K3L11 Winter Animal Tales

Lesson Duration: 45 minutes

Grade: K3

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Learning Objectives:

1. Children will be able to identify and explain three winter survival strategies: hibernation, migration, and adaptation
2. Children will be able to demonstrate understanding of how animals stay warm in winter through experimentation
3. Children will be able to design and build a winter shelter for animals using various materials

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Resources Required:
• Sorting chart (hibernate/migrate/adapt)
• Animal pictures or plastic animals
• Ice cubes and bowls
• Zip-lock bags
• Fake fur/felt pieces
• Building materials (pattern blocks, wooden matchsticks, pebbles, cotton balls, fake leaves)
• Animal shelter challenge poster
• Trays for sorting materials
• Winter animal puppet

Lesson Procedure

3 mins - Welcome Time
• Sing the "Hello Song"
• Introduce today's topic: "Today we're going to be winter animal scientists!"
• Present winter animal puppet who needs help understanding winter survival

5 mins - Discovery Chat
• Show pictures of animals in winter settings
• Ask: "What happens when winter comes?"
• Introduce key vocabulary: hibernate, migrate, adapt
• Demonstrate each concept with puppet actions:
  - Sleeping for winter (hibernate)
  - Flying away (migrate)
  - Changing fur coat (adapt)

10 mins - Hands-On Challenge 1: Winter Animal Sorting
• Set up three category areas with pictures:
  - Sleeping cave (hibernation)
  - Sunny sky (migration)
  - Snowy forest (adaptation)
• Provide groups with animal cards/figures
• Guide sorting activity:
  - Show each animal
  - Discuss its winter behaviour
  - Help children place in correct category
• Play "Guess My Animal":
  - "I'm thinking of an animal that sleeps all winter"
  - Children guess from given options

### 10 mins - Hands-On Challenge 2: Warm Fur Investigation
• Set up experiment stations:
  - Bowl of ice cubes
  - Two bags (one lined with fur)
  - Temperature recording sheet
• Guide investigation process:
  1. Feel regular bag with ice
  2. Feel fur-lined bag with ice
  3. Compare temperatures
• Discuss findings:
  - "Which bag felt warmer?"
  - "How does fur help animals?"
• Record class observations on chart

### 10 mins - Hands-On Challenge 3: Winter Shelter Engineering
• Present shelter challenge using animal figures:
  - Show bear, rabbit, and fox figures
  - Display photos of real animal shelters
  - Discuss: "What makes a good winter home?"

• Prepare building stations (4-5 children per station):
  - K'NEX building pieces sorted by type:
    * Connectors (various angles)
    * Rods (different lengths)
    * Panels for walls
  - Animal figures for testing
  - Base plates for foundation
  - "Winter Shelter Challenge" card showing criteria:
    * Must fit animal figure
    * Must have entrance/exit
    * Must protect from "snow" (cotton ball test)

• Guide construction process:
  1. Plan phase (2 mins):
    - Select animal figure
    - Draw simple shelter design
    - Choose building pieces

  2. Building phase (8 mins):
    - Connect K'NEX pieces to form walls
    - Create roof structure
    - Add entrance/exit
    - Test stability

  3. Testing phase (3 mins):
    - Place animal figure inside
    - Check size fit
    - Test structure strength
    - Drop cotton ball "snow" - does it protect?

  4. Share phase (2 mins):
    - Present shelters to class
    - Explain design choices
    - Demonstrate how animal uses shelter

• Teacher support:
  - Demonstrate basic K'NEX connections
  - Help with challenging joints
  - Encourage problem-solving:
    * "How can we make it stronger?"
    * "Is it big enough for your animal?"
    * "Where should the entrance be?"

### 2 mins - Wrap-Up
• Recap: "Today we learned how animals survive winter through hibernation, migration, and adaptation. We tested warm fur and built winter shelters!"
• Sing the "Goodbye Song" with winter animal actions