group of alaskan animals
alaskan sea otters

TEACHERS GUIDE 

DISCOVERY OF ALASKAN AND ARCTIC WILDLIFE


Created by:  DELLENA  M.  TIBBS

WEB INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS,  JULY, 2003
This site last updated November 15, 2003


moose fighting               



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  MENU:


             
INTRODUCTION                                         MATERIALS

              AIM                                                                    HELPFUL WEB SITES                     
      
              RATIONALE                                                    RECOMMENDED BOOKS

              GOALS and OBJECTIVES                                 ASSESSMENT and
                                                                                                EVALUATION

               AUDIENCE, PREREQUISITES                            CONCLUSION
                and INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN

                                                                                               GLOSSARY OF TERMS
                                                                                                 (EASY)
                                                                                                 
                                                                                               GLOSSARY OF TERMS
                                                                                                 (DIFFICULT)
eagle mom and baby


INTRODUCTION:

Welcome to my virtual safari and WebQuest on Alaskan and Arctic Wildlife.  You and your students are in store for a great adventure.  This safari is a multi-disciplinary one which also satisfies the Illinois State Goals and the Chicago Academic Standards as well as the students needs for adventure and discovery.

At the completion this Quest, you will discover that your students vocabulary, science and general knowledge of Alaskan and Arctic animals will be increased.  So, join me now and put on your hats to start our safe safari.


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AIM:


The goal of the WebQuest is to introduce students specifically grades 3-6, to the many different types of wildlife unique to North America, primarily to the state of Alaska and the Arctic.

three geese flying

RATIONALE:


It is important for students to learn early that the world is much larger than their backyards, neighborhood or the city they live in.  There are entire groups of animals that exist and can only be seen in Alaska.  These animals are often called Arctic animals and are wild, sometimes endangered and beautiful.  This WebQuest will take its participants on a virtual safari to learn and to experience this animal kingdom.  It promises to be one much different than the one in their backyards.

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caribou
GOALS and OBJECTIVES:


This project complies with the Illinois State Goals and the C
hicago Academic Standards, in the areas of English Language Arts and Science.

State Goal 1:  Read with understanding and fluency.

State Goal 2:  Understand explicit and implicit meaning in literature representing individual, community, national, world and historical perspectives.

State Goal 3:  Write to communicate for a variety of purposes.

State Goal 4:  Listen and speak effectively in a variety of situations.

State Goal 5:  Use the Language Arts for inquiry and research to acquire, organize, analyze, evaluate and communicate information.

State Goal 11:  Have a working knowledge of the fundamental concepts and principles of the life, physical and Earth/Space Sciences and their connections.




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AUDIENCE, PRE-REQUISITES and INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN:


This unit is was designed specifically for grades (3-6), but can easily be modified to encompass curriculum levels for any grade as well as to accommodate the special needs students.  Prior to introducing this unit have the students brainstorm about what they know about Alaska and the Arctic. 

Ask the students these specific questions:  (WHO? WHAT? WHERE?, and HOW?)

Ask them to name all of the animals that they think live there.  With the assistance of the instructors have the students write down the names of these animals.

Where do they live?  (In water or on land?)

What do they eat?

What do their homes look like?

How do they protect themselves from other animals?

How do they protect themselves from the weather?

The instructor should make a chart using the chalkboard or a bulletin board with the information that is gathered.  The students should record this information so that it can be used throughout the unit and for comparison purposes for after the lesson is completed.  The students will then be able to make flash cards with the information obtained.

The names of the animals will also be displayed and used as vocabulary words.  The students should sort out the animals and their cards into categories, (such as birds, mammals or fish). 

Make a graph depicting the number in each group.  Keep it displayed and add to it as the opportunity arises.  (See ADF&G Wildlife Notebook Series).  This chart can also be displayed as part of the classrooms "Word Wall".


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adult swan
MATERIALS:


To complete this Unit it would be helpful to have some basic supplies such as a world map and or a globe.  Other supplies should be:  chalkboard, bulletin boards, chart boards, pencils, chalk, lined paper, basic art supplies such as drawing or sketching paper, markers, plain or colored construction paper, scissors, glue, posters and pictures of Arctic animals.  Butcher paper, tempera paints along with old newspapers are also useful.
 
Likewise it would be great to have access to a computer, a printer and Internet connection.  This is an interdisciplinary program that involves many different skills - reading, writing, listening, speaking, group work (large and small), cooperation, research and using technology.


