let’s be sensible - staten island zoosbesensible.pdf · city performance standards for elementary...

Funding for Activity Packets provided by:• SI Bank and Trust Community

Foundation• In memory of Norbert H.Leeseberg

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Tableof

Contents

Let’s Be SensibleAcknowledgements 2

Introduction to the Teacher Activity Packets 3

Meeting the Needs of the NYC Teacher 6

Introduction to “Let’s Be Sensible” 8

Concepts, Objectives and Vocabulary for Grades K - 2 10

Pre-Trip Activities:1. The Five Senses 122. Touch 203. Sound Bingo 224. My Family Smells 245. Sensing Without Sight 266. A Rabbit That Uses Its Senses 267. Hunting for a Safe Place 328. What Sound Does Each Animal Make? 349. Extending the Senses 36

10. Senses Collages and Creative Creatures 3811. Taste Test 40

What To Do After Your Trip to the Zoo 42

Bibliography - Resources 43

Feedback Questionnaire 45

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Thanks to the following people involved in the two - year developmentof the Teacher Guides and Student Activity Packets. These packets area symbol of the Staten Island Zoological Society’s dedication to providescience education to the children of the New York City and surroundingareas.

Clay Wollney............Curriculum WriterHarry Strano III....... Director of Education, EditorKarin Jakubowski... Former Assistant Director of Education, EditorLorraine Austin........Former Director of Education, EditorEllen Palm...............Graphics Coordinator, Designer and Illustrator

We are grateful to Vincent N. Gattullo, Director of the Staten IslandZoological Society and former Supervisor of Science for the New YorkCity Public Schools District 31, for acting as a mentor.

We would like to sincerely thank the SI Bank and Trust Foundation fortheir $30,000 grant and the $5,000 grant given by Eleanor Rogg inmemory of Norbert H. Leeseberg. Without their generous donations,the Teacher Guides and Student Activity Packets would not exist.

©2001Staten Island Zoological Society614 BroadwayStaten Island, N.Y. 10310

Acknowledgements

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Introduction to the Teacher Activity PacketsThank you for utilizing the Staten Island Zoo's Teacher Activity Packets.

The following Teacher Activity Packet is designed to enrich the learningexperience for school classes utilizing the Staten Island Zoo educationprograms.

The Teacher Activity Packets contain activities for students in grades K-5. The activities provided have been coordinated to reinforce thescientific and conservation information given in the Zoo's formal schoolpresentations. The activities are designed as preparation for a Zoovisit, but contain suggestions for post-visit projects and activities.Many of the activities are multidisciplinary. These activities may beused to teach a wide variety of subjects in addition to science includingcreative arts, language arts, social studies and mathematics, etc.

The Staten Island Zoo's Teacher Activity Packets incorporate New YorkCity Performance Standards for elementary science and arecoordinated with New York State Curriculum Frameworks for science.Designated standards covered in the Teacher Activity Packet include:life science concepts such as organism characteristics and life cycles,ecological relationships, the development of scientific thinking andinvestigation, scientific communication as well as tool and technologyuses including information acquisition from print and non-print sources.

The Staten Island Zoo recognizes the importance of conveying a firm,well-developed conservation message. Some activities in the TeacherActivity Packets introduce children to complex conservation issuessuch as habitat loss, endangered species protection and pollutionreduction. Some activities are designed to help students make goodenvironmental decisions that are within their control. Furthermore, theTeacher Activity Packets provide information on opportunities wherestudents, as individuals or as a class, can directly participate inconservation activities.

The following is a list of available Teacher Activity Packets and a briefdescription of the topics covered:

Let’s Be Sensible Grades K-2The activities provided will help familiarize the student with the fivesenses used by humans and other animals. Students will learn howsome animals have adapted special senses and sense organs thatwork differently or are stronger/weaker than our own. The importanceof the placement of these organs is also emphasized.



Science Standards

Conservation

Specific TopicsCovered

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It's Alive! Grades K-2The concepts included in this Teacher Activity Packet emphasize thedefining characteristics of living things: eating, breathing, growing andreproducing. The interaction between living and non-living habitatcomponents is illustrated, as is the importance of preserving animalhabitats.

Animal Adaptations Grades 3-5This Teacher Activity Packet's activities are designed to familiarizechildren with the concept of adaptation as a physical property or abehavior that helps an animal survive in its natural habitat. Theintimate relationship between the success of animal adaptations andthe stability (i.e. conservation) of their habitats is illustrated.

The African Savannah Grades K-2 and 3-5In this Teacher Activity Packet, children learn to identify the climate,vegetation and landscape of the African grasslands known as thesavannah. Students will discover many of the animal species normallyfound in this region. Students are also introduced to the conservationproblems of the African Savannah including animal poaching andhabitat loss.

The Rainforest Grades K-2 and 3-5Through the activities provided, children are introduced to thecomponents of the rainforest. The activities examine the vegetationlayers of the forest and some of the animal species associated withthese layers. Emphasis is placed on the various human uses of tropicalrainforests. The unique problems of deforestation are discussedincluding biodiversity loss and displacement of native peoples.

We're All Relatives Grades K-2Students will be able to identify animals as vertebrate or invertebratespecies. Students will be able to identify the five classes of vertebratespecies and some of their distinguishing characteristics.

