Project Overview: Animal Alphabet

Project Overview

Teacher: Brylyn Cowling

Name of Project: Animal Alphabet

Grade Level: 1st Grade

Subject/Course: Language Arts

Other Subject Areas: Technology

Duration: 5 days

Class Roster: 26

Project Idea Summary

First, I will review the alphabet with the class letter by letter as well as review what sounds each letter makes. The students will then break up into groups of 3 and 4 and participate in the “Animal Who” [Learn the Alphabet] activity on iCurio with classroom iPads. After participating in iCurio activity, as a class we will discuss animals that represent each letter of the alphabet. Next, I will inform students that we will be creating an alphabet book, and each student will be assigned a letter of the alphabet along with a coordinating animal that starts with the letter of the alphabet assigned. The students will draw and color the animal that represents the letter assigned, and then I will laminate each drawing/coloring, and create the alphabet book. The parents of the students will be invited to join our class while each student presents their letter in the alphabet book. On the last day of the project, students will take a field trip to the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo.

Driving Question

Class, think of all the letters of the alphabet and all of the many animals in our world. Can you think of an animal that could represent each letter of the alphabet?

ACCRS to be Taught and Assessed: Alabama English Language Arts Course of Study

22. Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
29. Participate in shared research and writing projects.
30. With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.
31. Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and large groups.
35. Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, or feelings.
39 (d). Apply alphabetical order to the first letter of words to access information.

21st Century Competencies to be Taught and Performed

Presentation Audience

Formative Assessment (During Project)

Observation of students’ work
Informal classroom assessment of alphabet and sounds each letter makes along with documentation of classroom participation.

Summative Assessment (After Project)

Resources Needed

Reflection Method