Bear Circle

Over the summer I did a post about Alaskan animals.  I was fascinated by seeing a moose, porcupine, and bear all in one night.  After that night, I took what I saw and turned it into a language arts and science lesson. 

Along the Iditarod trail, and during training, a musher may encounter may different animals, including moose, bears, caribou, porcupines, bison, and more.  In Gary Paulsen’s Woodsong, we learn about three animals he encounters—moose, bears, and bison.  In this lesson students will read three non-fiction articles about these animals.  Students will summarize the information from the articles to create a mobile of their information.  This lesson can also be connected to science standards about habitats, animal traits, and food chains.   

My favorite part of this lesson is the finished product.  My students are always so proud of their animal mobile, and they are excited to show them off to anyone who walks into the classroom. 

Animal Encounters Lesson Plan
Woodsong Excerpt
Animal Encounter Reading Handouts and Circles
Informational Text Notes Handout
Animal Venn Diagram

Examples of my students’ work!

Moose Summary