Title Where’s My Home? (K.2) Grade K Setting Classroom or Field
Plants and animals have identifying characteristics. Plants and animals are found in many different habitats.
Life Sciences 2a, c;
Investigation and Experimentation 4a, b, c, d, e
EP & C I a
To observe and describe similarities and differences in some plants and animals; to recognize an appropriate habitat for each one.
Habitats are natural areas where plants and animals live and grow—a forest is a habitat found in the mountains. The Fire Recovery Project describes nine significant habitats in San Diego County. Each habitat is defined by its geographical location, the topography of the land, and the climate.
Plants and animals have adaptations that allow them to live in a particular habitat. Some organisms are specialized and are found only in one habitat—fairy shrimp found in vernal pools; others are more generalized—coyote—found in a range habitats.
beach, canyon, chaparral, cliff, desert, foothill, habitat, landform, mountain, stream, forest, woodland
landform/habitat pictures from Activity K.1, pictures of animals (crab, squirrel, raccoon, deer, sidewinder, scrub jay), paper, crayons
Begin by comparing two habitats. Add other habitats after students have become comfortable with the characteristics of the first two.
Engage What is a habitat? Display pictures of the two selected habitats.
Use the house analogy from Activity 1 to help understand the distinction between a landform and a habitat.
Explore Discuss and compare the characteristics of each habitat—shape of the land, presence of water, type of plants. Display pictures of plants and/or animals that live in the habitats. Ask students to describe the plants and animals.
Explain Ask students where each of these plants or animals might live? What might it need to survive? Encourage students to explain their choice. (e.g. I think the squirrel lives in the forest because it makes its nest in trees.)
Evaluate Students draw a picture of a habitat including an appropriate plant and animal.
Extend Make habitat observations at a field site. Observe and discuss whatever you see, feel, smell, and hear. Are there hills or canyons? Is it flat? What are the plants like? Do you hear birds or insects? Feel the dirt or the bark of a tree. Are there smells? Footprints?
Sing the following verse, set to the tune of The Farmer in the Dell.
(refrain)
Habitats all around
Habitats all around
Hi ho for habitats
Habitats all around
(verse)
The beach takes a crab
The beach takes a crab
Hi ho for habitats
The beach takes a crab
The chaparral takes a jay
The woodlands take a squirrel
The stream takes a raccoon
The forest takes a deer
The desert takes a snake
Reference San Diego Wildfires Education Project: San Diego Habitats