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HELPFUL WEB SITES:


bald mountain air.com/gallery.html   (2003)                          
art sledge power search    (2003)                                           
alaska-bear-pictures of polar, grizzly                                     

seaworld.org/ask shamu/index.html   (2002)                          
innsnorth.com/inns    (2002)                                                    
alaska.com  (2003)

bears-bears.org  (2001)
northstar.k12.ak.us/schools/joy
projectwild.org  (2000)
wolf prints and posters  (2003)
alaska wildlife notebook series/homepage  (4/2002)

bear prints@art.com   (2003)
moose and elk prints and posters  (2003)
national wildlife federation.org  (2003)
nationalgeographic.com/animals  (2003)
state.ak.us/adfg/wildlife   (4/2002)


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RECOMMENDED BOOKS:


Arctic and Antarctic (Eye Witness Books) by Barbara Taylor - photographs by Geoff Brightling - published by Alfred A Knoff (1995)  ISBN; 0-679-87257-4

Arctic Babies by Kathy Darling - photographs by Tara Darling - published by Walker Publishing Co.Inc. (1996) 
ISBN:  0-802-8413-5

Scholastic Encyclopedia of Animals by Laurence Pringle - photographs by Norbert Wu (2001)  ISBN: 0-590-52253-1

50 Facts About Animals by Ron Taylor - published by Warwick Press  (1983) ISBN: 531-09208-9

Animal Champions (Zoo Book Series) by John Bonnett Wexo - published by Creative Education, Inc.  (1991)
ISBN: 0-88-82-409-5

Animal Champions 2 by John Bonnett Wexo - Ann Elwood and Marjorie B. Shaw  (1996)  ISBN: 0-937934-98-4


Children's Guide to Sea Creatures by Jinny Johnson - published by Simon & Schuster  Books for Young Readers (1998)  ISBN:  0-689-815344


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ASSESSMENT and EVALUATION:


After this unit students should be able to brainstorm once again and be able to answer and complete the following tasks.  Some students will be able to complete more than others, but all of them will be able to complete some of them.

Identify and locate Alaska and the Arctic on a map or globe
.
 
Locate the cities of Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau on the map.

Know the state's capital.

Locate the Arctic Ocean and Arctic Circle.

Locate Mt. Denali.

Define the terms wildlife, as any animal that has not been tamed/trained or domesticated by man/people.

Define the term domesticated, as any animal that has been tamed , made captive and bred for a specific purpose.

Distinguish and give examples of the terms domesticated and wildlife.

Know and be able to state that wildlife and people have many things in common and that we share this world.

Be able to make and understand the generalize statement that there are wildlife and animals throughout the world.
 

Be able to name more examples that they did prior to the unit.

Draw or paint a picture of two new animals learned.

Describe where they live and what they eat.

Students should also have vocabulary cards naming all of the animals learned, some including pictures.

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ACTIVITIES:


>   Prepare cards of the Arctic and Alaskan animals.  Student can work in small groups to play a "Concentration Game".  The winner of each group can then challenge each other in order to get a "Class Champion".

>   Give the student a "Spelling Bee" contest on the type of animals.

>   Create a classroom poster with the characteristics and descriptions.  Using the cards, each student must try to match up the animals to its description.  The students will work in two groups.  They will be able to challenge each other to determine which team is the "Champion of the Wilderness."

>    Art Project - Using colored construction paper, scissors and glue have the students arrange a mosaic depicting and animal or setting of their choice.

>   Writing Project - Giving the students specific topic questions from the lesson.  Have them write an essay that answers the questions given.


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CONCLUSION:
 


Congratulations class, we have just completed our safari and you all have learned something new!  You now know about Alaska, the Arctic and can give some examples of its unique and different wildlife.  This was not a very easy task and your journey has taken you far from your home town, but you are home now.  Wasn't it a terrific journey?  It's now time for you to unpack your notebooks  and take home your art projects and souvenirs.


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**  PLEASE  NOTE --  As the activities are completed, display them throughout the classroom and take photographs of them for the sake of  future reference and safari souvenirs.

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GLOSSARY   OF  ANIMALS


(EASY)

BATS
MOOSE
ARCTIC FOX
ELK
GULLS
MUSKOX
ORCA
SALMON
MINK
CRAB
OWLS
WALRUS
EAGLES
GEESE
MUSKRAT
SHRIMP
SEAL
HARES
TURTLES
SWANS
RED FOX
SEA OTTER
POLAR BEAR
LYNX







(DIFFICULT)


DALL SHEEP
WOODPECKERS
BEARDED SEAL
BEAVER
CHICKADEES
BLUE WHALE
AMERICAN BISON
BELUGA WHALE
COYOTE
PUFFINS
HARBOR SEAL
BLACK BEAR
GRAY WHALE
DUNGENESS CRAB
LOONS
LEMMINGS
BROWN BEAR
BOWHEAD WHALE
SCALLOP
YELLOWLEGS
PIKAS
CARIBOU
HUMPBACK WHALE
PINK SALMON
ABALONE
SPARROWS
MOUNTAIN GOAT
SPOTTED SEAL
CANADA GOOSE
FROGS & TOADS




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