Incredible Invertebrates Grades 3-5 This Teacher Activity Packet introduces the vast world of invertebratespecies. Arthropods are, by far, the most abundant and diverse groupof invertebrates on earth. Students learn the defining features ofarthropods including exoskeletons and segmented joints. The fourmajor groups of arthropods (including insects) are covered in thepacket. Students will recognize the importance of invertebrates tohumans and ecosystems in general.



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We hope that you will continue to incorporate the Zoo and itseducational resources into your lesson plans. We appreciate yourfeedback and encourage you to complete the questionnaire provided atthe back of this booklet. You may mail the questionnaire to theEducation Dept., The Staten Island Zoo, 614 Broadway Staten Island,NY 10310 or fax it to (718) 442-8492.

The Teacher Activity Packets are the copyrighted material of the StatenIsland Zoo. Any reprint of these packets, except photocopying forclassroom use, requires written permission of the Director of Educationof the Staten Island Zoo.



Copyright Notice

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Relationship to theNew York City

Science Standards

Meeting the Needs of the NYC Teacher



The packet of activities and suggestions that follows has beendesigned to help make your class visit to the Zoo as valuable aspossible for the students. The concepts and objectives outlined andthe activities presented have been chosen to provide your studentswith the basic knowledge of the characteristics of living organisms andtheir relationship with their surroundings. The activities in this packethave been designed to coordinate with the expectations of the NewYork City Performance Standards for science and should help youmeet the goals for student performance when appropriately utilized.

A number of strategies, often in hands-on format, are presented indifferent activities. Some are whole class activities, but most aredesigned for the students to work in cooperative groups or asindividuals. The activities include a variety of components such asreading skills activities, creative arts, language, theater arts, healthand history. Skills in observation, sequencing, comparison,classification and problem solving may be exercised in these activities.Art or craftwork is integrated into many of the activities as well.Internet URLs (addresses) and suggestions for their use as referencesor for direct student use have been supplied.

New York City Performance Standards for elementary scienceaddressed in the Let's Be Sensible activities include:

S2 Life Science ConceptsS2a Demonstrates understanding of characteristics of organismsS2b Demonstrates understanding of life cycles of organismsS2c Demonstrates understanding of organisms and environments

S4 Scientific Connections and ApplicationsS4a Demonstrates understanding of big ideas and unifying

conceptsS4d Demonstrates understanding of science as a human endeavor

S5 Scientific ThinkingS5a Asks questions about natural phenomena; objects and

organisms; and events and discoveriesS5b Uses concepts from Science Standards 1 to 4 to explain a

variety of observations and phenomenaS5c Uses evidence from reliable resources to construct

explanationsS5d Evaluates different points of view using relevant experiences,

observations and knowledge; and distinguishes between fact and opinion

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S5e Identifies problems; proposes and implements solutions; and evaluates the accuracy, design and outcomes of investigations

S5f Works individually and in teams to collect and share informationand ideas

S6 Scientific Tools and TechnologiesS6a Uses technology and tools to gather data and extend the

sensesS6c Acquires information from multiple sources, such as

experimentation and print and non-print sources

S7 Scientific CommunicationS7a Represents data and results in multiple waysS7b Uses facts to support conclusionsS7d Critiques written and oral explanations, and uses data to

resolve disagreements

S8 Scientific InvestigationS8a Demonstrates scientific competence by completing an

experimentS8b Demonstrates scientific competence by completing a

systematic observationS8c Demonstrates scientific competence by completing a design



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Introduction toLet’s Be Sensible We could not function as the beings we are without the information wereceive through our five senses. Each sense is important to us. Eachgathers specific information, but has its limitations. Humans rely largelyon sight, even though the other four senses are also important. Ofcourse, the most effective way to receive information from theenvironment is to use all of our senses in harmony.

Needless to say, senses are also important for animals to survive.Senses are adaptations to an environment and a particular need.Many animals have senses that are different from humans, such asecholocation used by bats and the heat-sensitive pits found inrattlesnakes. Other animal senses may be similar to ours but extendbeyond our own. Hawks, for instance, see as we do but have muchgreater acuity. The hearing ranges of many animals also extendsbeyond human range - dogs are a well-known example.

Environmental changes, especially habitat destruction, may impede ananimal from using its senses to meet its needs. Muddy water resultingfrom logging runoff for example, may make it impossible for fish andother aquatic animals to locate food or shelter. Sea turtles havesuffocated after swallowing plastic bags they mistakenly thought werejellyfish.

Another important aspect of learning about our senses is to increasethe students’ awareness of sensory handicaps that may cause difficultyfor people who do not have access to these senses. The teacher maywish to invite a representative from an organization for people withhearing or vision impairment to visit the class as a follow-up to thesense activities.

In the early childhood years, students become aware of each of theirsenses; how each sense gives them information, and where and howeach sense interacts with the rest of their bodies. After studentsbecome aware of their five senses and how the senses help themobserve the world, they will be ready to learn about specific parts oftheir world using their five senses. By Kindergarten, most studentshave had some experiences with animals and are familiar with differenttypes. To help them achieve basic skills of observing, describing, andcategorizing it is best to begin with concepts with which they are



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familiar. Experiences with pets or animals in their neighborhood willallow youngsters to understand the ways animals use senses. Studentswill be able to organize the information they know with teacher directionand with interaction with classmates. The study of unfamiliar animalswill reinforce and build upon the students’ prior knowledge.





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1. The senses used by both human beings and animals are seeing,hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching.

2. Most animals have one or a few “strong senses” while other sensesare weaker. Animals have different “strong senses” according to theirhabitat and lifestyle.

