Can an Animal's Traits be Influenced by the Environment?

Before Strategy/Engage: 20 minutes

1. The teacher should draw a T-chart on chart paper or the interactive whiteboard. On the left side of the T-chart, the teacher should write “Traits”, and on the right side of the T-chart, the teacher should write “Environment”.
2. Next, the teacher should write at least three examples of particular traits that help animals survive in their environment. For example, Trait-long fur, Environment-Cold climate. The teacher should then remind students that an animal’s long fur can keep it warm it in a cold climate.
3. After writing and explaining three examples, the teacher should divide students into partner groups. The teacher should direct the students to think of at least three more traits that help animals survive in a particular environment.
4. After allowing students time to hold a discussion with their partner, the teacher should regroup the whole class together. The teacher should ask student volunteers from each group to share their ideas and add their information to the class’s T-Chart.
5. Next, the teacher should introduce the lesson’s essential question: “Can an animal's traits be influenced by the environment?”
6. The teacher can allow students to share their answers to this question to determine students’ current level of background knowledge on this concept.

During Strategy/Explore & Explain: 20 minutes

1. The teacher should create a new T-chart on chart paper or the interactive whiteboard. The title of the chart should be “Arctic Fox,” then on the left side of the T-chart, the teacher should write “Traits”, and on the right side of the T-chart, the teacher should write “Environment”.
2. The teacher should show "Young Fox Hunting in the Snow" from BBC Earth on youtube.com to students. Before playing the video, the teacher should remind students that they should be looking for traits of the arctic fox and how the fox’s traits help it survive in its environment.  For example, after watching the video, the students might say the fox’s thick white fur helps it stay warm in the cold, windy, and snowy environment of the Arctic.
3. Next, the teacher should show pictures of the arctic fox on this website: Arctic Fox article from National Geographic (scroll to the bottom of page). As students view the pictures, the teacher should ask the students, “How does this arctic fox look different from the one you saw in the video?” Students should note that some of the pictures of the arctic fox show it with brown, gray, or red fur.
4. Next, the teacher should read (or allow students to read) the article on the website, which describes how the color of the arctic fox’s fur changes depending on the season.

After Strategy/Explain & Elaborate: 60+ minutes

1. The teacher should introduce the website, 7 Animals That Turn White in Winter article from Britannica and tell students that they will choose one animal from the list (besides the arctic fox) that experiences a seasonal change in fur color to research.
2. Each student will need to draw a T-chart on a sheet of notebook paper. The students should title the T-chart with their chosen animal from the list, then label the left side of the T-chart “Traits”, and the right side of the T-chart “Environment”
3. Using either an internet-capable device or print sources, the student should research their chosen animal and record information about its traits and environment on their T-chart graphic organizer. The teacher can allow students to conduct research independently, with a partner, or with a small group.
4. Next, the teacher should tell students they will be creating a writing piece to provide evidence and a scientific explanation to answer the essential question: “Can an animal's traits be influenced by the environment?”
5. The teacher should give each student a Claim-Evidence-Reasoning Graphic Organizer. Depending on the students’ experience with this format of writing, the teacher may wish to complete this graphic organizer as a whole class or allow students to complete it with a partner.

-In the claim section, the students should write the name of their chosen animal in the blank, then circle can or cannot to complete the claim.

Example: The traits of the arctic hare can be influenced by its environment.

-In the evidence section, the students should write a fact they learned about their animal during their research to prove that their claim is true.

Example: In my research, I found that arctic hares change from a brownish-gray color in the summer to white in the winter.

-In the reasoning section, the students should explain how and why the traits of their chosen animal are influenced by its environment.

Example: The reason for this is because the brownish-gray fur helps the arctic hare camouflage in the summer, but white fur helps it camouflage itself better in the winter.

6. Lastly, the teacher should allow students to re-write their claim, evidence, and reasoning on a new sheet of paper. The teacher may wish to proofread the student’s writing before they create a final draft, or allow students to peer edit each other’s paper for grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes. After students rewrite their claim, evidence, and reasoning statements, they should add an illustration to their writing that helps to show how their chosen animal’s traits are influenced by its environment. For example, the students could draw the arctic hare with brownish-gray fur in a summer scene, and an arctic hare with white fur in a winter scene.