Create+a+New+Animal

 ** Animal Adaptations **  A WebQuest for 4th Grade  Designed by  Melissa Biehl and Amanda Lewis

** Introduction ** ATTENTION all scientists! Your expertise is needed. The planet Earth is in need of more animal species. Your mission is to create a new animal to live anywhere on earth. Your job is to learn as much information about animal adaptations as you can. You will learn that each animal has 5 basic needs to survive: getting food/water, oxygen, maintaining body temperature, protection/defense, and making/finding shelter. As you create your animal, make sure it has the essential body parts that allows the animal to meet their 5 basic needs. You will be sharing your animal with your classmates at the end of the webquest. 

** The Task ** Your task is to create a new animal and explain in detail how all adaptations are being used for the animal.
 * Choose an animal to research adaptations.
 * Visit various sites to research animal’s diet, behavior, appearance, structures and habitats.
 * Complete ROLE sheet.
 * Get with your group and brainstorm a new animal species using what you have learned from your research.
 * Create a PowerPoint presentation giving information about your made up animal and its adaptations.
 * Present your PowerPoint to the class.
 * Draw a picture of your new animal species.

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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">** The Process ** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">1. First you'll be assigned to a team of 4 students. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">2. You will each be responsible for one of the roles that follow as you research an animal. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">3. When you are researching, choose an animal that you all agree upon and that has the same habitat as the animal your group will create. <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"> ** Websites for research ** [|Top 5 Animal Defenses] [|10 most bizarre animal defenses] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[|Examples of Animal Adaptations] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[|More Information on Animal Adaptations] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[|Oakland Zoo] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[|Animal Adaptation and Survival] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">** [|Animal Habitats] ** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">** [|Animal Defense] ** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[|National Geography Kids] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">4. You will need to take notes about your animal as you research. Use role sheets provided below to record your information <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[|Engineer] [|Environmentalist] [|Nutritionist] [|Psychologist] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">5. Now that you have learned about an animal and its adaptations that help it survive its habitat, it's time to put your creative hats on and create your animal based on what you have learned. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">6. Use these same roles as you create your animal. Make sure you can explain how the animals’ adaptations would help it survive. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">7. You will create a Power Point with your group. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">It should include: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">8. Draw a picture of your group’s new animal species. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">9. Use this [|storyboard] to help you plan your Power Point.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The **nutritionist** will research the **diet** of the animal.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The **psychologist** will study the animals’ **behavior** and **appearance**.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The **engineer** will study the **structures** of the animal and how these allow it to live in its **habitat**.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The **environmentalist** will study the **habitat** of the animal.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">A title page with the name of your animal and each of your names on it from your group.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">A page created by each person based on their role.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Any interesting facts you want us to know about your new animal for planet Earth.

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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">** Evaluation ** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Below is a scoring guide that will be used to evaluate your group. ** 1 ** ||  ** Developing ** ** 2 ** ||  ** Accomplished ** ** 3 ** ||  ** Exemplary ** ** 4 ** ||  ** Score **  || of   Information  ||  Student did not answer all of the parts of their role sheet and they could’ve added more detail. || Student has answered all parts of the role sheet, but could have added more detail. || Student has completed all of the sections of the recording sheet with information on their role. || Student has completed all of the sections thoroughly of the recording sheet with information on their role. ||  ||  Slides  ||  Student has created their slide for the presentation and as a group they**DO NOT** have five slides. || Student has created their slide for the presentation and as a group they have five slides. || Student has created their slide for the presentation and as a group they have five slides. || Student has created their slide for the presentation and as a group they have five slides. ||  ||  Content  ||  The content of the slides and recorded information on role sheet is not accurate and or lacks detail. || The content of the slides and recorded information on role sheet is accurate, but needed more detail. || The content of the slides and recorded information on role sheet is accurate. || The content of the slides and recorded information on role sheet is accurate and detailed. ||  ||
 * || ** Beginning **
 * Recording
 * PowerPoint
 * Cooperation in group ||  Student did work well in group and did not actively contribute to making the project the best it could be.  ||  Student worked with group, but did not contribute much to making the project the best it could be.  ||  Student worked well in group and actively contributed to making the project.  ||  Student worked well in group and actively contributed to making the project the best it could be.  ||   ||

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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">** Conclusion ** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Congratulations, you have completed your mission! You have shown your understanding of adaptation by creating a unique animal for your planet. Visit the sites below for some fun activities about animal adaptation.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[|Create a new animal here!!] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">** [|EcoKids - Animal Adaptation Games] ** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">** [|Switcheroo Zoo] ** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">** [|Top of the Document] ** <span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">** Credits & References ** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">http://www.rockwood.k12.mo.us/ellisville/jones/webquests/greencomicsans/index.html