Grade 1 Science: Land Habitats
California Science
Content Standards
1 LS 2.a. Students know different plants and animals inhabit
different kinds of environments and have external features that
help them thrive in different kinds of places.
NGSS Science and
Engineering
Practices
Practice 7 Engaging in Argument from Evidence
Listen actively to arguments to indicate agreement or
disagreement based on evidence, and/or to retell the main
points of the argument.
Specific Learning
Objectives
Students describe different land habitats and explain how different
animals adapt to different environments.
Materials
Lesson Plan
Engage
Concept/Learning
Goal:
Students build on
prior knowledge to
discuss two land
habitats.
•
•
•
Pictures of grasslands and forests
Pictures of animals native to grasslands and forests
Large T-Chart
Teacher asks/says/does:
Student asks/says/does:
1. Explain what a habitat is
and what a land habitat is.
1. Students learn the term
habitat.
2. Introduce grasslands as a
type of land habitat and
show the pictures of
grasslands. Grasslands can
be dry. They have hot
summers and cold winters.
Inform students of some
animals that live in
grasslands. Along with
small animals, large grazing
animals live in grasslands.
2. Students discuss forests
and grasslands as two types
of land habitats.
3. Introduce forests as another
land habitat and show the
pictures of forests. Forests
are usually wetter than
grasslands and have trees.
Inform students of some
animals that live in forests.
Animals that live in forests
either leave during the
winter or hibernate.
3. Students compare and
contrast grasslands and
forests.
4. Discuss how grasslands and
forests are similar and
different.
Instructional
Strategies Used
(with rationale):
How is student
participation
ensured?
Pictures are used to help support descriptions of new vocabulary
terms (habitat, forest, and grassland).
Questions and
Levels of
Questioning
(Blooms) Used:
What are grasslands? Forests?
Whole-Class Discussion
Students compare two habitats
using prior knowledge and new
Have you been to a grassland or information given to them by
forest?
the teacher.
Can you think of animals that
might live in grasslands? In
forests?
What is similar between
grasslands and forests?
What are differences between
grasslands and forests?
Explore
Concept/Learning
Goal:
Students sort
animals into two
habitats.
1. Provide students pairs with
pictures of animals that live
in grasslands (such as
antelope and bison) and
animals that live in forests
(bears, moose, beavers, and
wolves).
1. Students work with a
partner to sort animals into
two categories (those that
live in grasslands and those
that live in the forest).
2. Ask students to work with a
partner to determine if the
animals live in the forest or
grasslands.
Instructional
Strategies Used
(with rationale):
Students are given pictures to sort with a partner. This allows
them to interact with the content on their own before it is
discussed as a whole class.
How is student
participation
Partner Activity
ensured?
Questions and
Levels of
Questioning
(Blooms) Used:
Why did you place this animal
in this habitat?
Explain
1. Bring class back together to 1. Students discuss placement
discuss each animal. Use
of animals in each habitat.
Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down
to ask if animals belong in
2. Students learn about
the forest or grassland. Place
adaptation.
the picture of the animal
under the correct heading on
a T-chart.
Concept/Learning
Goal:
Students learn about
animal adaptations.
Students must apply what they
just learned to sort the animals.
Are you unsure about some
animals?
2. Discuss the placement of
any animals student did not
all agree on.
3. Introduce adaptation.
Explain to students that
animals develop certain
features that help them
survive in their
environment.
4. Provide students with the
example of the porcupine. It
has quills that it can extend
so that it will not be eaten
by a predator.
Instructional
Strategies Used
(with rationale):
Students discuss placement of the animals with the whole class.
By allowing them to sort the animals on their own first, students
are more engaged in this portion of the lesson.
How is student
participation
ensured?
Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down
Whole-Class Discussion
Questions and
Levels of
Questioning
(Blooms) Used:
Where did you place this
animal? Why?
Did you need to change the
Students provide evidence to
support the original placement
of the animals.
placement of any of the
animals?
Elaborate
Concept/Learning
Goal:
Students brainstorm
possible animal
adaptations.
1. Return to the list of animals 1. Students discuss with a
on the T-Chart. Ask students
partner animal adaptations.
to brainstorm with a partner
Students brainstorm
what adaptations the
possible adaptations of
animals have in order to
animals in grasslands and
survive in their
forests.
environment.
2. After students have
discussed their thinking with
a partner, have students
share ideas with the whole
class.
Instructional
Strategies Used
(with rationale):
Students are asked to brainstorm their own ideas before discussing
with the class. This increases student participation in the
discussion.
How is student
participation
ensured?
Partner-Share
Whole-Class Discussion
Questions and
Levels of
Questioning
(Blooms) Used:
What is an adaptation that
would help an animal survive in
grasslands? In forests?
Students must analyze
characteristics of animals to
determine how they may help
them survive.
How can animals adapt to cold
weather? Hot weather?
How can animals adapt to
places without a lot of water?
How do animals adapt to
protect themselves from
predators?
Evaluate
Concept/Learning
Goal:
Students reflect on
1. Say: “Turn and tell a friend
what a grassland is, what a
forest is, and what an
adaptation is. You may
name an animal or two that
have adaptations and what
1. Students reflect on their
learning by speaking to a
partner.
2. Students draw a picture
representing their learning
and synthesize their
learning.
those adaptations are.”
and share it with an adult.
2. Ask students to draw a
picture of an animal in its
habitat. Have them explain
to an adult what adaptations
that animal have to survive
in the habitat.
Instructional
Strategies Used
(with rationale):
Students must synthesize their learning throughout the lesson to
correctly place the animals.
How is student
participation
ensured?
Partner-Share
Individual Activity
Questions and
Levels of
Questioning
(Blooms) Used:
What habitat did you draw?
What characteristics of your
animal help them survive in that
habitat?
Students must synthesize
learning to complete the final
task.