3. Some animals have special senses that are different from oursenses.

4. Placement of eyes, ears, noses, mouths, whiskers and hair isimportant for sensing ability. This placement varies with the role that aparticular animal plays within its habitat.

5. Senses are important for survival. They are the only way that weand other animals learn about the world around us.

6. If we destroy an animal’s habitat, the senses that it has adaptedmay no longer be suited to help it survive.

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

1. State the five senses and describe the parts of the body used foreach sense.

2. Give an example of how an animal’s senses are adapted to itshabitat/lifestyle.

3. Give an example of a sensing organ an animal has that humansdon’t have.

4. Describe how destroying/altering an animal’s habitat would affecthow it uses its senses.

Prior to visiting the Zoo, it is suggested that you familiarize the classwith the following vocabulary terms:

Antennae - long, thin sensory organs on the heads of insects andother arthropods

Blind - unable to see

Concepts, Objectives andVocabulary for Grades K - 2

Conceptsto be

Developed

ProgramObjectives

Vocabulary

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Deaf - unable to hear

Ears - organs for sensing sound

Eyes - organs for sensing light (seeing)

Habitat - the particular type of place where an animal lives

Hear - to sense vibrations through the air

Nose - the organ which senses smell

Predator - an animal that hunts other animals

Prey - an animal that is hunted by others

See - to sense light to form a picture of the world around us

Sense - the ways in which we find out about the world around us

Skin - the covering of our bodies which sense touch (feeling)

Smell - to sense tiny particles in the air

Survive - to be able to continue to live

Taste - to sense with the tongue

Tongue - the organ which senses taste

Touch - to be able to feel textures, shapes and size through the skin

Vibration - to shake back and forth - vibrations in the air producesound

Whiskers - bristles or hairs around the nose to help judge the size ofopenings or feel things





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Pre-trip Activities:1. The Five SensesThe senses used by both human beings and animals are seeing,hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching (see Concepts to beDeveloped #1 on page 11). Senses are important for survival. Theyare the only way that we and other animals learn about the worldaround us (Concept #5).

Humans rely heavily on the sense of sight to perceive the worldaround them. In this activity, students are encouraged to use all fivesenses and describe their uses.

1. Large pictures with captions: eyes - “see”, ears - “hear”, finger -“touch”, tongue - “taste”, and nose - “smell” (one of each)2. Small pictures of the ears, eyes, nose, tongue, and finger (one ofeach for every student)

Plan a route for a class walk that includes the use of all sensesincluding taste (perhaps a low sugar candy in different flavorsdistributed during the trip). Any unique (but not dangerous) uses of theother senses should be devised (feeling different textures in the artroom or food smells in the cafeteria, for instance).

1. Advise the students that they will be taking a walk around theschool. If possible allow them to talk to each other about theirexperiences on the walk to help them remember everything they can.The walk should take about twenty minutes. Ask questions during thewalk that direct the students to use various senses.

2. After returning to the classroom, have students describe whatthey experienced during their walk.A. Begin by holding up a picture of eyes. Ask what they saw duringthe walk. Students should be able to describe a variety of things. Asstudents name items they saw, give each a picture card of the eyes.All students should have a picture card when completed. Conduct ashort discussion about using our eyes to sense colors, distance (nearor far) and shapes.B. Next hold up the picture of the ears. Ask what they heard during thetrip. As students name items they heard, give each a picture card ofthe ears. All students should have a picture card when completed.Conduct as short discussion about using our ears to sense pitch andloudness.C. Hold up the picture of a finger to represent the skin. Ask whatthings they felt during the walk. As students name items they felt, giveeach a picture of the finger. All students should have a picture whencompleted. Conduct a short discussion about using our sense of touch

Concepts

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Follow-up

to judge texture and to feel temperature and pressure.D. Hold up the picture of the nose. Ask what things they smelledduring the walk. As students name items they smelled give each apicture of the nose. All students should have a picture when completed.Conduct a short discussion about using our noses to sense differentodors.E. Finally, hold up the picture of the tongue. Ask what things theytasted during the walk. As students name items they tasted (such asthe different flavors of candy) give each student a picture of the tongue.All students should have a picture when completed. Conduct a shortdiscussion about taste.F. Other student discussion questions may include: What did they learnabout the school on their trip? What would they have missed if theyhad been blindfolded or wearing earplugs? What is important aboutour senses? How do we learn about the world? Ask students todescribe other things they have learned about the world using their fivesenses.

3. Collect the pictures when the lesson is completed.

1. Ask students to keep track of one particular thing they noticed witheach of their senses for discussion next day in class. Review thestudents’ experiences along with each of the five senses.

2. Discuss which sense is least important to humans. If they were tolose one of their senses, which would they prefer it to be? Why wouldthey choose to lose this particular sense? How would this loss affecttheir lives? What other senses could help “make up” for the lostsense? Which would they least like to lose? Why is this sense mostimportant to the student? How would this loss affect their lives? Whatother senses could help “make up” for this missing sense?





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Eyes - See



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Ears - Hear

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Finger - Touch





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Nose - Smell



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Tongue - Taste



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Eyes - See Ears - Hear

Finger - Touch Nose - Smell

Tongue - Taste



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Pre-trip Activities:2. TouchThe senses used by both human beings and animals are seeing,hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching (see Concepts to beDeveloped #1 on page 11). Senses are important for survival. Theyare the only way that we and other animals learn about the worldaround us (Concept #5).

