Patterns of Living Things - Animals

Joy Ward-Drew John Hope Community Academy
5515 S. Lowe Avenue
Chicago IL 60621
(312) 535-3160


. This lesson is for 7th graders, but may be adapted to lower grades.

. Students of 7th grade will learn about living things and their patterns.
. Students will learn characteristics of living and non-living things.
. Students will learn locomotion of animals and body parts used.
. Students will learn about vertebrate and invertebrate animals.


1. Picture of zebras on a grassy plain with four questions for journal
2. Poster with pictures of animals for KWL.
3. Toy animals.
4. Assorted neon paper
5. Crayons
6. Glue stick
7. Scissors
8. Student journals
9. Model Magic by Crayola
10. Crayola markers
11. Pencil


. Cooperative learning groups will study the picture and answer questions
for journal writing.
. A list of vocabulary words will be developed from journal entries.
. Groups/individuals will study an animal color chart and develop a KWL
chart -
K (What I know about animals)
W (What I wonder about or want to know)
L (What I learned) - after unit or activity is complete.
. Develop a chart of five animals after studying toy animals and tell
their method of locomotion and parts of the body that are used. Also write
down characteristics of each animal studied.
. Develop concept maps about animals, living things, etc.
. Field trip to the zoo and planetarium.
. Design your own animal and put it on a planet.


1. Identify animals as living, non-living, or dead ( 0-3)
2. Choose an animal and make a flick or flip book to show the locomotion.
3. Use crayola modeling material and make an animal. Paint with crayola
marker. Work on a mobile to hang from the ceiling


Students will know about patterns of living things.


1. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, SciencePlus Green, 1993
2. Bill Kurtis Productions - The Nazca Lines - Classification of Animals, 1992.

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