Animal Life Cycles 

A WebQuest for 5th Grade (Science)

Designed by

S. D. Newsome

       

                                     

                   

Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits | Teacher Page



Introduction

What is a life cycle?  Do animals have life cycles?  How are life cycles and animals connected?  What makes an animal unusual?

There are many animals all around us in the world, including some very unusual types.  Common or exotic, animals of all types go through a life cycle.

You are an investigator who's mission is to study animals from various categories and learn about their life cycles.  This is an important task that must be taken seriously.  You will receive a reward for your accurate facts at the end of your mission.

How much can you learn about animals and their life cycles?

 


The Task

You, the student researcher, are about to begin a journey of learning involving the study of animals and their life cycles.  You will use the tools available in the lessons to organize what you discover about animals and their life cycles.  There will be activities to complete along the way to ensure success at the end of of your journey.  Good luck & have fun!


The Process

Let's Learn About Animal Life Cycles

Activity #1

  • You & a partner will choose 4 animal life cycles to learn about to prepare a class presentation.
  • Amphibians- frogs,salamander
  • Insects- ant, butterfly, mosquito, silkworm, ladybug
  • Birds- mute swan, bald eagle
  • Mammals- elephant
  • Reptiles- kingsnake
  • Fish- salmon
  • Click on animals below to learn about the life cycles of each.

frogs
 ant
 mosquito
salamander
 butterfly
 elephant
mute swan
 silkworm
 kingsnake
bald eagle
 ladybug
 salmon


  • After reviewing & collecting data about each life cycle, draw the life cycle for each animal researched.

  • Create a venn-diagram to compare & contrast 2 of the animal life cycles viewed.

  • You & your partner must discuss what has been learned about certain animal life cycles, in order to prepare a class presentation to share what you discovered.



Activity #2

  • You & a partner will view & read about 4 unusual animals.

  • Choose 4 unusual animals form the section below; 1 animal from each category.

Amphibians
 Arachnids
 Birds
 Fish
 Insects
 Mammals
 Reptiles
newt
 scorpion
 american
golden
plover
 angelfish
 harlequin
bug
 aye-aye
 gila
monster
poison
arrow
frog
 tarantula
 artic tern
 coelacanth
 jumping
bean
moth
 bandicoot
 frilled
lizard
red eyed
green frog
 vinegarroon
 cassowary
 hatchetfish
 pond
skater
 sugar
glider
 black
caiman



  • Complete the student data sheet about each unusual animal chosen to organize the facts discovered.
    • What did you and your partner learn about the life cycles of these unusual animals?
    • Be sure to view the rubric that the completed data sheet will be graded against.

  • You  & your partner must write a short story using at least 2 of your unusual animals as the main characters.
    • Be creative
    • Edit your work before submitting a final draft.
    • Include a 4 scene colored cartoon strip to accompany the story.
    • Be sure to view the rubric that your story will be graded against.

  • Click here to see information about animal lifespans to help you find out how long animals live.




Evaluation

The rubric seen below will be used to grade the student pairs on lessons completed in activity #1 & activity #2.

Collaborative Work Skills: Animal Life Cycles

Teacher name: S. Newsome

Student Name ___________________
CATEGORY Excellent Good Satisfactory Needs Improvement
Contributions Routinely provides useful ideas when participating in the group and in classroom discussion. A definite leader who contributes a lot of effort. Usually provides useful ideas when participating in the group and in classroom discussion. A strong group member who tries hard! Sometimes provides useful ideas when participating in the group and in classroom discussion. A satisfactory group member who does what is required. Rarely provides useful ideas when participating in the group and in classroom discussion. May refuse to participate.
Problem-solving Actively looks for and suggests solutions to problems. Refines solutions suggested by others. Does not suggest or refine solutions, but is willing to try out solutions suggested by others. Does not try to solve problems or help others solve problems. Lets others do the work.
Time-management Routinely uses time well throughout the project to ensure things get done on time. Group does not have to adjust deadlines or work responsibilities because of this person's procrastination. Usually uses time well throughout the project, but may have procrastinated on one thing. Group does not have to adjust deadlines or work responsibilities because of this person's procrastination. Tends to procrastinate, but always gets things done by the deadlines. Group does not have to adjust deadlines or work responsibilities because of this person's procrastination. Rarely gets things done by the deadlines AND group has to adjust deadlines or work responsibilities because of this person's inadequate time management.
Quality of Work Provides work of the highest quality. Provides high quality work. Provides work that occasionally needs to be checked/redone by other group members to ensure quality. Provides work that usually needs to be checked/redone by others to ensure quality.
Problem-solving Actively looks for and suggests solutions to problems. Refines solutions suggested by others. Does not suggest or refine solutions, but is willing to try out solutions suggested by others. Does not try to solve problems or help others solve problems. Lets others do the work.


The rubric seen below will be used to grade the student pair animal story assignment.

Story Writing: Animal Life Cycles Story

Teacher name: S. Newsome

Student Name ___________________
CATEGORY Excellent Good Satisfactory Needs Improvement
Organization The story is very well organized. One idea or scene follows another in a logical sequence with clear transitions. The story is pretty well organized. One idea or scene may seem out of place. Clear transitions are used. The story is a little hard to follow. The transitions are sometimes not clear. Ideas and scenes seem to be randomly arranged.
Accuracy of Facts All facts presented in the story are accurate. Almost all facts presented in the story are accurate. Most facts presented in the story are accurate (at least 70%). There are several factual errors in the story.
Writing Process Student devotes a lot of time and effort to the writing process (prewriting, drafting, reviewing, and editing). Works hard to make the story wonderful. Student devotes sufficient time and effort to the writing process (prewriting, drafting, reviewing, and editing). Works and gets the job done. Student devotes some time and effort to the writing process but was not very thorough. Does enough to get by. Student devotes little time and effort to the writing process. Doesn't seem to care.
Spelling and Punctuation There are no spelling or punctuation errors in the final draft. Character and place names that the author invented are spelled consistently throughout. There is one spelling or punctuation error in the final draft. There are 2-3 spelling and punctuation errors in the final draft. The final draft has more than 3 spelling and punctuation errors.
Neatness The final draft of the story is readable, clean, neat and attractive. It is free of erasures and crossed-out words. It looks like the author took great pride in it. The final draft of the story is readable, neat and attractive. It may have one or two erasures, but they are not distracting. It looks like the author took some pride in it. The final draft of the story is readable and some of the pages are attractive. It looks like parts of it might have been done in a hurry. The final draft is not neat or attractive. It looks like the student just wanted to get it done and didn't care what it looked like.
Illustrations Original illustrations are detailed, attractive, creative and relate to the text on the page. Original illustrations are somewhat detailed, attractive, and relate to the text on the page. Original illustrations relate to the text on the page. Illustrations are not present OR they are not original.





Conclusion

You have completed your journey about animals & their life cycles.  Now you can share what you discovered on your learning adventure with others around you.  Great Job Student Researcher!


Credits & References

Please see the teaching guide for resources used in the creation of this webquest.

Thank you to all WIT 2003-XI homeroom members for sharing information, feedback & suggestions given during the program.

Last updated on July 30, 2003. Based on a template from The WebQuest Page