# Lesson Plan: Living Things and Their Habitats
**Grade Level:** 4
**Subject:** Science
**Topic:** Living Things and Their Habitats
**Duration:** 60 minutes
## Objectives
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
1. Identify different types of habitats.
2. Describe characteristics of various habitats.
3. Explain how living things are adapted to their habitats.
4. Recognize the importance of protecting habitats.
## Materials
- Chart paper and markers
- Worksheets
- Pictures of various habitats (e.g., forest, desert, ocean, wetland)
- Video clips of different habitats
- Habitat Flashcards
- Habitat Diorama Shoebox materials (craft supplies, small figurines, etc.)
## Common Core Standards
- **4-LS1-1:** Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.
- **SL.4.4:** Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.
## Introduction (10 minutes)
1. **Hook:** Show a short video clip (3-4 minutes) that introduces different habitats (e.g., National Geographic Kids video on habitats).
2. **Discussion:** Ask students if they can name any of the habitats they saw. Write these habitats on the board.
## Direct Instruction (15 minutes)
1. **Define Habitat:**
- Explain the term "habitat": A habitat is a place where a plant or animal lives.
2. **Types of Habitats:**
- Discuss various types of habitats: forests, deserts, oceans, wetlands, grasslands.
- Show pictures of each habitat and discuss their key characteristics (e.g., forest has lots of trees, ocean is salty water, desert is dry and hot).
3. **Adaptations:**
- Explain how living things adapt to their habitats. Use examples like:
- Camels have humps to store fat in deserts.
- Fish have gills to breathe underwater.
- Trees in the forest grow tall to reach sunlight.
## Guided Practice (15 minutes)
1. **Group Activity:**
- Divide students into small groups and give each group a worksheet with pictures of different animals or plants.
- Each group will match the living thing to its habitat and explain one adaptation.
## Independent Practice (15 minutes)
1. **Habitat Diorama:**
- Distribute shoeboxes and craft materials.
- Ask students to create a diorama of one habitat of their choice.
- Include at least one plant or animal adapted to that habitat.
## Conclusion (5 minutes)
1. **Sharing:**
- Have a few students present their dioramas to the class.
- Encourage them to explain what habitat they chose and how the living things are adapted.
2. **Review:**
- Quick review of key points: types of habitats, characteristics, adaptations.
## Assessment
- **Formative:**
- Observe group work and participation.
- Check worksheets for correct matches and explanations.
- **Summative:**
- Evaluate dioramas based on accuracy and creativity.
- Class discussion and presentations on habitats.
## Homework
- Worksheet with questions about local habitats and adaptations (e.g. write about the habitat in your backyard or nearby park).
## Differentiation
1. **For Advanced Students:**
- Research and present an unusual habitat and its unique adaptations (e.g., deep-sea vents, polar regions).
2. **For Struggling Students:**
- Provide extra support with matching tasks, and allow them to pair up with a buddy for the diorama project.
## Extension Activities
- Plan a field trip to a local nature reserve or zoo to observe different habitats.
- Invite a local ecologist to speak about habitat conservation efforts.
---
This lesson plan aims to engage Grade 4 students through multimedia, hands-on activities, and collaborative learning techniques to enrich their understanding of living things and their habitats.