Description
Brenda Boreham
Pacific Edge Publishing
94 pp, blackline masters included, downloadle pdf
Level: Grades 3-6
Summary
This environmental studies unit is based on four children’s books by the Canadian author, Victoria Miles. Each book gives a glimpse into the daily life of a baby animal – the sea otter pup, the spotted owlet, the bald eaglet, and the cougar kitten. These books provide primary teachers with a language based resource from which science can be extended across the curriculum.
The teacher’s guide ties the four books together in an integrated unit with an endangered animals theme. It includes:
– activities to introduce the theme;
– detailed lesson plans for each of the student books;
– activities integrating the unit across the curriculum;
– assessment strategies and tools;
– reproducible blackline masters.
Comment
Why teach an endangered themes unit? Many wildlife species in the world today are considered to be at risk. Saving endangered wildlife is critical for each of the species but it also preserves the earth’s natural biological diversity. Plants and animals provide us with food, shelter, clothing, medicine, companionship, fuel, cosmetics, recreation, and oxygen for us to breathe.
The reasons for the loss of wildlife include toxic chemicals, climate changes, illegal trade in animal parts, and the destruction of natural habitats.
The main idea of this theme is that ultimately everything on our planet is interconnected. The water we drink and the air we breathe is shared by all life forms. Environmental education in our schools is one crucial step towards addressing some of the serious challenges facing us today.
Table of Contents
Preview the Table of Contents (in PDF format).
