Last updated: December 3, 2019
Lesson Plan
Habitat Is Home
- Grade Level:
- Lower Elementary: Pre-Kindergarten through Second Grade
- Subject:
- Science
- Lesson Duration:
- 30 Minutes
- Additional Standards:
- NGSS 2-LS4-1 Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats.
Essential Question
What is a habitat?
Objective
Students will be able to understand the concept of a habitat and name one example of an animal and the habitat that animal lives in.
Background
All animals, including people, need a home. Home for animals is different from just a house, like the kind we live in. Wild animals need food, water, shelter and space in just the right arrangement for them.
Preparation
- Pictures of human and animal homes
- Drawing paper and pencils for each student
-
The lyrics to "Everybody's Got to Live Someplace"
Materials
Lyrics to the children song 'Everybody's Got to Live Someplace', a song about habitats and animals.
Download Everybody's Got to Live Someplace
Procedure
- Discuss human homes and the things usually found there.
- Have students draw the inside of a house -- include places to eat, sleep and play.
- Have them share their pictures with the other students.
- Show pictures of animal homes; discuss the differences between student homes and wild animal homes (animals may have to use a much larger area to find all four parts of a habitat -- food, water, shelter and space.
- Sing the “Everybody’s Got to Live Someplace” song (below). You can either make up your own tune, say it as a poem, or use it in conjunction with an excellent set of inexpensive videos from the Missouri Botanical Gardens. It is the theme song for this set.
Vocabulary
- Habitat-the natural home of a plant, animal, or other living organism. A habitat provides a living thing with food, water, shelter and space to survive.
Assessment Materials
Have students design their own animal and draw the habitat it needs.
Related Lessons or Education Materials
This is a pre-visit lesson for our Exploring Habitats 2nd grade field trip. Visit our scheduling and guidelines page to learn more about registering for a ranger-led field trip.