Above: Reading a pond story after the introductory lesson.
Unit Planning: Pond Life
Preparation:
· Decorate door.
· Create a special word wall for the unit.
· Make photocopies of all worksheets.
· Be sure to have enough folders and a safe place to keep them where students can keep
their work for the project.
Introduction: Ponds and Bogs (2 days)
· Explain how ponds and bogs are formed.
· Show pictures and videos, discuss the types of animals that live there.
· Read stories about ponds.
· Make a KWL chart.
Part 1: Pond Life Project (3 weeks/ongoing throughout the month)
· Students will choose an animal or insect whose habitat is a pond. They will do
research and present their project at the end of the unit.
· Decorate folders to put their work in.
· Take books out from library.
· Get computer class involved.
Part 2: Bradley McGogg the Very Fine Frog (1 week)
· Read book to class.
· Have students expand upon the life stories of the other animals in the bog (imagine).
· ERC: Incorporate multiculturalism by having students relate to the animals in the
story.
Part 3: Thumbelina (1 week)
· Show animated movie “Thumbelina.”
· Retelling the Story Lesson:
-Have students work in groups to remember the main characters and key events in
the movie.
-Come together as a class and write them out on the board (timeline handout?).
-Students will work individually to recount the story in the storytelling
notebooks.
-Good copies will be shared with grade 4/5 split class.
Part 4: Math Inquiry (Ongoing)
- Create a Venn Diagram for how beavers and moose use the pond.
- Chart the students’ favourite habitats and favourite pond animals.
- Problem solving using addition and subtraction with pond-related things.
