Last updated: April 22, 2021
Lesson Plan
Superhero Species
- Grade Level:
- Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade
- Subject:
- Literacy and Language Arts,Science
- Lesson Duration:
- 30 Minutes
- State Standards:
- Arizona State Standards
3.L1U1.5
4.L4U1.11
5.L4U3.12 - Additional Standards:
- NGSS
2-LS4-1
3-LS3-2
4-LS1-1
Essential Question
What special traits do plants and animals have that help them survive?
Objective
Students will:
• Draw various animals and plants they find in their environment
• Brainstorm ways that humans, plants, and animals adapt to their surroundings
• Research one plant or animal and its adaptations
Preparation
Materials Needed
- Paper
- Writing utensils (pencil, pen, colored pencils, markers, etc.)
Lesson Hook/Preview
Have you ever thought of the similarities between superheroes and the plants and animals around you? In this activity, you’ll investigate some of these similarities and learn how plants and animals survive in their habitats!
Procedure
Engage
What comes to mind when you hear the word “superpower”? Brainstorm a few ideas and make a list of them on a sheet of paper.
Explore
If you look closely, you’ll see that plants and animals, just like superheroes and supervillains, have special superpowers that help them survive in their habitats—abilities such as super speed, invisibility, super strength, and more! Now it’s time to investigate some plant and animal superpowers! Have students grab a piece of paper and a writing utensil, including any colored writing utensils if possible. By folding or drawing lines, have them divide the piece of paper into either 4 or 6 different squares. Have students explore their backyard, their schoolyard, their neighborhood, or a nearby outdoor area and look for different plants and animals. In each square, have them draw one plant or animal in its habitat and take a few notes on the species they choose. Students could even try and find a plant or animal that has one of the superpowers they just brainstormed!
Explain
We might call these special features superpowers, but scientists refer to them as adaptations! An adaptation is something that a plant or animal has that helps it to survive in its environment. All living things use these adaptations every day!
Elaborate
Now, have students choose one of the plants or animals they drew. Ask them to think about special traits that the plant or animal has that may help it to survive. Students may spend some time researching their plant or animal as well. They can draw their species’ adaptations on their sheet of paper and may include a word bubble of the animal or plant sharing its superpower! On the back or on a separate piece of paper, have students list characteristics of their surrounding environment to which all plants and animals must adapt. For example, is this environment very hot? Very cold? Is there sunshine, wind, rain, or snow?
Evaluate
After completing their image, encourage students to think about the importance of these adaptations. What surprised you about what you learned? Have you ever thought about plants or animals having some of the same kinds of superpowers that you may have thought only superheroes or supervillains had? Would these plants and animals still survive without them? Have students share their discoveries. If desired, have students also write or draw ways that they themselves adapt to their environment. They can draw themselves, or just list their own superpowers on the back of their original drawings.