We can feel things because of various receptors spread throughout ourskin and internal organs. There are receptors for heavy pressure, lighttouch, temperature, pain, as well as internal stretch receptors that helpjudge size and position. In these activities, students learn how oursense of touch helps us determine the size, texture and shape ofthings.

1. Paper bags that contain a variety of small items (such as a bean, apebble, a cotton ball, a rubber ball, a clothespin, a marble and a rock).Prepare one bag for each group of four or five students.2. One-inch squares of sand paper, cotton cloth, plastic, wool cloth,silk, tape (sticky), one piece of dirt-covered adhesive tape (grainy) andany other objects of varying textures3. Glue or tape4. Construction paper5. Paper and pencils or crayons

Students should be familiar with a basic understanding of the fivesenses. Have the materials available at the start of the lesson.

1. Begin by reviewing the five senses and their organs with theclass. Emphasize that four of the senses are located in particularspecialized organs (sight - eyes, hearing - ears, taste - tongue, smell -nose), but touch is sensed all over the body, both on the skin andinternally.

2. Have the students work in groups of four or five. Hide objectsinside a paper bag. Ask the students to reach into the bag withoutlooking or taking anything out. They should use only the sense oftouch to determine what’s in the bag. Ask one child from eachgroup to remove one object from the bag. After observing his or herchoice ask another child from each group to remove an object which issmaller, larger, softer or harder than the first. Continue this processuntil all items have been removed. Review the use of the sense oftouch to judge hardness and shape with the students. Have thestudents place the various objects in size order from largest to smallestand then smallest to largest. You may also have the students sort the

Concepts

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Preparation

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Follow-up

objects into categories by shape or hardness or by any other meansthey wish.

3. Distribute the squares of sand paper, cotton cloth, plastic, woolcloth, silk, tape, and a piece of dirt-covered adhesive tape. Askstudents to describe the textures of the samples using the terms hard,soft, smooth, silky, rough or scratchy, grainy, bumpy. Students maythen make a "Feely Book" by taping or gluing the different materialsonto construction paper. Students may label each page as soft,smooth, rough, scratchy, bumpy, etc. (this may be done by usingmaterials the students bring from home).

4. Take the students to the playground, and bring enough paperand crayons or pencils for each child. Demonstrate how to do a“rubbing” by placing a single sheet of paper against a brick wall or treeand rubbing the crayon back and forth to make an imprint of thetexture. Encourage the children to find a variety of different textures touse for rubbings (slide - smooth, tree bark - bumpy, ridged, etc.).Students may label the textures as they finish each. Bring therubbings to the classroom and compare the textures.

1. Sense of temperature. Have the students put their hands in a panof cold water for one minute. Then ask them to put their hands in apan of water at room temperature and describe how it feels. Next,have the students put their hands in a pan of warm water (not too hot)for one minute and then into the room temperature water again. Howdoes the room temperature water feel now?

2. Discuss which texture the students prefer. What objects in theirhomes have particular textures?

3. Invite a doctor to visit the class to explain how he or she uses thesense of touch to help diagnose illness. What do they touch when aperson is sick? Why does a doctor put a thermometer in your mouth?What does a thermometer do? Why does a person's skin feel hot whenhe or she is ill?

4. Have the students make patterns or collages using the pieces ofdifferent textures (rough, smooth, bumpy, sticky, etc.) from action #3.





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Pre-trip Activities:3. Sound BingoThe senses used by both human beings and animals are seeing,hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching (see Concepts to beDeveloped #1 on page 11). Senses are important for survival. Theyare the only way that we and other animals learn about the worldaround us (Concept #5).

Students identify different sounds made by animals at the Zoo in thisactivity.

Sound Bingo cards

Make a copy of Sound Bingo cards for each student.

Distribute the cards to the students when you arrive at the Zoo. Asthey find the animals on the bingo cards, have the class listen to findout what sound the animal makes. Help the students check off theanimals as they hear them.

1. Hey Now, What’s that Sound? This activity tests the ability of thestudents to identify several sounds. Stand in a position where thestudents are facing away from you or ask them to close their eyes.When they can’t see what you are doing, make a common sound suchas crumpling paper. Put the paper down where the students can’t seeit and let them open their eyes. Ask if they can identify what you didwhen their eyes were closed. Allow the students to play “What’s thatsound?” by taking turns making sounds and asking the other studentsto guess the noise. Some classroom sounds that they might useinclude: clapping chalkboard erasers, tapping a pencil or pen on adesk (point or eraser end), closing a book, shaking coins in differentcontainers, crumpling up paper, stomping on the floor, using a stapler,bouncing different types of balls or tearing up paper.

2. Noise makers. Have students build their own sound makers byputting different materials into sealable containers (plastic filmcontainers, yogurt or cottage cheese cups, and juice bottles). Fill thecontainers about 1/4 full with their choice of materials. They maydecorate the outsides of their noise makers if they wish. Havestudents guess what is inside of each others noise makers bylistening.

Concepts

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Preparation

Follow-up

Action



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Sound Bingo

Rattlesnake

PrairieDog

CrowSun Conure(Parrot)

Cow Peacock

Sheep Duck Leopard

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Pre-trip Activities:4. My Family SmellsThe senses used by both human beings and animals are seeing,hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching (see Concepts to beDeveloped #1 on page 11). Most animals have one or a few “strongsenses” while their other senses are weaker. Animals have different“strong senses” according to their habitat and lifestyle (Concept #2).Senses are important for survival. They are the only way that we andother animals learn about the world around us (Concept #5).

