Creating Your Wild Self By Kristine Horst EDUC 650 June 21, 2013

STUDENT OBJECTIVES Students will make a drawn (or written) plan of the animal that they would like to be. Students will work in small groups to gather information about the animal chosen. Students will utilize information to direct and inform their construction of an animal. Students will explain their creation, how they chose to address the question, and why they made the decisions that they did. Students will navigate technology to make their own ‘wild self’ via http://www.buildyourwildself.com.

INTASC STANDARDS Standard 2: Teachers know how children grow. The teacher understands how children with broad ranges of ability learn and provides instruction that supports their intellectual, social and personal development. Standard 4: Teachers know how to teach. The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies, including the use of technology, to encourage children’s development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills. Standard 5: Teachers know how to manage a classroom. The teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create and learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation. Standard 6: Teachers communicate well. The teachers uses effective verbal and nonverbal communication techniques as well as instructional media and technology to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom.

MATERIALS Various animal texts (non fiction) Large sheets of white (diurnal) and blue (nocturnal) paper Scented markers Drippy glue and gluestick Egg Cartons Felt scraps Pre-cut paper shapes Tissue Paper Scissors Pencils Crayons Feathers

DAY ONE LESSON PLAN Review the basics of the animal kingdom: mammal, reptile, fish, amphibian, bird. Invite children to participate in Animal Action and Sammy for music and movement. Lead children through a scenario which involves an animal encounter to paint imagery. Pose question about what animal children would like to be and why? Meet with Talking Buddy to discuss ideas. Read If I Were a Lion by Sarah Weeks.

DAY TWO LESSON PLAN Provide students with crayons and paper to create a ‘quick draw’ of the animal that they chose. Conference with students as they are drawing to identify common animal themes between students and gain insight into what the child already knows about that animal. Scribe, with child, what they would like to know more about concerning this animal. Gather an array of non fiction books about the animals that the children have chosen.

DAY THREE LESSON PLAN During centers, guide groups of students who had chosen the same animal or individual students to gather information about their animal through the non fiction texts. Encourage students to look at photos and notice details of the animal’s physical appearance. Invite students to chose one or more texts to hear information about their animal. Read student selected pages in the non fiction books to the group/individual. Ask students to reflect on how the new information presented fit with their previous view of the animal. Provide students with their original ‘quick draw’ and encourage them to add more details based on their new research.

DAY FOUR LESSON PLAN Provide students with the art materials listed and encourage them to create a detailed scene (like a page from a book) of their animal. Include imagine invoking questions: Imagine where your animal might be living? What does your animal do during the day/night? What kinds of things might your animal eat? Scribe or assist students in the writing of their scene. Provide prompts where needed as to why the child chose this animal and what they learned from researching it.

DAY FIVE LESSON PLAN Gather students together in a community circle. Review how authors and illustrators work and how readers aid them in conveying their story to others. Invite students who are willing to be Guest Readers in the classroom to share their constructed animal scene . During centers, load webpage http://www.buildyourwildself.com and allow children to create themselves as the animal of their choosing.

ASSESSMENT Students will be able to verbally express ideas. Students will understand methods of research. Students will participate in reading and answer peer and teacher posed questions. Students will express ideas through a written or drawn medium. Students will demonstrate independent thinking skills.

LANGUAGE ARTS AREAS Writing: Students will write about why they chose their particular animal. Speaking: Students will read their work to peers during community circle. Visual Representing: Students will create ‘quick draws’ of selected animals to share with their Talking Buddy. Reading: Students will picture walk and read through various animal texts. Listening: Students will listen to peer presentation and teacher reading of student selected animal texts. Viewing: Students will view photographs of animals and peer illustrations of selected animals.

CROSS CURRICULAR Technology: Use of website http://www.buildyourwildself.com on Netbooks for children to create their personified animal. Music: Movement opportunities for children to role play animals through songs Animal Action and Sammy. Art: Opportunities to explore various artistic mediums through creation of animal. Science: Use of non fiction texts to explore daily habits of animal, dietary needs and predation. Opportunities to explore food chain/web.

INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITY QUALITIES Allows for personal perception of the world. Provides opportunities for invention. Provides for active involvement in the learning process. Creates opportunities for transferring learning. Creates meaning from experience. Accommodates individual and social construction in the learning process. Knowledge in constructed, not transmitted. Emphasizes process over product. Is self-motivating. Teacher serves as a facilitator rather than director. Is a ‘hands on’ activity. Does not require extensive memorization. Involves students in authentic tasks. Encourages use of dialogue. Cooperation/collaboration are valued as opposed to competition. Requires patience. Can be an ongoing process. Has open ended activities. Has multiple extensions. Students play larger role in evaluating or assessing their own progress. Prior knowledge is assessed/evaluated. Encourages independent research. Technology is useful. Unique experiences aid in learning process. Allows for self reflection. Provides motivation to succeed/learn. Involves students in language rich activities.

REFERENCES Books: If I Were a Lion by Sarah Weeks Songs: Animal Action by Greg & Steve Sammy by Hap Palmer Websites: http://www.buildyourwildself.com/