What it is: I am a fan of everything PBS does, recently I ran across this gem while looking for some activities that help students learn about habitats. Draw that Habitat is SO much more engaging than most of the “match the animal to the correct habitat” lower level thinking “games” (if you can call them that) that are out there. In Draw that Habitat, students are introduced to imaginary animals. They are briefed on the animal and its needs and are then given drawing tools to create a habitat. Each month a new imaginary animal is introduced. This month’s challenge is an animal called a Flarch. During the activity students learn that a habitat is a place that an animal lives where they get food and water, find shelter, search for a mate, and raise babies. Students are asked to think about how and where the imaginary animal gets food and water, where it keeps safe from weather and other animals, etc. What I love about this activity is that it calls on student’s creativity and imaginations. They are asked to come up with a solution for an imaginary animal and in the process learn about habitats, camouflage, and adaptation. When students are finished with their habitat, they can share it with other students and view and rate the habitats that others have created.
How to integrate Draw That Habitat into the classroom: Draw that Habitat is a great little activity for primary students who are learning about habitats, camouflage, and adaptations. It is probably best to use Draw that Habitat after students have a general understanding of what a habitat is. This is a place where they can solidify that understanding and expand on what they have learned by creating something new. I like the abstract nature of the activity, they aren’t creating a habitat for a known, real animal; instead, students are coming up with new solutions based on some key information they are given. This gives students a chance to think critically, problem solve, and use some creativity and imagination.
In a one to one setting where each student has access to a computer, each student can create a habitat for the month’s challenge. When students are finished, have a class parade, where students walk through and view the different solutions that classmates came up with. Students can explain why they made the choices they did and see what other solutions might work.
In a one or two computer classroom, students can visit Draw that Habitat as a learning center in small groups. Students at the learning center can each contribute to the habitat.
If you don’t have access to computers for students to visit, create a class habitat using an interactive whiteboard or projector-connected computers. Each student in the class can add to the habitat and describe how their contribution is important for the animal who lives in the habitat.
As an extension activity, students can write a story about the imaginary animal and its habitat.
This site is intended for younger students (early elementary), but don’t discount it’s usefulness in upper-grades. I find that when drawing-coloring are involved, students of all ages get excited about it- I have had 6th graders jump on this site and have a great time creating a habitat (they were jealous the younger kids got to do the activity and they didn’t- reminding me once again that kids like opportunities to play and be creative!).
Tips: Students can save the habitat they create offline as a .jpg file. Click the “save” button to download.
Please leave a comment and share how you are using Draw that Habitat in your classroom!
Love this! In the past I have turned this unit into a research project that produces some sort of play, but this year I wanted to do something different because a lot of grades do animal/habitat research. I appreciate this resource a lot! It will be a great way to get them prepared to think about how to Build Your Wild Self (http://www.buildyourwildself.com/). I may have some other fun resources in my Science Live Binder. Thanks for adding this one to it!!!
I don’t have a classroom right now but will definitely be sharing this with the parents and home schoolers who read my blog – what a brilliant art editor! I can see kids just loving it and almost incidentally learning a lot about habitats and animal behaviour.
YES! I love Fetch! With Ruff Ruffman! such a cool show!
Love, love, love this idea. When we mentioned your blog post and this website on our district’s instructional technology podcast this morning, we brainstormed about ways you could use the jpeg habitat creations. You could put a class set of them together in something like animoto. You could put images into voicethread and have students comment. Using voicethread, you could also have the creator of that habitat share why he/she did or did not have certain things in the habitat for the imaginary animals. Lots of ideas ….
This looks fantastic, thanks!
Melissa, your girls will love it… a fun creative way for kids to learn about habitat!
Great idea Melissa! I wonder if the kids could create a “virtual zoo” of habitats. Could be fun!
It is a cool show! Guess I don’t watch enough cartoons 🙂
I agree Susan, it is a great one for incidental learning- best kind!
It would be great paired with Build Your Wild Self Tracy, I wonder if students could create their wild self first and then create a habitat for the animal they created. Great idea!
This idea was really exciting. I like how you added many different ways to incorporate this tool into the classroom based on how much/ type of technology is available. Also, I think students will really enjoy working with this familiar charter they see on TV, at their own home. Making learning fun, with a charter they see at home during their “recreational” time makes the learning process that much more fun.