Wild Kratts: Creaturepedia

Contributor
Public Broadcasting Company
Type Category
Instructional Materials
Types
Informative Text , Animation/Movie , Activity
Note
This resource, vetted by NSTA curators, is provided to teachers along with suggested modifications to make it more in line with the vision of the NGSS. While not considered to be "fully aligned," the resources and expert recommendations provide teachers with concrete examples and expert guidance using the EQuIP rubric to adapted existing resources. Read more here.

Reviews

Description

This online, interactive activity combines animation and informative text to teach about a variety of animals and how they meet their needs in their environments. This activity is based on the popular PBS animated show, Wild Kratts. Students can access information about specific animals through particular habitats, groups, or regions of interest.

Intended Audience

Learner
Educational Level
  • Early Elementary
Language
English
Access Restrictions

Free access - The right to view and/or download material without financial, registration, or excessive advertising barriers.

Performance Expectations

K-LS1-1 Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive.

Clarification Statement: Examples of patterns could include that animals need to take in food but plants do not; the different kinds of food needed by different types of animals; the requirement of plants to have light; and, that all living things need water.

Assessment Boundary: none

This resource is explicitly designed to build towards this performance expectation.

Comments about Including the Performance Expectation
After choosing an animal through the Group, Region, or Habitat, be sure to click through all the buttons (food, shelter, predator/prey, and special "powers") to learn about the various needs for survival in order to fully address the Performance Expectation. When applicable, view the included video.

Science and Engineering Practices

This resource was not designed to build towards this science and engineering practice, but can be used to build towards it using the suggestions provided below.

Comments about Including the Science and Engineering Practice
The instructor can meet the criteria of this Practice Example by using guiding questions before, during, or after the activity Using KWLs or similar graphic organizers throughout the activity would also help meet this practice.

Disciplinary Core Ideas

This resource is explicitly designed to build towards this disciplinary core idea.

Comments about Including the Disciplinary Core Idea
Be sure to allow students time to explore all the options for a particular animal choice in order to meet this Disciplinary Core Idea. Pay attention to the link (button) with the eating utensils which explicitly describes how the animal meets its need for food. Many of these links also include video.

Crosscutting Concepts

This resource appears to be designed to build towards this crosscutting concept, though the resource developer has not explicitly stated so.

Comments about Including the Crosscutting Concept
This activity is designed for students to independently explore and chose what they want to learn. However, teachers can use this activity with whole group media and white board interaction, or by providing direction with graphic organizers and group discussion for independent use. This is an excellent resource for guided research with young children.

Resource Quality

  • Alignment to the Dimensions of the NGSS: This is an excellent resource for guided research with young children and open independent research with children who are proficient readers. It supplies information necessary to meet NGSS expectations in a kid-friendly and entertaining way.

  • Instructional Supports: This resource uses scientifically accurate and grade-appropriate scientific information to support three-dimensional learning. It is very user friendly and informative, however young children may not be able to read the text - which would limit their learning to the animations and videos. Text reader programs - if available- may help. Otherwise, other supports, are necessary such as a reader paired with a non-reader, or teacher reading the text,

  • Monitoring Student Progress: This resource is designed as an information gathering activity and has no assessment component. Teachers would need to design their own according to their needs.

  • Quality of Technological Interactivity: Students have choice in what they select to learn about, however the choices are limited and focused, which is helpful for young children. It also allows for instructors to guide students to learn specific information about a variety of animals so they can easily participate in shared discussions about their learning.