooks for the rainforest, arctic, grassland/savanna, desert, ocean, and wetlands with labeled drawings, simple food chains, animal adaptation notes, and grade-level reading, writing, and math tasks such as counting animals, comparing sizes, and graphing favorites. Throughout the project, they will also make research notes, question cards, simple timelines of project learning, biomimicry design models, and team anchor charts that are improved through peer critique and revision. After visits or virtual sessions with Silly Safari, Garfield Park Conservatory, or InfoZone, students will add reflection pages and sketches showing how animals, plants, and people helped them understand habitats. The final products will be a polished lapbook, a small group habitat display or diorama, and a short presentation or performance for peers and families at the exhibit.

Launch

Turn the classroom into six habitat zones with animal pictures, plants, sounds, and simple clues, and invite students to rotate through them as “habitat detectives” noticing what animals need to live, hide, and eat. Begin with a live or virtual visit from Silly Safari, Garfield Park Conservatory, or InfoZone to spark questions about how animals, plants, and food chains work together in each habitat. In teams, students sort animal cards into habitats, build a simple food chain with picture cards, and share one wonder question they want to investigate. Close with a circle reflection and a class chart of “What we noticed, what we think, and what we want to learn,” which will guide later research, critique, revision, and the final exhibit for families.

Exhibition

Host a “Habitat Museum” where students display their lapbooks on rainforest, arctic, grassland/savanna, desert, ocean, and wetland habitats and explain each habitat’s animals, plants, and simple food chains to families, peers, and teachers. Students can also present a short performance with habitat poems, animal movement skits, or brief speaking parts that share how living things depend on one another for food, safety, and survival. Include a design showcase where children share a simple animal-inspired solution to a human problem and describe how they revised their work after feedback from classmates. Invite partners such as Silly Safaris, Garfield Park Conservatory, or InfoZone staff to visit, ask questions, and celebrate student learning.

PQA Practice Standards Alignment

  • Safe Environment: At the start of each session, the class uses a short team routine to review shared norms for handling animals materials, taking turns, and speaking kindly during partner and group work, demonstrating "Creating Safe Spaces." Staff use calm redirection, clear attention signals, and inclusive language so every child can safely participate in lapbook building, food chain games, and discussions.
  • Supportive Environment: As students create habitat lapbooks for the rainforest, arctic, grassland, desert, ocean, or wetlands, staff model how to sort animals, plants, and resources, then break the work into small steps, demonstrating "Active Learning" and "Skill-Building." Students talk through their choices, read simple texts and media, add labeled drawings and number facts, and revise pages after feedback from peers and teachers.
  • Interactive Environment: During partner research, circle shares after community visits, and small-group food chain modeling, students take turns as reader, recorder, builder, and speaker, demonstrating "Collaboration & Leadership" and "Adult Partners." Staff stay alongside groups, ask follow-up questions, and share decision-making as students choose which habitat facts and survival patterns to feature in the final exhibit.
  • Engaging Environment: Students use the essential questions to plan what they need to learn about how animals, plants, and food chains work together, demonstrating "Planning Choice & Reflection" and "Higher Order Thinking." They compare habitats, predict what happens when a food source is missing, and reflect after visits to Silly Safari, Garfield Park Conservatory, or InfoZone by sharing how new ideas changed their thinking.
  • Interactive Environment: In critique and revision routines, students practice listening to classmates describe their habitat pages, then offer kind, specific suggestions and affirm strong ideas, demonstrating "Cultivating Empathy" and "Belonging." This helps children see that different habitats, animals, and family experiences all matter as they prepare a performance and exhibit for peers, teachers, and families.