Many animals use the sense of smell to identify one another andmembers of their own families. In this activity, students are randomlygiven five different odors. Each student must match his or her odor withother students having the same odor to form a family group.

1. One cup or film canister for each student 2. Samples of 4 or 5 of the following: lemon juice, vinegar, perfume oraftershave, garlic powder, pickle juice, vanilla extract, oregano or otherdried herbs and spices 3. Unscented tissues or paper towels

Set up enough cups for the entire class. Put a piece of unscentedtissue or paper towel in each cup. Sprinkle a few drops (enough tocreate an odor) of one sample into 6 or 7 cups (depending on classsize). Repeat for the other samples until all cups have an odor.

1. Explain to the students that many animals find members oftheir own family by their similar odor. In this game, they will playmembers of different animal families that have been mixed together(seals are a good example.) They must find members of their ownfamilies by identifying who has the same odor as they do.

2. Randomly distribute to the students cups with the five differentodors.

3. For each of the odors, choose two students with the same odorto play the parents. Instruct the parents to move around the classsmelling the other student’s cups to find their families (those with thesame odor). Give them about five minutes to do this gathering theirfamilies at separate tables. When completed, check to make sure theyhave successfully accomplished the task.

Something Smells in my House. We use our sense of smell in manyuseful ways. Have the students brainstorm how they use smell in theirlives. How do they know when dinner’s almost ready? Can they usetheir sense of smell to identify the type of food cooking? Does anyone

Concepts

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in the house use cologne or perfume? How do they know when a babyneeds changing? Other smells might include dirty socks, garbage or alandfill. What smells might they recognize in the mall or a movietheater?



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Pre-trip Activities:5. Sensing Without SightThe senses used by both human beings and animals are seeing,hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching (see Concepts to beDeveloped #1 on page 11). Most animals have one or a few “strongsenses” while their other senses are weaker. Animals have different“strong senses” according to their habitat and lifestyle (Concept # 2).Senses are important for survival. They are the only way that we andother animals learn about the world around us (Concept #5).

Sight is the most important sense for most humans. We rely veryheavily on sight to navigate through the world. In this activity, only theother four senses are used to identify locations.

1. Read the following scenarios to the students. After reading eachstatement, ask the students where the scenario is taking place.

• I smell peanuts. I hear loudspeakers. I feel my parents sitting on either side of me. I taste a hotdog.

Where am I? (At a baseball game)

• I smell suntan lotion. I hear gulls. I feel the hot sun on my skin. Itaste salty water.

Where am I? (At a beach)

• I smell wildflowers. I hear birds singing. I feel a light breeze. I tastehoneysuckles.

Where am I? (In a meadow or garden)

• I smell fresh pillows. I hear crickets singing outside. I feel soft blankets around me. I still taste toothpaste.

Where am I? (In bed)

• I smell charcoal burning. I hear lots of people talking. I feel grass or pavement through my sandals. I taste cola, hot dogs and hamburgers.

Where am I? (At a barbecue)

• I smell car exhaust. I hear trucks rumble. I feel my seat bumping up and down.

Where am I ? (Riding in a car)

2. Ask students which senses were important in deciding whatplace was being described. What sense was left out?

3. Ask the students if they can describe other places using theirother four senses. This can be done as a class exercise. Different

Concepts

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students may suggest locations and discuss the different associationsthat they may make using the other four senses.

Explore how people with sight impairments find their way. You maywish to contact local organizations for the sight-impaired to find out if aspeaker could visit the class. How do the sight-impaired use seeingeye dogs and braille?

Follow-up



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Pre-trip Activities:6 . A Rabbit That Uses Its SensesThe senses used by both human beings and animals are seeing,hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching (see Concept #1 on page 11).Placement of eyes, ears, noses, mouths, whiskers and hair is importantfor sensing ability. This placement varies with the role that a particularanimal plays within its habitat (Concept #4). Senses are important forsurvival. They are the only way that we and other animals learn aboutthe world around us (Concept #5).

In this activity, students identify the uses an animal has for its senses,such as finding food, avoiding danger and seeking shelter.

1. Index cards labeled with the names of the senses (one card labelled“Taste”, two labelled “Sight”, three labelled “Hearing”, three labelled“Touch”, and four labelled “Smell”)2. Illustrations of the rabbit’s adventure

1. Read the following story to the students. Instruct them to point totheir own sensory organ every time they hear one of the rabbit’ssenses being used (for instance, point to their noses when the rabbit isusing smell). As the students correctly identify the senses being used,post the appropriate index card in a visible location.

One spring day, a young rabbit awoke in his nest. His name wasRoamer. It was dark in the burrow. Although he wasn’t able to see,Roamer could smell his brothers and sisters around him. He also feltthe warmth of their bodies. The young rabbit headed for the opening tothe land above. Using his whiskers to feel his way, the youngsterreached the surface.

Roamer blinked his eyes at the bright light. The first thing he sawwas a patch of grass. He hopped to the grass. Roamer could smell theflowery odor of nearby roses. The young rabbit enjoyed the sweet tasteof the grass.

He couldn’t see well as he ate with his head down. Roamer usedhis large ears to hear a rustling in the bushes nearby. Looking up, theyoung rabbit saw a fox. It was ready to jump on him. The rabbit ran forcover under a log. The fox ran after him. The rabbit could smell the fox’sbreath as it stuck its nose under the log. After a while, the rabbit couldhear the fox’s footsteps as it left.

