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How can you help a lost baby animal find its parents?
Animal Superpowers Unit | Lesson 1 of 5

How can you help a lost baby animal find its parents?

Animal Superpowers Unit | Lesson 1 of 5
Lesson narration:
Scroll for prep
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DISCUSS:
What do you see about the mother and baby that is the same?
What do you see that is different?
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DISCUSS:
How would you match these baby animals with their parents?
What did you notice that helped you match them?
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Check out this baby eagle and adult eagle.
DISCUSS: Which traits stay the SAME? Which traits CHANGE?

DISCUSS:

Some traits of baby birds change as they grow.

So, how could you match a baby bird with its parent?

Step
01/14
Find a partner.
Step
02/14
Let’s do a practice round together.
Discuss.
Step
03/14
Here’s what we noticed.
Step
04/14
Get your supplies.
Step
05/14
Challenge #1: Open your envelope that is labeled “A.”
Step
06/14
Here are three adult birds that also live in the forest. Talk with your
partner about which of these you think may be the parent of the
baby bird that Brenda found.
Step
07a/14
Circle the traits of the baby bird that helped you match it to an adult
bird.
Step
07b/14
Here’s what we noticed.
Step
08/14
Challenge #2: Open your envelope that is labeled “B.”
Step
09/14
Here are three adult birds that also live near the lake. Talk with your
partner about which of these adult birds you think may be the parent
of the baby bird.
Step
10a/14
Circle the traits of the baby bird that helped you match it to an adult bird.
Step
10b/14
Here’s what we noticed.
Step
11/14
Challenge #3: Open your envelope that is labeled “C.”
Step
12/14
Here are three adult birds that also live in the town. Talk with your
partner about which of these adult birds you think may be the parent
of the baby bird.
Step
13a/14
Circle the traits of the baby bird that helped you match it to an adult
bird.
Step
13b/14
Here’s what we noticed.
Step
14/14
Discuss:
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Anchor Connection Get the Squirrels See-Think-Wonder Chart you saved. We are going to see more about what squirrels do with their food.
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In the past lesson, you studied animal traits. Discuss. What traits does this bird have?
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Squirrels have traits, too. Discuss. What traits do these squirrels have?
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One of these squirrels has the trait of special, stretchy cheeks. Discuss. Which squirrel has stretchy cheeks? What is that squirrel using its cheeks for?
This squirrel is using its stretchy cheeks to carry food. Stretchy cheeks like this are called cheek pouches.
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Some squirrels don’t have cheek pouches as a trait. They still carry food with their mouth, but they don’t stuff it into their cheek pouches.
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Step
01/02
Discuss. Why do you think squirrels use their cheek pouches? How do you think this might help them survive? In the "Think" column of your class See-Think-Wonder chart, write down what you think.
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Step
02/02
Save your See-Think-Wonder Chart. You will add to it after the next lesson in this unit. We will see more about what squirrels do with their food.
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animal


1 of 7

a living thing that needs to eat other living things
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offspring


2 of 7

babies
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wildlife


3 of 7

animals and plants in nature
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trait


4 of 7

something you can observe about a living thing, such as the pointy beak of a bird
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observe


5 of 7

to pay close attention to something
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identify


6 of 7

to figure out what or who something is
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evidence


7 of 7

information that can be used to support or reject an idea
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Lesson narration:

Grade 1

Animal Traits & Survival

Parent & Offspring Traits

1-LS3-1

3471 reviews

Activity Prep

Print Prep
In this lesson, students make observations of baby animals and their parents, gathering evidence that they look similar because they share many of the same traits. In the activity, Baby Bird Rescue, students help identify lost baby birds based on observations of their specific traits.
Preview activity

Exploration

16 mins

Grade 1

Animal Traits & Survival

Parent & Offspring Traits

1-LS3-1

3471 reviews
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Animal Superpowers Lesson 1: How can you help a lost baby animal find its parents?

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