What student wouldn’t be excited to mix craft supplies with a science project? The creature family project is one I look forward to each year. Students will create a never before seen creature family. They will create two parents and use their knowledge of inherited and acquired traits to create an offspring. This easy to implement project will have every student engaged and will have a big impact on learning.
Creature Family Project
Time: 3-4 hours (spread over 4 days)
Materials:
Steps:
Students will demonstrate they understand:
FAQ
What do I do if students don’t bring many supplies?
I would let families know needed craft supplies well in advance (3-4 weeks). This allows you time to find more supplies if you know you will need more.
Remember that students are working in groups and they often bring in more supplies than what they can use, so encourage sharing. For example students may bring in 100 beads but it is unlikely they will actually use 100 beads for their three creatures. Encourage them to share and trade with others.
If you don't have many supplies after 1-2 weeks consider checking if any other staff members have any craft supplies they no longer need. The art teacher and K/1 teachers are usually good places to start.
One year I exhausted all those options and still didn’t have what I needed. I purchased this craft supply set* and was very pleased with the amount and the variety. I was able to purchase one set for each of my classes and found that it was enough to compliment what students were able to bring in. We also used these small containers of Play-Doh™*. We didn't use them all but we used the leftovers in other projects later in the school year.
Know that the exact kit above is not required. We just wanted to include links to a product we used and loved in case it’s helpful to you as well.
How can I make sure this project doesn’t just become a craft?
This is a really important topic as it can turn into just a craft without some guidance. While students are working on their projects I am walking around asking questions like:
How do I ensure students manage their time well?
I usually complete this project over 4 days (about 45 minutes each day). Below is a general structure I try to stick to.
Day 1 - Students make and share a plan. Must be approved by teacher before building.
Day 2 - Students make both parents.
Day 3 - Students make one offspring (can make more offspring if they have time).
Day 4 - Analyzing & explaining their creatures traits
For the students' plan, they can write it, draw it or verbally tell me but their plan must be clear. I often have to help guide them to ensure they know exactly what to do when they start building.
I put a time limit on building. They can start building on day 1 when their plan is approved but there will be no more building after day 3.
What prior knowledge should students have?
For all of this project students should have learned inherited traits, acquired traits, learned behaviors and instincts. This project is to demonstrate their understanding of what they have been taught. If you follow the 5E instructional model these activities would come after the "Explain" section. Interested in what the 5E model is:
get my free guide here!
These activities are part of our 5th Grade Heredity Lesson Plans, which include detailed lesson plans, projects, assessments, and many other activities to help students understand heredity and traits.
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