When Roamer could no longer smell the fox in the area, hecarefully crept out from the log. Soon he heard his mother comingtoward him. He hopped to her and followed her back to the burrow.Using his whiskers again Roamer felt his way back to the safety of thenest.

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2. Use the index cards to tally how many times each sense wasused in the story. Ask the students which sense the rabbit used themost. Which did he use the least?

3. Ask the students which senses helped the rabbit:A. Find food (sight, smell, and taste) B. Avoid danger (hearing and sight) C. Find shelter (smell, touch, and hearing) Use the “Rabbit’s Adventures” illustration to help the students recallevents of the story.

Have the students act the story out as a play.Follow-up



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Rabbit’s Adventures



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Pre-trip Activities:7. Hunting for a Safe PlaceMost animals have one or a few “strong senses” while their othersenses are we a ke r. Animals have different “strong senses” according totheir habitat and lifestyle (see Concepts to be Developed #2 on page1 1 ) . Some animals have special senses that are different from oursenses (Concept #3) . Placement of eye s, ears, noses, mouths,w h i s kers and hair is important for sensing ability. This placement va ri e swith the role that a particular animal plays within its habitat (Concept# 4 ) . Senses are important for surv i va l . T h ey are the only way that weand other animals learn about the wo rld around us (Concept #5) .

Some animals can respond directly to their needs and seek out theplace that is best for them by heading directly to it. Many invertebratesdo not have this ability. They must constantly sense their surroundingsand keep searching until they find a place that is safe to live. If a placedoes not suit their needs, they move quickly until they come to a moreappropriate location where they slow down. They don’t know where thebetter location is so they just move faster until they get there.

1. Mealworms (larvae of the darkling beetle), isopods (commonlyknown as rolly-pollies), millipedes or mud snails2. A shallow tray that is as large as possible 3. Cardboard or other opaque material that can cover half of the tray

1. Mealworms are the easiest to use since they can be purchased atpet shops in conveniently sized portions. Isopods (commonly calledpill bugs or rolly-pollies) and millipedes can be collected from underboards. Mud snails, common at low tide, can also be used.2. Have enough trays and covers on hand for the students to work ingroups of three to five.

1. Explain to the students that these animals do not have eyes,ears or a nose. To find their way around they must use feelers thatcan sense touch and may allow them to taste or smell as well. In thisexperiment, they can observe how the animal finds a safe place whenput into an uncomfortable environment, which in this case is brightlight.

2. Have students put about six of the invertebrates into the centerof the uncovered tray. Point out that the animals move about asthough looking for something. Do not leave them in the open box formore than five minutes.

3. Place the cover over half of the tray. Place the animals in thecenter of the tray. Do they move quickly or slowly when first placed in

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this box? Do they move as much once they happen into the coveredarea? After about five minutes where do the animals end up?

4. Review the invertebrates’ behavior with the students. Theymove quickly in uncomfortable conditions, but slow down or stop whenthey reach a more comfortable location. Feelers are used to check formoisture and temperature, to find a shaded place that is cooler andsafer than an open, dry and exposed spot.

5. When the activity has been completed, the specimens can bereleased where they were collected. If mealworms are used, checkwith the pet shop to find out if they can be returned before youpurchase them. If you wish to keep them, they can be used to begin acolony for observing the life cycles of insects. Mealworms should notbe released outdoors.



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Pre-trip Activities:8. What Sounds Does Each Animal Make?The senses used by both human beings and animals are seeing,hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching (see Concepts to beDeveloped #1 on page 11). Senses are important for survival. Theyare the only way that we and other animals learn about the worldaround us (Concept #5).

Students identify the sounds made by familiar animals.

A copy of the “What Sounds” activity sheet for each student.

1. Distribute “What Sounds” picture worksheets. Along with thestudents, match the sounds listed at the bottom of the page with therelated pictures. Younger students may be guided through the soundswithout reference to the word bank. They may verbally identify ormimic the sound. Older students may be able to use the word bank tofill in the sounds under the picture of the animal.

2. How do sounds help us? Which animals pictured are makingwarning sounds? Which are making sounds to communicatesomething to their parents or children?

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What Sounds?

baa purr quack cheep-cheep rattle chirp caw

cock-a-doodle-do roar ribbit



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Pre-trip Activities:9. Extending the SensesMost animals have one or a few “strong senses” while their othersenses are weaker. Animals have different “strong senses” accordingto their habitat and lifestyle (see Concepts to be Developed #2 on page11). Some animals have special senses that are different from oursenses (Concept #3). Placement of eyes, ears, noses, mouths,whiskers and hair is important for sensing ability. This placementvaries with the role that a particular animal plays within its habitat(Concept #4).

1. Plain paper2. Binoculars 3. A sandbox or sand filled container and a few objects (such as keys,paperclips or pencils) 4. A board and a hammer

1. Explain to students that some animals have better senses thanwe do. These “strong” senses are adaptations to a particular way oflife. They are especially important in helping the animal find food,shelter and other needs.

2. Super Ears. Have the students each roll two pieces of paper intofunnels with the small opening about an inch across. Tape the papersto keep the funnel shape. Ask them to put the funnels down. In a lowvoice say, “Can you hear me?” Now, have them hold the funnels up totheir ears and point them directly at you. Again say “Can you hearme?” Let the children experiment with their super-ears for a fewminutes to discover that they can hear things better by pointing theears at the source of the sound even without turning their heads.Animals that rely on hearing, often have large ears on top of theirheads that can be moved independently. Can the students think of anyexamples?

