As teachers, we are constantly looking for new ideas to engage our learners beyond textbooks, and create extension activities for those who are moving fast or need a different path to content. We see ideas everywhere! The two "How to Draw..." images of a panda and koala came from the inside of my kids' cereal boxes. Thank you Nature's Path.
During a recent snow day, my five-year-old daughter started drawing the panda on her magna-doodle. Pretty soon she was transforming the original drawing ideas into a "dancing panda," adding bamboo for it to eat, and asking questions about pandas. So of course, I did a google search about pandas and stumbled across a few live panda cam sources.
During a recent snow day, my five-year-old daughter started drawing the panda on her magna-doodle. Pretty soon she was transforming the original drawing ideas into a "dancing panda," adding bamboo for it to eat, and asking questions about pandas. So of course, I did a google search about pandas and stumbled across a few live panda cam sources.
The best one we viewed (technology-wise) was from the San Diego Zoo. What was equally as amazing as her interest-level was her independence while drawing and engaging with the live cams. Combined with "Think Like a Scholar" strategies, these activities serve as a great base for a Biologist Field Journal Extension Station.
When students visit the station, they are encouraged to think like a biologist. Each has their own field journal: handmade with paper folded in half and stapled, or a simple spiral or composition notebook. If you work in a technology enriched school or classroom, students can create digital field journals.
When students visit the station, they are encouraged to think like a biologist. Each has their own field journal: handmade with paper folded in half and stapled, or a simple spiral or composition notebook. If you work in a technology enriched school or classroom, students can create digital field journals.
With the San Diego Zoo Live Panda Cam (linked from image) students can easily continue being a biologist without leaving the classroom. They can make behavior notes in their field journal, next to their panda drawings, and even modify the original panda image to include action drawings based on what the see on the live cam. Students with access to a tablet device, can take screen shots of the live cam, and write or draw on the images. Providing a list of question stems or sentence frames will help students write observations independently while still learning academic science language.
In addition to the panda, the San Diego Zoo also has live cams for koala bears, polar bears, orangutans, elephants, and condors. Below each live cam, students can link to a "learn more about..." page and a blog page, with current news about the animals they are studying. Easy-to-draw instructions for many animals are all over the web, and having a few "I Can Draw..." books will provide more complex options for students who are ready.
Students can compare notes, ask questions, and make hypotheses about the animals they study. They can return to the live cams over many days or at different times to note any changes or patterns they see. These activities are a great beginning to independent research projects, and help students continue to engage in learning beyond the classroom walls without having to take a field trip. Other extensions would be to role play as a zookeeper or animal expert, answering questions from classmates based on their observations, or creating a video or podcast about a specific animal.
Erin Croley
In addition to the panda, the San Diego Zoo also has live cams for koala bears, polar bears, orangutans, elephants, and condors. Below each live cam, students can link to a "learn more about..." page and a blog page, with current news about the animals they are studying. Easy-to-draw instructions for many animals are all over the web, and having a few "I Can Draw..." books will provide more complex options for students who are ready.
Students can compare notes, ask questions, and make hypotheses about the animals they study. They can return to the live cams over many days or at different times to note any changes or patterns they see. These activities are a great beginning to independent research projects, and help students continue to engage in learning beyond the classroom walls without having to take a field trip. Other extensions would be to role play as a zookeeper or animal expert, answering questions from classmates based on their observations, or creating a video or podcast about a specific animal.
Erin Croley
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