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Science lesson plan · 2nd grade (Year 3 in England) · 30 minutes

Compare how many kinds of living things live in different places

Animals and habitats

CCSS NGSS.2-LS4-1CCSS NGSS.SEP 4England: KS1 Y2 Living things and their habitatsEngland: KS2 Y4 Living things and their habitats

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Compare how many kinds of living things live in different places.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Match animals to their habitats

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: Animal picture cards, Habitat maps, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Match animals to their habitats). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which habitat suits this animal best: clownfish? (woodland / Arctic ice / desert / coral reef) → coral reefPrompt: Think about what the animal needs: warmth or cold, water, trees or open space?
  2. Which animal is best suited to this habitat: rainforest? (badger / toucan / zebra / polar bear) → toucanPrompt: Which animal's body would help it survive there?
  3. What would probably happen to a polar bear moved to a hot desert? (It would be happier. / It would grow scales. / It would turn into a camel. / It would overheat and struggle to find food.) → It would overheat and struggle to find food.Prompt: What is its thick fur good for?

Hook · 3 min

  • Show a picture of an unusual animal and ask where it might live and how it survives there.
  • Share the objective: Compare how many kinds of living things live in different places. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: What does "biodiversity" mean?
  • Step 1: Biodiversity is the variety of life in an area.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: the variety of different kinds of living things in a place
  • Answer: the variety of different kinds of living things in a place
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Why did the car park (parking lot) have so few kinds of living things? (Cars eat the plants. / It was too dark. / Animals are not allowed in car parks. / Hard ground gives little food, water or shelter.) → Hard ground gives little food, water or shelter.Prompt: What does a habitat need to support lots of life?
  2. How could the school increase biodiversity on the playing field? (Leave a strip of long grass and plant wild flowers. / Mow it every day. / Remove every tree and bush. / Cover it in concrete.) → Leave a strip of long grass and plant wild flowers.Prompt: What do insects and small animals need?

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Why did the car park (parking lot) have so few kinds of living things? (Hard ground gives little food, water or shelter. / Cars eat the plants. / Animals are not allowed in car parks. / It was too dark.) → Hard ground gives little food, water or shelter.Prompt: What does a habitat need to support lots of life?
  2. How could the school increase biodiversity on the playing field? (Leave a strip of long grass and plant wild flowers. / Mow it every day. / Cover it in concrete. / Remove every tree and bush.) → Leave a strip of long grass and plant wild flowers.Prompt: What do insects and small animals need?

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Match animals to their habitats.
  • Use concrete materials: animal picture cards.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-2.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Compare how many kinds of living things live in different places

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    How many more kinds of living things were found at the pond than in the car park (parking lot)?

    Different kinds of living things found02468101214161820222417pond23hedge8playing field1car park (parking lot)

    Answer

  2. Question 2

    Why is it fair to search each place for the same 10 minutes?

    • A. Ten is a lucky number.
    • B. Animals only come out for 10 minutes.
    • C. It does not matter how long you search.
    • D. A longer search in one place would find more just because of the extra time.

  3. Question 3

    A class counted how many different kinds of plants and animals they found in 10 minutes at four places around school. Which place had the most variety (biodiversity)?

    Different kinds of living things found024681012141618202222pond21hedge10playing field2car park (parking lot)
    • A. pond
    • B. hedge
    • C. playing field
    • D. car park (parking lot)

  4. Question 4

    How could the school increase biodiversity on the playing field?

    • A. Leave a strip of long grass and plant wild flowers.
    • B. Cover it in concrete.
    • C. Remove every tree and bush.
    • D. Mow it every day.

  5. Question 5

    The hedge runs along the edge of the playing field. How many kinds were found at the hedge and the playing field together? (No kind was found in both places.)

    Different kinds of living things found0246810121414pond13hedge10playing field2car park (parking lot)

    Answer

  6. Question 6

    What does "biodiversity" mean?

    • A. the number of buildings in a place
    • B. the variety of different kinds of living things in a place
    • C. how hot a place is
    • D. the biggest animal in a place

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Answer key: Compare how many kinds of living things live in different places

  1. 1. 16

  2. 2. D. A longer search in one place would find more just because of the extra time.

  3. 3. A. pond

  4. 4. A. Leave a strip of long grass and plant wild flowers.

  5. 5. 23

  6. 6. B. the variety of different kinds of living things in a place