3. Eagle Eyes. Have a student stand at one end of the room and askhim or her to describe a small object at the other end of the room.Give the student binoculars and help him or her adjust them to focuson the same object. Ask the student to describe details that he or shecouldn’t see before. Eagles, hawks and many other birds have eyesthat can see eight to ten times better than ours.

4. Sensitive Touch. Bury a few objects (such as keys, paperclips orpencils) in a bucket of sand. Have the students feel around under thesand with their hands to find the objects. Some animals use a finesense of touch to find food they can’t see. Raccoons, for instance, use

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their paws to feel around for food under rocks and in streams evenwhen their vision is blocked or it’s too dark.

5. Feeling Sound in the Ground. Lay a board about three feet long onthe floor. Have students place their hands flat down on one end of theboard. Hit the other end with a hammer or mallet. Can they feel thevibrations? Some animals, such as snakes and turtles, can’t hearsound in the air but can “hear” sounds through the ground.

6. UltraNose. Ask a few volunteers to cover their eyes. Hold alifesaver (a different flavor in each case) about an inch away from theirnoses. Can they identify the flavor using only their sense of smell?Hide the lifesavers. Give the volunteers each a glass of water. Askthem each to dip a finger into the glass and then rub the water undertheir noses on the upper lip. Have them close their eyes again andhold the same flavors under each child’s nose. Can they smell betterwith wet noses? Many animals that rely on smell have wet noses.Odors dissolve in moisture and can be better sensed by smellreceptors on a wet nose.

7. Supertasters. Tastebuds are hidden under the papillae (bumps) onthe tongue. The more papillae, the more taste buds and the keener thesense of taste. Have the students use magnifying glasses to comparethe number of papillae on each others’ tongues. Some people havemore papillae (hence more taste buds) than others. These people are“supertasters” with a better than average sense of taste. Others haveless papillae than the average and don’t taste as well. Most of us fallsomewhere in between. Animals with good taste have far more tastebuds than we do. A rabbit’s tongue, for instance, contains 17,000 tastebuds.

Brainstorm with the students. What other animals with special sensescan they think of? (Cats’ ability to feel with their whiskers, a dog’s finehearing, the ability of many animals to see better at night, or a bat’sradar are some responses that you may expect.)

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Pre-trip Activities:10. Senses Collages and Creative ChimerasThe senses used by both human beings and animals are seeing,hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching (see Concepts to beDeveloped #1 on page 11). Placement of eyes, ears, noses, mouths,whiskers and hair is important for sensing ability. This placementvaries with the role that a particular animal plays within its habitat(Concept #4). Senses are important for survival. They are the only waythat we and other animals learn about the world around us (Concept#5).

In this activity, students identify sensory organs in different animals anduse them to create either a collage or a chimera - a composite animalmade from the parts of others. In creating chimeras, the studentsshould be able to describe how each creature uses the senses theyhave been given.

1.“Senses Cutout” worksheets2. Natural science magazines (that can be cut up)3. Construction paper and glue

For younger children, you may wish to cut the pictures of sense organsout beforehand.

1. Distribute the “Senses Cutout” worksheets provided or themagazines and help children cut out pictures. If older children arecutting out the pictures themselves, have them look for sense organsfrom different animals to cut out.

2. Have the students use the cut out organs and glue them toconstruction paper to produce a collage. Considering the ages andskills of your particular class, you may attempt varying degrees ofcreativity. Younger children may simply make a general collage of thedifferent sense organs chosen. Particular themes may be chosen - acollage of noses or eyes, for example. Older children may combine thesense organs of different animals to create composite animals made ofdifferent species (chimeras).

3. Upon completion, ask the students to describe their creationsand to identify the sense organs they used. If they have createdchimeras, they may wish to describe their composite creature. Studentsshould explain how it uses its various sense organs and how theseorgans help it to survive.

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Pre-trip Activities:11. Taste TestThe senses used by both human beings and animals are seeing,hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching (see Concepts to beDeveloped #1 on page 11). Most animals have one or a few “strongsenses” while their other senses are weaker. Animals have different“strong senses” according to their habitat and lifestyle (Concept #2).

How well an animal can sense taste depends on how important taste isin finding safe food. Animals that need taste to find food are far moresensitive to taste than animals that use other senses. In this activity,students compare their taste sensitivity to a butterfly’s and a dog’s.

1. Three 2-quart pitchers 2. Water3. Sugar4. Enough cups for the entire class

1. Label the three pitchers # 1, #2 and #3.2. Put 1/2 teaspoon of sugar in the first pitcher, 2 teaspoonfuls in thesecond pitcher and 6 teaspoonfuls in the third pitcher.3. Stir to dissolve the sugar.

1. Announce that you are going to give the students a taste test.Distribute a cup to each student.

2. Pour a small amount from pitcher #1 into the students’ cups.Let them take a sip. Ask if any could taste anything in the water. Canthey identify it as sugar?

3. Repeat this procedure for pitcher #2. Can the students taste thesugar now?

4. Finally give the students a little water from pitcher #3. Theyshould be able to taste the sugar in this sample.

5. Tell the students how much sugar you put in each pitcher.Explain that some animals have much finer sense of taste thanhumans. Although the students barely tasted the sugar in pitcher #1, abutterfly would find it very sweet. They need this fine sense to findsugary food. Other animals, on the other hand, have very little senseof taste. Mammals, in general, don’t sense taste particularly well.Think of the things you have seen dogs eat, for example!

