Grolier Online Kids Feature Showcase Animals of Africa Teacher s Guide Opening The continent of Africa is teeming with the kinds of animals that most people can only see in captivity. Lions, leopards, lemurs, warthogs, and wildebeests; for thousands of species, Africa is home. During this lesson, students will investigate some of these animals to learn about the biomes and habitats in which they live; how they are classified; the ways they are adapted to their environments; and how they communicate. Objectives Students will: Answer comprehension questions Research characteristics of mammals, reptiles, fish, and birds Complete the Animal Communication handout Create a new species of animal with adaptations Conduct research on the African rain forest and the savanna Vocabulary adaptation: the ways in which an animal adjusts to its environment. Example: Protective coloration is a type of adaptation. biomes: natural groupings of plants and animals that extend over large regions. Example: A rain forest is a biome. carnivore: an animal that eats only meat. Example: A lion is a carnivore. ecosystem: the interconnected plants, animals, climate, and geography that create a specific area on Earth. Example: A lake is an ecosystem. endangered species: a group of animals or plants that are under threat of extinction. Example: Mountain zebras are an endangered species. habitat: the area where a plant or animal naturally lives. Example: The natural habitat of a lion is the savanna. herbivore: an animal that eats only vegetation. Example: A giraffe is a herbivore. omnivore: an animal that eats both meat and vegetation. Example: Chimpanzees are omnivores. predator: an animal that hunts other animals for food. Example: A leopard is a predator. scavenger: an animal that feeds on carrion. Example: A vulture is a scavenger. species: animals or plants in a specific group that can be identified as having the same characteristics. GO KIDS FEATURE SHOWCASE TEACHER S GUIDE 1
Warm-up Discussion Questions & Activities Use these discussion questions and activities before students view the Animals of Africa showcase. Have students brainstorm a list of animals that they think they might find in Africa. Discuss with students the concept of animal extinction. Explain that many animals have become extinct or are likely to become extinct because of the actions of people. Guide students in a discussion regarding the types of things that people do that have caused animal extinction and continue to threaten animals. Discuss with students the biomes of the rain forest and the savanna. Have them think about what the climate is like in these places and what types of plants and animals they might find there. Using a large wall map, show students where the rain forest and the savanna are located in Africa. Then print out the map of Africa s climatic zones and have students locate and label the rain forest and the savanna. Comprehension Check Students may answer all or some of these questions either during or after viewing the Animals of Africa showcase. 1. What do predators hunt? 2. How tall is a female giraffe? 3. What animal is the horse of the savanna? 4. Warthogs have poor a) eyesight b) hearing c) appetites 5. Rhinos are extremely noisy. 6. Lions hunt mainly a) at night b) in the morning c) all day long 7. About how much does a male lion weigh? 8. Lions live in groups called a) herds b) prides c) flocks 9. No two leopards have exactly the same pattern of spots. 10. About how many cheetahs are left in Africa? 11. Which type of snake is the longest in the rain forest? 12. The mustached, sun-tailed, and blue are types of a) snakes b) big cats c) monkeys 13. Describe a mandrill s face. 14. A hippo can stay submerged underwater for 15 minutes. GO KIDS FEATURE SHOWCASE TEACHER S GUIDE 2
15. Which animals are our closest relatives? 16. Chimpanzees do not have tails. 17. Both apes and people live in a) houses b) communities c) herds 18. Chimpanzees and bonobos are herbivores. 19. A big difference between chimpanzees and people is that people walk upright. 20. Traveling on all fours is also called a) knuckle-walking b) crawling c) gorilla walking Activities Animal Classification: Explain to students that scientists classify animals into groups according to what they have in common. Divide your class into four groups and assign each group one of the following classifications: mammals, reptiles, fish, or birds. Using Grolier Online, have students investigate to determine the defining characteristic of each group. Then ask them to find five animals that represent their category. Ask each group to share their findings with the class. Inquiry Extension: Based on what you have learned about the different animal groups, into what group would you put human beings? Explain why. Animal Communication: Tell students that almost all animals have ways in which to communicate with each other. Ask students to brainstorm a list of reasons why animals communicate. Using the Animal Communication handout, have students match the animal with the type of communication it uses. Challenge students to imitate the communication used by a favorite animal that they learned about in the showcase. Inquiry Extension: Make a list of all of the ways in which people communicate with each other. If people lost their ability to speak, how could they continue to communicate? Animal Adaptations: In small groups have students select two animals featured in the Animals of Africa showcase and find out the ways in which they are adapted to their environments. Encourage students to explain how a particular adaptation helps the animal survive. Next, ask each group to create a new species of animal that lives either in the African rain forest or the savanna. Each new species should have a name and include several adaptations that would help the animal survive in the forest or the savanna. Have students make an illustration that includes sidebars explaining adaptations. Inquiry Extension: In what ways do people adapt to changes in temperature? Biomes Rain Forests & Savanna: Divide your class into four groups. Assign each group either the rain forest or the savanna and particular features of each biome to explore. Maps: This group will be responsible for creating a map of where their particular biome in Africa is located. The map should have a title, scale, and key. GO KIDS FEATURE SHOWCASE TEACHER S GUIDE 3
Weather & Climate: This group will be responsible for researching the climate of their biome. Students should find out about rainfall, temperature, weather patterns, and seasonal change. Students can use charts, tables, or other types of graphic organizers that they think will be useful in displaying their data. Plants: This group will be responsible for researching the different types of vegetation that is present in their biome. Students can provide illustrations of a few types. Animals: This group will be responsible for researching the different types of mammals that live in their biome. Students can create postcards that illustrate these mammals. After the research is complete, ask each group to present their research to the class. Inquiry Extension: Describe the environment in which you live. What sorts of plants and animals are found there? What is the weather like? Adaptations Provide students with the vocabulary a few days prior to the lesson. Use large index cards to write relevant vocabulary words and post them in the classroom. Use photos or illustrations to accompany the new vocabulary words. Allow students to answer the comprehension questions orally. Direct Spanish-speaking students to the La Nueva Enciclopedia Cumbre, at Grolier Online. Links and Key Words All student research can be conducted at Grolier Online: http://go-kids.grolier.com/ Following is a list of some of the key words that students can use to guide their inquiry: adaptations, Africa, animal communication, antelope, ape, baboon, biome, birds, bonobos, camouflage, cheetah, chimpanzee, Colobus monkey, crocodile, elephants, endangered species, fish, forest buffalo, Gabon viper, gazelle, genet, giraffe, gorilla, habitat, hippopotamus, hyena, impala, leopard, lion, mammals, mandrill, okapi, protective coloration, rain forest, red duiker, reptiles, rhinoceroses, rock python, savanna, vulture, warthog, wildebeest, zebra. National Curriculum Standards National Geography Standards Standard 4: The physical and human characteristics of places. Standard 8: The characteristics and spatial distribution of ecosystems on Earth's surface. Standard 14: How human actions modify the physical environment. National Science Standards Life Science: Characteristics of organisms Organisms and environments National Language Arts Standards Standard 7: Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and non-print texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their GO KIDS FEATURE SHOWCASE TEACHER S GUIDE 4
discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience. Standard 8: Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge. Standard 12: Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information). GO KIDS FEATURE SHOWCASE TEACHER S GUIDE 5