November

Schoolyard Habitat This lesson connects work done in 2nd grade in which students began to recognize and identify the plants and animals in our local (woodland/suburban) habitat and to recognize how these animals and plants contribute to our world.

Common Core Standards addressed:

 * Collect information from print and non-print resources to investigate what makes a welcoming wildlife habitat and why we would want one.
 * Use digital tools to access and retrieve information and create materials that persuade someone to support their efforts.
 * Create and support an argument about why Westmeade needs to be a certified schoolyard habitat . Students will investigate what we need to create a habitat that is certifiable as a schoolyard habitat by the National Wildlife Federation.
 * Students will view various media interviews about bats, explore online reference materials, explore nonfiction books about bats. They will create questions directed at why we need bats in our environment and how we can provide a welcoming habitat for them. We will also research how we can create a bird friendly habitat. How much will it cost to create? How much will it cost to maintain?

Important LINKS students may use in addition to the World Book and Britannica Tennessee Bat Facts - []

Story about how Tennesseans are trying to help their bats [] Nature Conservancy explains the bat cave project []

Multiple Videos that help students understand bats and their role in the environment []

How to help bats []

Plans

 * Lesson 1 –** The librarian will review with students what they learned in 2nd grade about the habitat surrounding the school and the animals that live there, why we need wildlife in our world and inquire about whether they would like to do something significant as they do their research. What steps would we have to take to accomplish the tasks. Students will list the things that all animals need to survive.


 * Lesson 2 –** Students will begin to do their research to support their goals. The librarian will review the sources that are available. Students will learn how an encyclopedia and other reviewed sources differ from google. Students will be reminded that research is the result of questions. They will learn the word Encyclopedia and understand how to use the on-line encyclopedias world book and Britannica. They will compare the two sites for similarities and differences They will be reminded that the facts they are collecting relate to finding why we need to protect species in general and provide support for endangered animals such as bats in our schoolyard. The librarian will be monitor and assist as they explore and research.

seeking their advice. Site Map will help students analyze habitats.media type="custom" key="21337052"
 * Lesson 3** – Students will come to the library to assemble their research into a form that persuades the NWF to declare us a habitat and appeals to someone to fund the costs associated with bird seed and bat houses. This includes finding simple plans for bat houses, locating experts on bats in TN and


 * Lesson 4** – Students will build bat houses for the school yard.Put them in place and monitor them. Finally, students will assess how well they completed their work as responses come in from those they appealed to for certification and assistance!

Vocabulary -