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Butterfly tongues. Butterflies have a sense of taste about 200 timesbetter than humans. They use their long curled tongues to sip nectarfrom flowers. Students can simulate butterflies feeding using curled“party blowers”. A cup can be used to represent the flower. Have thestudents try to get the end of the party blower into the cup. Try usingone eye only and then try it with both eyes open. Can students explainhow the compound eyes of butterflies help them get food?

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Scavengingfor Senses

What to Do After Your Trip to the ZooHave the students search for examples of animals using each of theirsenses. Some of the resources they may use include pets, backyardwildlife, pictures in magazines, televison programs and videos.

Taste buds that respond to the four basic tastes are spread around thetongue, but particular tastes are generally sensed more prominently oncertain areas of the tongue. The degree of sensitivity varies, however.Students can make a “tongue map” by using basic taste tests on thevarious areas of the tongue (salty, sweet, bitter and sour) applied with aQ-tip. Instructions for this activity can be found in many science textsand on the internet.

On a day when there is a light breeze, take the class to the playgroundand ask the students to stand in a circle. Bring a fresh orange withyou. Ask one student to stand in the middle of the circle and peel theorange. Which students smell the orange first? Are there any studentsthat can’t smell it at all? Which students are in the best position to bepredators hunting by smell? Which position is best for the prey?Blindfold one of the students. Let another student hold the peeledorange while standing still. The blindfolded student must “hunt down”the student with the orange using only the sense of smell.

Hearing impairment affects many people. American Sign Language(ASL) is one way in which people with hearing impairments cancommunicate. The book Signing For Kids, listed in the bibliography, isan easy introduction to ASL. Signs for animal names generate thechildren’s interest. You might encourage the students to learn two orthree words, letters or other signs to help them gain insight intospeaking without hearing.

Clean up an area around the school or a nearby park that serves as ananimal habitat. Garbage and litter produced by human society isn’t justunsightly. It is a danger to many animals. Besides the chemicalpollution our wastes create, animals’ senses and ability to meet theirneeds may be hindered by litter. Sea turtles have suffocated on plasticbags mistaken for the jellyfish they eat. Many small mammals, such assquirrels and songbirds, choke on or are entangled by rubber bands,gum wrappers and other small objects mistaken for food or nestingmaterial. Students can help by properly disposing of trash and bycleaning up local habitats.



TongueMapping

DownwindDanger

SignLanguage

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Books

Bibliography and Resources1. Animal Senses; How Animals See, Hear, Taste, Smell and Feel,Pamela Hickman, Kids Can Press, 1998 (Ages 7 - up)

2. All Ears, J. W. Cole, & K. Welch, The Economy Company, 1977

3. The Five Senses, Rius & Puig, Barron's Educational Series, 1985

4. Experiment with Senses, Monica Byles, Lemer PublicationsCompany, 1993 (Ages 4-8)

5. Come to Your Senses (All Eleven of Them) by Milan Yytla, AnnickPress, 1993 (Ages 4-8)

6. Signing For Kids, Mickey Flodin, Putnam Publishing Group, 1991

7. Animal Senses, Michel Barre, Gareth Stevens, 1998

8. My Five Senses, Aliki, Demco Media, 1990 (ages 4-8)

9. My Five Senses, Margaret Miller, Aladdin Paperbacks, 1998(Preschool)

Use search engines such as Infoseek or AltaVista to search phrasessuch as “human senses” or “animal senses”. The following areparticularly well constructed sites that supplement this activity packagenicely.

1. http://www.fi.edu/qa96/meindex.htmlMinutes from Me - Margaret Ennis, a part-time teacher and volunteer atThe Franklin Institute Online, shares her ideas for making learning fun,particularly online.

2. http://www.sedl.org/scimath/pasopartners/senses/The Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL) is aprivate, not-for-profit education research and development corporationbased in Austin,Texas. SEDL's page contains a number of activitiesrelated to the senses.

3. h t t p : / / w w w. m i n n e t o n k a . k 1 2 . m n . u s / s u p p o rt / s c i e n c e / l e s s o n s 2 3 . h t m lMaintained by the Minnetonka Schools.This site offers links to manyactivities including a series of week long activities for each of the fivesenses.



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4. http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/amaze.htmlThis site is good for teacher reference, cataloging examples of howsome animals sense the outside world and the anatomical structuresthat allow them to do so.

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Feedback QuestionnaireWe thank you for utilizing the information in the Staten Island Zoo'sTeacher Activity Packets. We would appreciate any feedback about theeffectiveness of the activities and suggestions provided. Theinformation you provide in the following questionnaire will help us tofurther meet the needs of teachers using the Zoo as an educationalresource.

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What Teacher Activity Packet/s have you used or considered for use?

How would you rate the effectiveness of each activity?

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Comments:

Do you feel that the information, activities and suggestions providedcoordinate well with the science curriculum set forth by the Stateand/or City of New York?

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Do you agree that conservation information and messages are clearlystated and sufficiently represented throughout the Teacher ActivityPacket(s)?

Circle one: Always Usually Sometimes Never

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Have you conducted any of the multidisciplinary activities that involvesubjects such as the arts, social studies or mathematics?

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If so, did you find the activity useful in teaching the subject?

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