Spotted Salamander Migration Lesson Plan
Hi teachers of small humans!
Copyright Susan Caplan.
Here's a chance to increase awareness about salamanders (and ourselves) in a fun way, which culminates in a wild dance. Excerpt:
"Cut a nine-inch piece of paper (or draw and cut out a nine-inch long salamander) and set it on the ground so the children have a better perspective of what it is like to be an animal that size, traveling that distance. Attach the strips of paper to a length of yarn that allows the students to drag their “salamanders” along the migration route.
Have other students pretend to be cars that cross the salamander’s route. Cars don’t intentionally weave over the area for the purpose of driving over the salamanders. Children representing cars must travel back and forth in a straight line, accidentally running over the paper salamanders. Discuss how some communities put in tunnels that connected forested areas to vernal pools to protect these amphibians.
End the measuring activity by discussing that when the male salamanders reach the vernal pool they “congress” or move around a lot, splashing the water, and attracting the females to the area. Do Freeze Dancing for fun by playing music that the students dance to; when the music stops periodically the students freeze in whatever pose they were in at that moment."
Spotted Salamander Migration Lesson Plan About Big Night http://www.suite101.com/content/spotted-salamander-migration-lesson-plan-about-big-night-a252062#ixzz1CKzU9Qmw
Copyright Susan Caplan.
Here's a chance to increase awareness about salamanders (and ourselves) in a fun way, which culminates in a wild dance. Excerpt:
"Cut a nine-inch piece of paper (or draw and cut out a nine-inch long salamander) and set it on the ground so the children have a better perspective of what it is like to be an animal that size, traveling that distance. Attach the strips of paper to a length of yarn that allows the students to drag their “salamanders” along the migration route.
Have other students pretend to be cars that cross the salamander’s route. Cars don’t intentionally weave over the area for the purpose of driving over the salamanders. Children representing cars must travel back and forth in a straight line, accidentally running over the paper salamanders. Discuss how some communities put in tunnels that connected forested areas to vernal pools to protect these amphibians.
End the measuring activity by discussing that when the male salamanders reach the vernal pool they “congress” or move around a lot, splashing the water, and attracting the females to the area. Do Freeze Dancing for fun by playing music that the students dance to; when the music stops periodically the students freeze in whatever pose they were in at that moment."
Spotted Salamander Migration Lesson Plan About Big Night http://www.suite101.com/content/spotted-salamander-migration-lesson-plan-about-big-night-a252062#ixzz1CKzU9Qmw